Chicken Tortilla Soup
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Chicken tortilla soup is a Mexican, tomato-based soup filled with chicken, beans, corn, and topped with fried tortilla strips. It’s full of flavor and makes a great meal on a cool night.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
This soup is warm comfort food at its best. It’s filled with hearty chicken, and tons of vegetables, but is so easy to make.
One of the reasons I love fall because it’s soup season. Soup is such an easy meal to make for dinner. No matter how busy life gets, you can always throw on a pot of hearty soup.
This tortilla soup recipe couldn’t be easier and is done in no time! We love to make this soup on a Friday night or for when a game is on TV during the weekend.
Soup Ingredients
- chicken breasts – boneless, skinless.
- onion – yellow onion chopped/diced
- garlic – minced
- chili powder – gives it a hit of flavor
- cumin – needed for the flavor
- chicken broth — this is better than using water
- tomatoes with green chiles, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes – this adds depth to the soup
- corn – use canned, frozen, or fresh
- black beans – drain and rinse
- cilantro – don’t skip the cilantro. It adds an authentic Mexican flavor
- lime juice – use a tablespoon of fresh lime juice and the rest of the lime for garnish
- salt and pepper
For the tortilla strips you’ll need:
- corn tortillas
- olive oil
- salt
How To Make Chicken Tortilla Soup
Start by making the tortilla strips. You’ll cut the corn tortillas into strips about 1/4 inch wide. You can make them as long as you want.
Lay the strips on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands to toss the oil over the tortilla strips. Sprinkle the strips with salt and bake at 375 for approximately 15 minutes.
Once crisp, remove from the oven and let cool and set aside.
Next, cook the chicken breasts by placing them on a lined or sprayed baking sheet. Rub each chicken breast with olive oil, and salt and pepper. Bake 20-25 minutes on 375.
Remove chicken from the oven and shred it using two forks to pull the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
In a large-stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add chopped onion. Saute the onion for several minutes, until it’s translucent. Add in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and saute for one minute.
Add garlic, chili powder and cumin and saute 1 minute.
Pour in chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and add corn and stir to combine. Let simmer a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and let simmer 5 – 10 minutes.
Add in chicken, black beans, cilantro, and lime. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste.
What Should I Top the Soup With?
This soup is perfect for a mixture of toppings. You could serve it plain and let your guests take turns adding their favorite toppings. Here are some suggestions:
- tortilla strips
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- lime wedges
- avocado slices
- jalapenos
Can I Make This in a Crockpot?
You can make this soup in the crockpot by putting all the ingredients in the crockpot, set it on low for 6-8 hours. Then, add your cooked chicken right before serving.
Tips for Making Chicken Tortilla Soup
This is such a versatile recipe that you can mix it up as you like.
- Keep the cilantro. Unless you absolutely hate cilantro, I recommend using it in this recipe. It adds a needed flavor profile.
- Use a rotisserie chicken. Save time by buying a cooked, rotisserie chicken and shredding it.
- Don’t skimp on the seasonings. These seasonings all have a purpose and add to the wonderful flavor of the soup.
- Make a double batch. Make extra and freeze for later.
Try our slow cooker chili recipe too.
More Soup Recipes
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
Tortilla strips
- 1-2 small corn tortillas cut into ¼ wide strips, aprox. 3 inches long
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Soup
- 2-3 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups yellow onion 1 small onion
- 1 ½ Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 32 ounces chicken broth
- 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes and green chiles 1 can
- 15 ounces tomato sauce 1 can
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can
- 15.25 ounces can corn not cream of corn
- 14.5 ounces can black beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- salt and pepper
Instructions
For Tortilla strips:
- Preheat oven to 375
- Cut corn tortillas into even strips, about ¼ inch wide. Length can be to your choosing.1-2 small corn tortillas
- Lay tortilla strips on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Toss to coat evenly.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt
- Bake for 15 minutes or until light golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool. Set aside.
- For Soup:
- Cook chicken breasts2-3 chicken breasts
- Spray baking sheet with cooking spray or use a silpat liner and place chicken breasts on baking sheet.
- Rub each chicken breast with olive oil, salt and pepper.2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 or until chicken is done.
- Remove from oven and use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.
- In large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion. Saute several minutes until nearly soft and onion is translucent.1 ¼ cups yellow onion
- Add garlic, chili powder and cumin and saute 1 minute.1 ½ Tablespoon minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin
- Pour in chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and add corn and stir to combine. Let simmer a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and let simmer 5 – 10 minutes.32 ounces chicken broth, 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes and green chiles, 15 ounces tomato sauce, 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, 15.25 ounces can corn
- Add in chicken, black beans, cilantro, and lime. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste.14.5 ounces can black beans, ½ cup chopped cilantro, 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice, salt and pepper
- Serve in bowls and top with tortilla slices.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Soup is great tasting !! Does it really have 1944 calories or is that a typo?
I’ve updated the recipe card to reflect calories per serving. (I think it defaulted to the entire batch of soup.
Could I make this a freezer meal and put everything in a freezer bag, including raw chicken and freeze then defrost in fridge and cook in a crockpot.
Yes, you can make this a freezer meal! Just add all the ingredients (except the tortilla strips and toppings) into a gallon-size freezer bag with the raw chicken, seal, and freeze flat. When ready to use, thaw in the fridge overnight and cook in the crockpot on low for 6–8 hours or high for 4–5 hours, then shred the chicken and serve with your favorite toppings.