Applebee's Chicken Cheese Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 vegetable oil
4 cups chicken broth
15 oz. can tomato puree
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup hot sauce - optional
1/4 cup chopped green pepper - optional
1 minced jalapeno pepper - optional
1 tsp. chili powder - optional
1/4 tsp. black pepper - optional
1/4 cup all-purpose flour mixed with 1/2 cup water
1 lb. cooked chicken - cubed
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
8 oz. process cheese food - cut in 1" cubes
(10) 6" corn tortillas - cut in 1/4" strips
cilantro - optional, for garnish

Instructions

Sauté garlic and onions in oil in large pan or Dutch oven until soft.
Add next 10 ingredients to pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.
Whisk flour/water mixture into soup.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add cream, sour cream, and cheese; stir until cheese is melted.
Deep-fry tortilla strips in 350 degree oil OR spray with non-stick cooking spray and bake in a 400 degree oven until crisp. Sprinkle with salt if desired.
Pour soup into bowls, pile tortilla strips into a "haystack" shape on top of the soup, garnish with cilantro.