1Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel, reserving 1 tablespoon grease in the skillet. Add onion and garlic to the skillet; cook and stir until onion are translucent, about 5 minutes.
2Combine chicken broth and chicken breasts in a large pot; bring to a boil. Cook until chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes. Remove chicken breasts from broth; cool until easily handled.
3Stir bacon, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes and green chile peppers, and tomato sauce into the chicken broth. Add corn, chipotle peppers, salt, pepper, cumin, and cilantro.
4Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place tortilla strips on a baking sheet.
5Tear chicken breasts into small strips; add to the broth mixture. Cook and stir until soup flavors combine, about 20 minutes.
6Bake tortilla strips in the preheated oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes.
7Ladle soup into serving bowls. Top with sour cream; garnish with tortilla strips and Cheddar cheese.
Footnotes
Cook's Note:
If you want your soup mild, make sure to seed the chipotle peppers before adding them to the soup.
Ingredients
8 servings
455 cals
8 (1 ounce) slices smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32 ounce) container chicken broth
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes and mild green chile peppers (such as RO*TEL®)
1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14 ounce) can whole kernel corn
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped, or to taste