Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is my absolute, most favorite soup EVER. I could (and have) eaten it five straight days in a row, and would have eaten more but I ran out. I found a recipe online and modified it to fit our tastes. It's not as spicy as some, so feel free to add more chili powder or other hot stuff if you like it hotter.

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. oil
2 t. chili powder
1 t. oregano
1 can tomatoes, diced
4 cups chicken broth*
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 T. chopped jalapeño peppers (optional)


DIRECTIONS
Sauté onion for five minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently. Add garlic, chili powder and oregano and sauté 30 seconds more. Add in diced tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, corn, beans, chicken and jalapeño peppers (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Serve with your choice of toppings. The tortilla chips are pretty much mandatory though, don't you think? Considering this IS chicken TORTILLA soup!

TOPPINGS
fresh cilantro, chopped
sour cream or plain yogurt
chopped green onion
avocado chunks
shredded cheese
tortilla chips

*I like to wait until we've roasted or grilled a whole chicken, then I throw the carcass and whatever chicken is left in the crock pot, cover with water and cook on low overnight. The next morning I have a lovely broth to use, along with the leftover chicken which is easily de-boned and chopped. But I've also been known to just use chicken bouillon cubes to make the broth, if I'm desperate for some of this soup and we don't have any plans to roast or grill a whole chicken.