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1
Preheat oven to 425u00b0 F.
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2
Sprinkle chicken legs all over with sea salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a roasting pan and arrange chicken legs on top. Roast chicken for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted parallel to the bone reads 165u00b0 F. (Check chicken for doneness at the 20-minute mark.)
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3
Reserve 1 pound cooked chicken for the soup: Cover and put in the fridge until needed. Set roasting pan aside to cool.
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4
Meanwhile, set a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, and then onions. Saute until soft, 7 minutes or so, then add all remaining ingredients but the water. Continue to saute, stirring often, until vegetables soften and wilt, about 10 minutes.
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5
Add roasted drumsticks, scraping any accumulated juices or brown bits in as well. Add the water. Bring mixture to a boil, then turn heat to medium-low (enough heat to produce a gently bubbling simmer). Add sea salt sparingly-just enough to bring out flavors. Cook until chicken meat falls off the bone, 2 to 3 hours.
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6
Using a fine mesh strainer, strain mixture into jars. Set aside to cool, then seal and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Stock can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
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7
Set broiler to high.
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8
Trim woody base from garlic cloves, then lightly smash with the side of a knife. Leave papery skin intact.
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9
Arrange garlic, tomatillos, onion, and peppers on a rimmed baking sheet. Set under the broiler. Check every few minutes. Use tongs to set any tomatillos that have burst in a bowl, turn the peppers, and grab any garlic that's starting to blacken. Continue until all the vegetables have roasted nicely, 10 to 15 minutes total.
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10
Set pan aside to cool. Under cold running water, remove the skin, stems, and seeds from the peppers.
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11
Place all of the roasted vegetables in the pitcher of a blender (you may need to do this in two batches), add 2 cups chicken stock, and pulse until mixture is well blended, but still has a bit of texture. (Use caution if mixture is hot.)
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12
Pour into a sturdy pot and set over medium-low heat. Add 2 cups remaining chicken stock, stir, and then add sea salt to taste.
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13
Pull chicken meat from reserved roasted drumsticks, set in a small dish, and warm in the oven.
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14
Meanwhile, set out a deep-frying pan and pour in neutral oil to 1-inch depth. Set over medium/medium-high heat. Fry tortilla strips until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Set cooked strips on a stack of paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt. (You can also skip the frying and use high-quality tortilla chips instead-but be mindful that store-bought chips can be very salty.)
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15
Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with tortilla strips (or chips), chicken, avocado slices, a drizzle of crema, cilantro, and cotija. Serve soup with a lime wedge.
