Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4

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This Chicken Tortilla Soup is a comfort food classic! This one-pot soup is loaded with all the veggies, all the flavors, corn, beans, and tender shreds of chicken. Just 10 minutes of prep needed!

metal ladle scooping chicken tortilla soup from large dutch oven.

If I love anything in this world, it’s taking a classic comfort food and making it into a soup. Lasagna Soup, Taco Soup, Cheeseburger Soup, Chicken Pot Pie Soup…I mean, what’s better than a cozy bowl of soup?!

This Chicken Tortilla Soup is like your favorite chicken tacos in soup form. It’s made with tender shredded chicken simmered in a rich, flavorful, tomato-y broth along with black beans, corn, veggies, and jalapeños for a kick of heat.

Top it off with homemade or store-bought tortilla strips and any of your favorite taco fixings.

Bonus: this delicious soup is made in just one pot and takes just over 30 minutes from start to finish!

Looking for more taco tuesday inspiration? Try this Chicken Enchilada Casserole or these Easy Breakfast Tacos!

Ingredients Needed:

ingredients needed for chicken tortilla soup on white background.
  • Oil: you’ll need a couple tablespoons of oil to sauté the veggies before making the soup. I use canola oil but you can use any oil with a high smoke point and neutral flavor.
  • Veggies: we’re using a combination of red pepper, onion, and jalapeño. The jalapeno won’t make it crazy spicy, but if you like things pretty tame you can omit it.
  • Tomato Paste: adds flavor depth, richness, and tomato flavor to the broth.
  • Seasonings: we’re spicing up our soup with minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt.
  • Diced Tomatoes: no need to drain them first. The liquid goes right into the broth. I always choose low sodium when possible.
  • Chicken Broth: I recommend a low sodium broth so your soup doesn’t get too salty. If you only have regular, add less with the other seasonings so you can adjust to taste later on.
  • Chicken Breasts: you’ll need two boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you’ve got leftover Shredded Chicken or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, you can use that as well!
  • Canned Corn: no need to drain the corn either. That liquid also becomes part of the broth.
  • Canned Black Beans: drained and rinsed.
  • Garnishes: sliced jalapeños, sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges, and tortilla trips
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How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup

This Chicken Tortilla Soup is a one-pot meal that’s ready in just over 30 minutes! Find the detailed recipe down in the recipe card.

  1. Sauté the veggies: In a pot, add red pepper, onion, and jalapeño. Sauté until softened. Add the seasonings and toast for 1 minute.
  2. Add liquids and chicken: add the broth and tomatoes, then add the chicken and simmer until cooked through.
  3. Remove chicken and shred or chop. Stir it back in.
  4. Finish and serve: Remove the chicken from the pot, shred it, then place it back into the pot. Add the corn and beans, then serve as desired.

Chicken Tortilla Soup FAQs

How can I thicken Chicken Tortilla Soup?

Prefer a thicker soup? You can easily thicken it using a slurry. Just whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water until smooth. Slowly add that into the soup until it’s thickened to your liking. Alternatively, simply simmer the soup longer with the lid off so excess moisture can evaporate.

How to store:

Leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm in the microwave or on the stove.

close up image of a bowl of chicken tortilla soup with spoon stuck in.

Tips and Notes

  • Use low sodium ingredients. I recommend using low sodium diced tomatoes and low sodium chicken broth so you don’t end up with salty soup. Just add more to taste before serving!
  • Wait on the tortilla strips. The tortilla strips are great because of their crunch. Make sure you add them right before serving so they don’t get soggy!
  • To make your own tortilla strips, slice flour or corn tortillas into thin strips. Heat 1/2″ of oil in a shallow pan over medium-high heat, then fry for 1-2 minute per side or until golden.
  • You’ll know the frying oil is ready when you insert the tip of a wooden spoon and bubbles form around the spoon.
  • To save time, use store-bought rotisserie chicken or already cooked leftover shredded chicken. Just simmer it long enough to warm it!

Variations

  • Use another meat. Feel free to swap the chicken breast out for turkey breast or sauté some ground beef with the veggies at the start of the recipe.
  • Make it creamy. Add a splash of heavy cream or stir a scoop of sour cream directly into the pot.
  • Make it vegetarian. Simply leave out the chicken and swap the chicken broth for veggie broth! Feel free to bulk it up with extra veggies if you like.

Serving Suggestions

I love to load my soup bowl up with more sliced jalapeños, sour cream, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and tortilla strips! Don’t hold back with your toppings. Grab whatever taco toppings you love. Black olives, green chiles, shredded cheddar, and cotija cheese would all also be great options.

Looking for a simple side dish to serve alongside your Chicken Tortilla Soup? Try it with a Chicken Quesadilla, Dorito Taco Salad, or Roasted Green Beans tossed with taco seasoning.

More Chicken Soup Recipes You’ll Love

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

5 from 5 votes
This Chicken Tortilla Soup is a comfort food classic! This one-pot soup is loaded with all the veggies, all the flavors, corn, beans, and tender shreds of chicken. Just 10 minutes of prep needed!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Soup
Servings 4
Calories 280cal

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 medium red pepper (diced)
  • 1 medium onion (diced)
  • 1 medium jalapeno (diced)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 400 ml low sodium diced tomatoes (14 oz)
  • 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 341 ml canned corn (with juice, about 12 oz)
  • 1 cup canned black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • sliced jalapenos, sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges and tortilla strips for garnish as desired.

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add red pepper, onion, jalapeno, and saute over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
  • Add tomato paste, minced garlic, cumin, and chili powder into pot. Toast for 1 minute.
  • Stir in diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Add chicken breasts and submerge in the liquid. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
  • Remove chicken breasts and shred.
  • Place shredded chicken back into soup. Add canned corn and rinsed black beans and heat through.
  • Season to taste and serve.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 537grams | Calories: 280cal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1226mg | Potassium: 884mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1382IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 3mg
Keywords Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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