Heat the oil in a 6-quart, heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat until shimmering, then sauté the onion, celery, red bell pepper, and cilantro until soft, roughly 5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and the dried spices and stir constantly.

Add the tomato paste and cook until its color is less vibrant, roughly 2 minutes.

Slowly pour in ¼ cup to ½ cup of chicken broth to deglaze the pot, scraping the brown bits off the bottom with a wooden turner.

Pour in the rest of the chicken broth, green chilies, sugar, navy beans, black beans, corn, and shredded chicken. Mix well.

Make a slurry with 2 tablespoons fine cornmeal and 3 tablespoons of warm water. Whisk to combine, then pour into the soup and stir well.

Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes. During the last 15 minutes, taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

In a separate bowl, gradually mix a little of the hot broth into the sour cream. Whisk until smooth. Remove from heat, then pour in the heavy cream, tempered sour cream, and lemon juice. Stir to mix, then taste and adjust spices as desired.

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with tortilla strips.