Cook the chicken or you can also use a rotisserie chicken. Once it is finished cooking, either shred or cut it up into small pieces. If using ground beef, brown it until cooked and set aside.
In a 6 quart dutch oven or large stock pot, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and stir in all the spices, salt, pepper, beans, corn, pepper, rice and green chilies (you can also add the chilies as a topping once the soup is ready to serve). Give it a good stir.
Next, add the chicken. Stir everything together and add the lid.
Simmer for around 25-30 minutes. 10-15 minutes before it's finished cooking, add the cornmeal. Whisk it with about ½ cup of cool chicken broth or water to make a smooth slurry. Stir it into the simmering soup and cook, stirring occasionally. This gives the cornmeal time to soften and thicken the soup without leaving a gritty texture.
Add the shredded cheese and stir until melted.
The soup will be a little thick when it is finished cooking due to the rice and cornmeal.
Serve in bowls and add desired toppings.
