First, heat the oven to 350F and season the chicken breasts generously with kosher salt. Warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat, lay the breasts in skin side down and sear until deeply browned, about 4 to 5 minutes a side.

Next, move the chicken to a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 165F in the thickest part of the breast away from the bone. Set it aside to rest while you build the soup.

Then add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pot over medium heat. Add the onion, poblanos, red bell pepper and jalapeno with a generous pinch of salt and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the sear, until everything has softened.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the cumin, coriander, chili powder and oregano and cook for 1 minute more, so the spices toast rather than steam.

After that, stir in the tomato paste and keep it moving for a full 2 minutes, until it darkens to brick red and smells sweet rather than sharp. This is the step that decides whether the broth tastes canned or simmered.

Pour in the stock, both cans of tomatoes, the black beans, the hominy and the minced chipotles with their adobo. Bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Pull the skin and bones off the rested chicken, shred the meat and return it to the pot. Simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, then taste and add salt until the flavors arrive together rather than one at a time.

Meanwhile, heat about an inch of vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Fry the tortilla ribbons in three small batches until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes each, then drain on paper towels and salt them straight away.

Finally, pile the strips into warm bowls and ladle the soup over them. Top with lime, cilantro, cotija and sour cream, and serve while the strips still have their crunch.