Heaven Help me - Chicken Enchelada Soup

Caution, some may not survive reading this blasphemy - sorry - no photos

The Wife's (MHNBPF) recipe:

Chicken Enchilada Soup

You’ll need:

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb chicken breast or tenders)
1/2 cup diced onion
8 cups chicken broth
2 Tablespoons white corn masa, ground to flour consistency
1 small can red enchilada sauce
16 ounces Velveeta Cheese (Heaven help us - several F&DB folks just died of appoplexy)
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
Black pepper to taste (1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon chili powder, mild or hot to your taste
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons Lawry’s Garlic Salt
Optional – 1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper for heat – not really needed.
Optional – 2-4 Tablespoons Mexicorn

Garnish

1 cup Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese mix fine grated

Pico de Gallo:

2 pods Jalapeño pepper no seeds or white membrane chopped fine, 6 Tablespoons onion chopped fine, 2 medium tomatoes 1/4 inch dice, 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro.

Crispy Tortilla strips

Directions:

In a sauté pan, cook the chicken tenders in 2 Tablespoons oil, seasoned with a dash of salt, a little black pepper, a teaspoon of Lawry’s Garlic Seasoning or fresh garlic and a half teaspoon of cumin. After the chicken has cooked through and browned slightly, cube it into 1/2 – 3/4 inch pieces and set aside.

In the same sauté pan, saute the onions until they begin to get tender. Add another Tablespoon of oil if needed.

Deglaze the pan with a can of chicken broth. Transfer the onions and liquid to a soup pot, add all other ingredients (except corn meal) and cook at a low simmer for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally to keep anything from sticking.

After twenty minutes, in a bowl, combine the cornmeal with a few teaspoons of the soup, to make a paste, then stir into the soup to thicken it. Continue simmering for five more minutes, then turn off heat, cover pot and allow it to rest for another ten minutes while you make Pico de Gallo and a mixed Greens Salad.

Serve this soup in a shallow soup bowl with a couple of Tablespoons of the cheese mixture (don’t buy the already shredded cheese blend), a handful of tortilla chips (or not) and a Tablespoon of Pico de Gallo.

Some (like me) will like a dollop of sour cream.

Yes it has Velveeta Cheese in it - There, I said it again.