Fideos with Chicken or Poached Egg

Fideos is a popular first course in Spain and Mexico that features thin nests of vermicelli cooked in a rich red chile and chicken stock. I use vegetarian stock instead and poach an egg in one portion to make the vegetarian soup protein-rich, while shredded rotisserie chicken completes the ominovores' portions. The result is a simple, satisfying soup that chases the sniffles away with one bite.

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 oz vermicelli nests or broken angel hair pasta (about 2 heaping cups)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 cups stock
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes with juice
3/4 teaspoon oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 scant tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
Salt and pepper
Hot sauce (optional)
1 egg
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, plus any accumulated juices in bottom of container
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the pasta nests and saute, stirring constantly until the noodles are golden brown, about 1 minute. With tongs, turn over the nests and cook for 30 seconds. (If using angel hair pasta, cook, stirring constantly with a spatula until pasta is golden brown, about 2 minutes, reducing the heat if it begins to burn.) Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat the remaining oil in the pan; add the onions and bell pepper and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Return the pasta nests to the pan. Add the stock, tomatoes, oregano, cumin and chiles; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and gently simmer until the pasta is almost tender, about 5 minutes. Season with the salt, pepper, and hot sauce.
4. VEGETARIAN: Transfer 1-1/2 cups of the soup and pasta mixture to a small saute pan an bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Use a spoon to push the noodles and vegetables away from the center of the pan to make a little well. Break the egg and gently slip it into the well. Spoon a bit of the stock over the top of the egg, cover, and cook until the whites are just set and the yolk is still runny, about 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, stir the shredded chicken and any juices from the bottom of the container into the saute pan with the remaining stock and noodles. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low to low heat.
6. Serve the soups sprinkled with the cheese and cilantro, with lime wedges on the side.

Serves 1 vegetarian and 3 omnivores