Tortilla soup with chicken and beans

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2 cans (425g each) black beans (drained)
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• About 1 and 1/4 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus a little more to taste
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 3 crushed cloves of garlic
• 1 can (280 g) chopped tomatoes and green chili peppers
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups of hot water
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons corn flour
• 5 small ones tortillas from corn flour

Topping:

• Diced avocado
• Diced red onion
• Sour cream
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Grated cheese
• Sauce pico de gallo

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
   
   First, combine the cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle the chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture. Reserve the remaining mixture.
   
   Bake until the chicken is cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Cut the chicken into cubes.
2. Next, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, green and red bell peppers, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture you used for the chicken.
   
   Add a little more chili powder (about 1/4 teaspoon) for a spicy kick. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are browned, about 5 minutes. Add the baked chicken pieces and chopped tomatoes, juice and all. Pour in the chicken broth, hot water, and tomato paste. Stir and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low.
   
   Add the black beans. Then stir the cornmeal into 1/2 cup of water. Add the mixture to the pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and seasonings as needed. Don't under-salt the soup!
3. Cut the tortillas into uniform strips 5-7 cm long. Add most of them to the soup just before serving. This is what makes tortilla soup, tortilla soup! Turn off the heat and prepare everything for serving.
   
   Pour the soup into a deep bowl, then top with avocado, red onion, sour cream, cilantro, and more tortilla strips. The more toppings, the merrier.