1. Heat a large, deep pot over medium high heat. Add 3 Tb olive oil and allow it to heat through. Add 1 medium onion (chopped) and 3 cloves garlic (minced). Cook until the onions are translucent and a bit golden.

2. Grab some Masa Mix. This is a corn-based dough mix that can be found easily on the Mexican food aisle of your grocery store. It really gives the soup a nice, authentic flavor. Add 1 C Mesa Mix to the onion mixture. Give it a nice stir and allow it to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. In a separate bowl combine 8 tsp of chicken bullion granules and 6 cups of hot water.

4. Add 3 cups of the chicken broth to the soup pot and stir to combine, making sure all of the masa mix has been incorporated. Add the remaining 3 cups of chicken broth and stir to combine.

5. To the pot add 2 (14 ounce) cans of black beans (drained), 2 (10 ounce) cans red enchilada sauce and 1 (4 ounce) can green chilis (un-drained).

6. You'll want to add 2 (14 ounce) cans of Mexican tomatoes as well. However, it's a good idea to chop the tomatoes up a bit with a pair of kitchen scissors, then add the whole can (juices included) to the pot.

7. Add 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 1/2 tsp chili powder, 2 1/2 tsp cumin and 1 Tb butter. Stir to combine.

8. Add 3 C cooked chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces. I used rotisserie chicken. Allow the soup to simmer for 10 minutes.

9. Add 4 C freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese and stir. It should melt pretty quickly for you.

10. Remove the pot from the heat and serve with tortilla strips and more cheddar cheese if you so choose.