This popular chicken tortilla soup is easy to throw together, even when you don’t feel like doing any cooking. You can prepare it in less than an hour! How long it takes: 50 minutes Equipment you’ll need: large pan, such as a Dutch oven, and rimmed baking sheet Servings: 8 I flip flop between this recipe and my chicken taco soup (similar to the popular 8 can taco soup). It’s hard to say which one I like better. I do love the crispy tortilla strips in this chicken tortilla soup! Chicken tortilla soup is popular in a lot of Mexican restaurants and it’s so easy to make at home. I think you’re going to love it.
Why You’ll Love Chicken Tortilla Soup
A quick and easy meal. Like many soup recipes, chicken tortilla soup is really quite easy to make. It’s a one pan meal; a large pot or Dutch oven is all you need. Prep time is around twenty minutes and cook time is a half hour. Healthy ingredients. This soup is good for you, with lots of vegetables, low fat chicken breast, and extra protein and fiber from canned beans. You won’t break the calorie bank either. Since you control the sodium and fat, homemade chicken tortilla soup is much healthier than restaurant soup. Super flavorful. Pantry spices like cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder ensure that there’s plenty of southwestern flavor. Fresh garlic, jalapeño peppers, and cilantro add even more.
What you’ll need to make this soup
Corn Tortillas: Cut into thin strips, sprayed lightly with cooking spray, and toasted in the oven, corn tortillas provide a crispy topping for the soup. If you prefer, a package of crispy tortilla strips can be purchased. Onion, Garlic, and Jalapeño Peppers: This veggie trifecta is often used in southwestern style recipes. Chili Powder, Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Salt and Pepper: Such a tasty combo of spices and seasoning! Canned Diced Tomatoes: Use the petite diced tomatoes, with their juice. Fire roasted tomatoes are good, too. Try to find low sodium tomatoes. Black Beans: A couple cans of beans add good nutrition and flavor. Substitute pinto beans or white beans if you prefer. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: If you prefer dark meat, use boneless skinless chicken thighs. If you’ve done some meal prep and have cooked chicken in your freezer or fridge, that’s perfect, too! And yes, rotisserie chicken is fine, too. Chicken Broth: This is soup, so you need some broth! Again, look for low sodium, or no salt added. Corn: Fresh, frozen, or canned, doesn’t matter. Add it near the end of the cooking time so it doesn’t get tough. Fresh Cilantro and Lime Juice: The fresh herbs and lime juice perk up the soup, adding a nice fresh flavor. Toppings: lime wedges, avocado, pickled red onions, shredded cheese, sour cream … whatever you like best. Don’t forget the tortilla strips you made!
How to make Chicken Tortilla Soup
Begin preparing this soup by sautéing some chopped onions and jalapeño peppers in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add chopped bell peppers if you like. Stir in the seasonings, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder (or my homemade taco seasoning!) and cook for one more minute to toast the spices a bit. Toasting the spices deepens the flavor. Add the uncooked chicken breasts, a couple cans of diced tomatoes, undrained, a couple cans of black beans, and chicken broth to the pan. Bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down and simmer for a bit. Meanwhile, make the tortilla strips in the oven. It’s super easy and you won’t be able to stop munching on them, so make extra! When the soup has finished simmering, remove the chicken. If you’re using already cooked chicken, now’s the time to add that to the pan instead. Add the corn. Shred the chicken and put it back in the soup. Simmer a few more minutes and you’re good to go! Add a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Top with the tortilla strips (if you haven’t eaten all of them!).
Chicken Tortilla Soup Toppings
Toppings really make this soup shine! Try sour cream, fresh cilantro or green onions, cubed avocado or guacamole, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeño, pickled red onions, or whatever you like. Oh, don’t forget a Dos Equis. With lime. Cheers!
Make-Ahead Ideas
To get a head start on the soup, chop the veggies ahead of time. Store them in the fridge in a tightly covered container. Using pre-cooked chicken saves some time, too (see box below). The tortilla strips can be made earlier. Allow them to cool completely, and store in a plastic bag or container.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Refrigerate/Freeze: If you have soup left over, store it (without toppings) in the fridge for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to six months. Reheat: Put soup into a saucepan; reheat on the stove over medium heat until heated through. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave in one minute increments, stirring occasionally. If the soup is frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating, for best results.
More soup Recipes!
Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Chunky Cheeseburger Soup or if you’d rather, Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe Bean and Bacon Soup (canned or dry beans!) Zuppa Toscana with bacon, sausage, kale, and potatoes, better than Olive Garden! Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Chicken Tortellini Soup with Kale and Pesto Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup with Noodles Chicken Barley Soup with Kale and Butternut Squash
Quick-Start Guide!
