This Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe is an easy weeknight dinner loaded with Mexican spices, veggies, chicken, and broth - perfect for those chilly nights when you need something warm and comforting.
So go ahead and make up a batch of tortilla soup and enjoy it all week… or freeze part of it for later!
What is Mexican Tortilla Soup?
Tortilla Soup is a traditional Mexican soup made with chicken broth combined with roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, chiles, and tortillas, cut into strips and fried. The exact origin of tortilla soup is unknown, but it is believed to have come from the Mexico City area in Mexico.
My variation of this chicken tortilla soup recipe is light from the chicken broth with a prominent but not overpowering tomato flavor. The addition of chicken, black beans, and corn gives it a heartiness with delicious flavor.
EASY CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP RECIPE
This soup comes together quickly and requires only a few fresh ingredients like yellow onion, jalapenos, fresh garlic, and chicken breasts. But the rest of the recipe consists of many ingredients you probably already have in your pantry like canned tomatoes, frozen or canned corn, Mexican spices, and chicken broth.
And, yes - it's as delicious as it sounds!
One thing I love about cooler weather is making and enjoying all my favorite soups.
So when I was just visiting my brother and his family in Denver I endured some brisk temps like 14 degrees below brisk. Brrrrrr!
But we had soup to keep us warm!
Because some of the family was feeling under the weather while I was there, I went to work… Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup to the rescue. It was a huge hit – so much so that I ended up making two batches.
I also made my stovetop version of today’s recipe… Chicken Tortilla Soup AKA Taco Soup Recipe. (I have a crock pot version I make as well. I’ll give you those details later in the post.)
I have to say it was amazing and every spoonful was completely devoured.
SOUP - A WELL-BALANCED MEAL IN EVERY BOWL!
Something you might not know about me is that soup is one of my favorite things to eat. It’s like a big ‘ole warm hug that is a complete meal all in one bowl.
I like to think of it as liquid love.
Most soups I make are well-balanced meals with protein, carbs, and veggies. For example, my most popular Pasta Fagioli Soup and Slow Cooker Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup.
I also have others that are low-carb or low-calorie like my Low Carb Chicken Mushroom Soup or Cabbage Roll Soup.
I just love soup! It is so versatile and can be altered to fit almost any diet.
And today I’m introducing my most recent soup creation… Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe!
I love that it’s full of Mexican flavors but it’s still light and brothy.
Because this recipe makes about 8-10 servings, it’s perfect for your weekly meal prep, game day parties, or a leisurely Sunday Supper with the family.
CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this delicious Mexican soup.
- Olive Oil –2 tablespoons.
- Onion - 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- Jalapeno - 2 diced jalapenos with the seeds removed and more for garnish
- Garlic– 4 cloves minced
- Chili Powder – 1 tablespoon
- Cumin - 1 tablespoon
- Smoked Paprika - 1 tablespoon
- Coriander – 2 teaspoons
- Salt & Pepper –1-2 teaspoons according to your taste.
- Chicken Breasts– 3 chicken breasts about 2.5 pounds
- Tomatoes- 1, 28-ounce can of petite diced tomatoes
- Black Beans - 2, 15-ounce cans of black beans, drained. (The Goya brand is my favorite.)
- Chicken Broth– 4-5 cups of chicken broth or stock.
- Sweet Corn - 10 ounces of frozen baby sweet yellow and white corn. (I think Bird’s Eye has the best frozen sweet corn.) You can also use fresh or canned corn as well.
- Cilantro - ½ cup chopped cilantro, and then more for garnish.
After you create this Mexican soup masterpiece you can enjoy it in its natural form OR you can add your favorite toppings…
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
So this Mexican tortilla soup is a complete meal in and of itself. But you gotta love those toppings!
My favorite topping for this taco soup is store-bought tortilla strips. AND I’m totally in love with the Fresh Gourmet brand Santa Fe Style ones because they are seasoned perfectly! I just eat them straight out of the bag like chips - not kidding.
Someone needs to season regular tortilla chips like these because they would sell like crazy!
Moving on...
