Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have been sick lately with a terrible head cold and cough. Soup has been the only thing that has sounded good, and when I'm sick like I have been, chicken soup does the trick at making me feel better. But I like spicy, I think garlic and spicy does the trick in kicking a cold a little faster. I found this recipe on http://thepioneerwoman.com/ a while back, so I printed it out and thought I would give it a shot, I know I have similar recipes on here, but this was easy and Yummo! And she puts the tortilla's in her soup soft, and I loved it that way! I had leftover turkey that I used instead of cooking chicken breasts like the recipes says, and I just used all the spices in the soup. You could definitely use cooked chicken too, I used about 2 to 3 cups cooked chopped smoked turkey, and then followed the rest of the recipes exactly as written. I will post the original here, but remember if you have leftover chicken it works great! Enjoy!!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour30 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8

Ingredients:

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1-½ teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
½ teaspoons Salt

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup Diced Onion
¼ cups Diced Green Bell Pepper
¼ cups Red Bell Pepper
3 cloves Garlic, Minced (or 1 tablespoon of the already minced garlic in the jar)
1 can (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 cups Hot Water
2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained (or I used 1 can black and 1 can kidney beans)
3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa

5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
\FOR THE GARNISHES:
Sour Cream
Diced Avocado (or I used guacamole)
Diced Red Onion
Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
Cilantro

Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.
Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.
Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.
Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to under salt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.
Ladle into bowls, then top with  your choice of sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)
Yummo!!!