A classic and easy chicken tortilla soup recipe that’s fresh and flavorful and loaded with veggies for a healthy boost!
While most soups are best when it’s chilly out, chicken tortilla soup seems to be a favorite all year long.
Maybe it’s the bright, strong Tex Mex flavors, maybe it’s how easy it is to throw together a pot, or maybe it’s just because it’s so good! I, Rebecca am going to have to go with all three.
Here’s a great chicken tortilla soup recipe that can be made in a matter of minutes. It’s also loaded with veggies for a healthy boost!
You can roast your own chicken breasts, or use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to make dinner a snap.
Ingredients Needed for a Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
The beauty of a good chicken tortilla soup recipe is that you can easily mix and match your favorite ingredients. Of course, these are our tried and true favorites, but if you don’t love jalapeno, just skip them! —
- Olive oil
- Chopped bell peppers
- Diced large onion
- Minced cloves of garlic
- Chicken broth
- Shredded chicken
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Salt & pepper
- Diced tomatoes
- Corn
- Black beans
- Shredded cilantro
- Diced jalapeno
- Taco seasoning for extra flavor
How to Roast Your Own Chicken
When we are short on time, we have no guilt in using a store-bought rotisserie chicken. This yummy chicken tortilla soup is actually a great way to use leftover chicken also. However, roasting your own chicken is quite easy, and this process can be used to make a chicken salad.
1 — Just place 3-4 chicken breasts on a foil-lined pan. Rub them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2 — Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature measures 160F.
3 — Allow it to cool, then chop it into small chunks or tear it into pieces.
How to Make Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup on the Stovetop
1 — Start by prepping all of your ingredients. Chop the peppers and onion, mince the garlic and jalapeno, make sure that your chicken is shredded. Open the cans of black beans and tomatoes and drain and rinse the beans in a strainer.
2 — In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat, then add the onions, peppers and cook until tender, about five minutes.
3 — Stir in the garlic until it’s fragrant–this only takes a minute or two.
4 — Pour in the chicken broth, then add the chicken, chili powder, cumin, jalapeños, can of diced tomatoes, and corn. Cook until starting to bubble.
5 — Reduce the heat to medium/medium low, until the soup is gently simmering. Add some salt and pepper, then taste the broth with a spoon to see if there is enough seasoning. Add more salt until the flavors taste full and rounded.
6 — Let the soup simmer for 20-25 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
7 — Add in the drained and rinsed black beans and the cilantro. Stir to combine.
8– Then, serve the soup over tortilla chips and shredded cheese. Top with avocado, sour cream, cilantro, and lime wedges.
How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Crock Pot
1 — Put all of the ingredients in the crockpot except for the cooked chicken, black beans, and cilantro.
2 — Cook on low for 2-3 hours, then add the chicken and beans 30-45 minutes before serving.
3 — Stir in the cilantro just before putting the soup in bowls.
Easy, right?!? The crock pot is definitely the easiest method for cooking the soup. Since most slow cooker recipes like our crockpot meatballs and turkey chili simply just need all the ingredients thrown together.
How to Adjust the Spice Level to Your Soup
You can adjust the heat level by adding more or less chili powder, or by adding or removing jalapeños. When working with jalapeños, be sure to keep your hands away from your face and especially your eyes.
The juice from jalapeños can burn sensitive skin and eyes. So make sure to wash your hands well after dicing them.
Serving Ideas for Chicken Tortilla Soup
Each bowl of soup can be made unique and individual for each person! You can set out all of the toppings and let everyone make their own bowl.
But here are a few ideas for toppings you can set out and offer-they’re fresh and flavorful!
- We recommend corn tortilla chips and cheese for the bottom of the bowl. The cheese gets nice and melted and stringy and is just SO delicious. (Monterey Jack is my favorite.)
- Chop the avocado into slices or small chunks. Squeeze lime juice over them if they won’t be served immediately.
- Sour cream is a great option to help cool down a bowl of soup that might be too spicy for some.
- Wedges of lime add a fresh bit of zing, and the flavor compliments the chili and spice.
- Extra fresh cilantro and chopped green onions can be a nice to have on the side for those who love the flavor.
- For extra spice, we love green chilies and fire-roasted tomatoes as an optional topping for anyone who can handle the heat.
How to Store Chicken Tortilla Soup
Store any leftover soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Chicken tortilla soup can also be frozen. Just make sure to cool it at room temperature and omit the beans and cilantro and other toppings.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Chicken tortilla soup is seriously a homey comfort food that whole family approves of. For more easy chicken recipes, check out a few of our favorite from the archives —
- Best Chicken Salad — Another recipe for lunch or dinner that you can use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken!