Of course, there are tons of different toppings you can add to make this soup your own, such as…
- sour cream
- salsa
- salsa verde
- chopped tomatoes
- diced avocado
- chopped green onions
- shredded cheese
- hot sauce
- diced jalapenos
- and anything else your heart desires!
I like to serve up a big pot of this yumminess when I’m having friends over and put out all the toppings to let everyone make it just the way they like it.
But enough about the toppings let's talk soup - the best tortilla soup recipe!
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
1. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, jalapenos, garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring consistently.
3. Add the spices: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and coriander. And mix them together.
4. Stir in the black beans, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and chicken breasts. Bring it to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer for 25 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken breasts from the soup and set them aside. (Be sure to temp them with a food thermometer and make sure they have reached 165 degrees F.)
6. Shred the chicken using two forks then add the corn, cilantro, and shredded chicken to the tortilla soup and cook for 10 minutes.
Garnish with some crunchy tortilla strips plus all your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Can I Use A Rotisserie Chicken in this soup?
So, yes! If you want to save some time and skip cooking the chicken, you can always use a cooked rotisserie chicken.
Just pull the chicken off the bone and add it to the soup about 10 minutes before serving it.
Can I Make this Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe in the Crock Pot?
Absolutely! Crockpot chicken tortilla soup is so made and needs very little attention.
You literally add all of the ingredients (except the corn and cilantro) into the crock pot and cook on high for 3-31/2 hours.
Add the corn and cilantro into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Then remove the chicken and shred it with two forks, and fold it back into the soup. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to soak up all of those delicious flavors and juices.
Can you freeze Tortilla Soup?
For sure! This soup stays good in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can also freeze it to keep it longer.
I put it in a large freezer-safe container and then pull it out to defrost in the fridge for 1-2 days before I’m ready to serve it.
And you can also freeze the soup into separate individual, freezer-safe containers or bags, then you pull one out anytime you need a quick lunch or dinner.
This tortilla soup stays good in the freezer for about three months. But I doubt it will last that long.
So enjoy and stay warm my friend!
MORE DELICIOUS SOUP RECIPES
- Beef Pot Pie Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Salsa Verde Soup
- Creamy Tortellini Soup with Chicken
- Thai Red Curry Chicken Soup
- Easy Zuppa Toscana Soup - Low Carb Gluten Free
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
This homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe is an easy weeknight dinner loaded with Mexican spices, veggies, chicken, and broth - perfect for those chilly nights when you need something warm and comforting.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 jalapenos, diced
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-2 teaspoons salt
- 1-2 teaspoons pepper
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- 2 cans of black beans, drained
- 30 ounces petite diced tomatoes
- 4-5 cups of chicken broth or stock
- 2.5 pounds of chicken breast
- 1 -14 ounce bag of frozen baby sweet corn, defrosted
- ½ cup chopped cilantro (more for garnish)
- 1 bag of Crunchy Tortilla Strips for topping
- Plus, any other toppings you want... Mexican cheese, sour cream, salsa, green onions, chopped tomatoes, etc.
Instructions
1. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, jalapenos, garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring consistently.
3. Stir in the spices: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and coriander.
4. Mix in the black beans, tomatoes, chicken stock, and chicken breasts. 5. Bring it to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer for 25 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken breasts from the soup and set aside. (Be sure to temp them with a food thermometer and make sure they have reached 165 degrees F.)
7. Shred the chicken using two forks then add the corn, cilantro, and shredded chicken to the tortilla soup and cook for 10 minutes.
8. Garnish with Crunchy Tortilla Strips, cilantro, sour cream, Mexican cheese, green onions, chopped tomatoes, or any of your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 454Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 134mgSodium 3142mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 8gSugar 9gProtein 56g
This nutrition card uses an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. This estimate is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice!
Zac D
It says chicken tortilla soup, but nowhere in the recipe is the tortillas. Lol
holly
Hi Zac! Good catch on the tortillas. Lol So yes - crunchy tortilla stripes are a must. I always grab a bag of the Fresh Gourmet brand because they taste amazing and they are low-carb. Thanks for catching that!