Step 1

Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and 2 cups of water in the blender. Process until you get a smooth mixture.

Step 2

Add the oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the fideos and stir them for 2-3 minutes or until light golden brown.

Step 3

Pour the tomato mixture into the pot and stir the fideos immediately. Pour in the remaining water and broth, mix well. Add the kosher salt, black pepper and ground cumin. Mix well.

Step 4

Place the chicken in the pot. Increase the heat to high. Once it gets to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and let the soup simmer for 35-45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Step 5

During the last 10 minutes of cooking, use a sharp knife to carefully score the jalapeño. Add it to the pot and cook the soup for another 6-7 minutes.

Step 6

Remove the jalapeño. Taste the soup and adjust salt/pepper to taste if needed.

Step 7

With two forks, shred the chicken breasts.

Step 8

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with cilantro.