1. Sauté the Aromatics: Place a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped yellow onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 6-8 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and optional jalapeño, and cook for another minute until fragrant.

2. Sear and Simmer the Chicken: Season the chicken breasts or thighs generously with salt and pepper. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pot and place the chicken in the center. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side, just until lightly golden. It does not need to be cooked through.

3. Build the Soup Base: Pour in the 8 cups of chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the undrained diced tomatoes, rinsed black beans, rinsed pinto beans, drained corn, and undrained green chiles. Stir in the spices: chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and dried oregano. Stir everything together until well combined.

4. Cook the Soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for at least 30-40 minutes. This allows the chicken to become incredibly tender and the flavors to meld together beautifully. The longer it simmers, the more developed the flavor will be.

5. Prepare the Tamale Dumpling Dough: While the soup is simmering, prepare the dumplings. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: masa harina, baking powder, salt, and ground cumin.

6. Mix the Dumplings: Add the vegetable shortening or melted butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, work the fat into the masa mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually pour in the warm chicken broth, mixing with a fork or your hands until a soft, pliable dough forms. The dough should be moist but not sticky. If it’s too dry, add a tablespoon more broth; if too sticky, a tablespoon more masa harina. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes.

7. Shred the Chicken: After the soup has simmered, carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pot and place them on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the soup and stir to combine. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.

8. Cook the Dumplings: Bring the soup back to a gentle, steady simmer over medium heat. Do not let it rapidly boil. Using a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop, drop rounded spoonfuls of the tamale dumpling dough directly into the simmering soup. Space them out as they will expand slightly.

9. Steam the Dumplings: Once all the dumplings are in the pot, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and let the dumplings cook for 15-20 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time! The dumplings steam in the soup, becoming light and fluffy. They are done when they are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.

10. Serve and Garnish: Carefully ladle the hot tamale soup and several dumplings into individual bowls. Set up a garnish bar with bowls of chopped cilantro, sour cream or Mexican crema, shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, sliced avocado, lime wedges, and crushed tortilla chips. Let everyone customize their own perfect bowl. Enjoy immediately!