- Dinner Idea: Easy Orange Chicken — A take on our favorite Chinese takeout menu.
- Rosemary Baked Lemon Chicken — This recipe cooks on one pan with potatoes and carrots for an easy to make and easy to clean meal.
- Huli Huli Chicken Kebabs — This healthy Hawaiian dish is packed for our flavors AND it’s healthy.
- Whole30 Chicken Salad Wrap — It’s Whole30, paleo and keto-approved.
- Skip some of the extra carbs with an easy zero carb bread recipe instead of tortilla chips for an even healthier option.
Be sure to let us know some of your favorite easy dinner ideas below!
Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Colander or large strainer
- Large pot optional depending on method choice
- Slow cooker optional depending on method choice
Ingredients
- 4 cup chicken shredded
- 6 cup chicken broth
- 1 can black beans
- 14 oz diced tomatoes 1 can
- 2 cup corn
- 2 bell peppers chopped
- 1 onion diced large
- 1 cup cilantro shredded
- 1 jalapeño diced very fine
- 3-4 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper
For serving/topppings:
- Tortilla chips
- Shredded cheese cheddar, Monterey Jack, etc. are all great options
- Avocado
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
Nutrition
Notes
- To Roast Your Own Chicken: Place 3-4 chicken breasts on a foil lined pan. Rub them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature measures 160F. Allow it to cool, then chop it into small chunks or tear it into pieces.
- Store any leftover soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 day. Chicken tortilla soup can also be frozen before the beans and cilantro are added.
Instructions
Prep the ingredients:
- Chop the bell peppers and onion into about 1/2” pieces, chop or shred your chicken, mince the garlic and dice the jalapeño finely. Open the can of diced tomatoes and black beans, then drain and rinse the black beans in a colander or large strainer. Shred or tear your cilantro and set it aside.
To make the chicken tortilla soup on the stovetop:
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and add the onion and bell pepper. Cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir in for about a minute or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Quickly add in the chicken broth, shredded chicken, spices, salt and pepper, jalapeño, diced tomatoes, and corn. Stir together and allow it to cook over medium low heat for about 25 minutes to allow the flavors to cook together.
- Add the black beans, then adjust salt to taste. Cook until the beans are warm.
To make the chicken tortilla soup In the crock pot:
- Put all of the ingredients in the crockpot except for the cooked chicken, black beans, and cilantro. Cook on low for 2-3 hours.
- Add the chicken and beans 30-45 minutes before serving.
- Stir in the cilantro just before putting the soup in bowls.
To serve the soup:
- Layer tortilla chips and cheese in the bottom of a bowl.
- Fill your bowl with the soup over the tortilla chips and cheese.
- Top with avocado, sour cream, cilantro, and lime wedges and serve immediately.
Don’t forget to share your easy chicken tortilla soup with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations! Looking for more quick and delicious recipes? Find them all right here!
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Sounds great.
In my recipe I also add celery and carrots. We love this soup. Super tasty, healthy and hearty.
Thank you, Linda! Celery and carrots sound like a great addition!
Thank you for sharing this recipe which I absolutely love. I had been looking for a good tortilla soup recipe for a couple of years. My family live it too. The flavor combinations are just right and it’s a hearty soup that comes together easily.
Hi Cindy! We are so glad to hear that your family loved it! Thank you for letting us know. XOXO
I have been looking for a recipe for chicken tortilla soup since I first tried it in Mexico. This is my favorite recipe for it!! So good!!! The seasonings are exactly right. I fried up my keto tortillas and put tortilla chips in the bottom of my husband’s bowl. Wow!!!! Just WOW!!!
Thank you, Valerie for your kind words! This makes us so happy. And we love your keto tweak!
I made this for my daughter to eat during finals week at college. She loved it. I used the canned tomatoes with chili’s and sent it with the fresh jalapeño to add if she wanted. I sent lime wedges , shredded cheese, and tortilla chips along. I made e double batch. It is simple to throw together and is awesome!!!!
Hi KC! Awww. That makes us so happy to hear. You’re a wonderful mom for sending her some food while she takes all her exams. XOXO
I seriously love how comforting this is! So yummy!
Thank you, Toni! XOXO
This chicken tortilla soup is amazing and indeed super easy to make!
So glad to hear, Matt!
My family loves this soup, but my son loves this more than we do. It’s so delicious and tasty! Can’t wait to make this soon!
This makes us so happy to hear that the soup is kid-approved too! XOXO