Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (2024)

Chicken Tortilla Soup is the perfect easy weeknight dinner. Full of shredded chicken, corn, beans, and homemade tortilla strips, this soup is a meal in itself. It’s comforting, hearty, and filling.

What’s even better? Just like our Taco Soup and Beef Chili, this Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe comes together in one pot.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (1)

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Hi there! My name is Natalya and I run the blog Momsdish. If you already follow me, you know I can’t get enough of easy meals that require simple ingredients

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup:

Chicken tortilla soup is like a taco in soup form. Its rich tomato and chicken broth pairs perfectly with chunky veggies, shredded chicken, beans and sweet corn.

You can sprinkle some tortilla strips right on top with a healthy handful of cheese, or pair the dish with soft Dinner Rolls.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (2)

Tips For Tortilla Soup:

  • Use Leftover Chicken. Have a rotisserie chicken hanging out in your fridge? What about some leftover chicken breasts you don’t know what to do with? You can always use leftover chicken to make a fresh batch of Chicken Tortilla Soup.
  • Bone Broth Makes All The Difference. Use low-sodium bone broth or easily make your own chicken broth.
  • Adjust The Spice. Do you like it spicy? Add some extra jalapeños into the mix.
  • Save Time With Canned Corn And Beans. Speed up the cooking time by using canned corn and beans.
  • Cut Avocado Right Before Serving. To keep your avocado from browning, cut it right before you serve the soup
  • Season To Taste. Depending on the tomatoes and broth you use, you may need to adjust the salt to taste at the end.
Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (3)

To Make Crispy Tortilla Strips:

  • Pan Frying: Preheat a pan with 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Cut 8 (6″) corn tortillas into thin strips and fry them in a couple of batches, adding more oil as needed. Remove from the pot and let drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.
  • To Bake: Toss tortilla strips in a bowl with 2 Tbsp oil until well coated. Bake on a cookie sheet in a single layer at 350˚F for 15 minutes.
Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (4)

How To Make Chicken Tortilla Soup:

  1. Place a soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil and sautee chopped onion, garlic, and jalapeno until tender.
  2. Add chicken breasts and remaining soup ingredients to the pot. Bring to a boil then simmer for 25 minutes.
  3. Remove the chicken to a bowl and shred it with 2 forks. Return chicken to the pot and simmer 5 minutes then add lime juice.
  4. Serve the soup with homemade tortilla strips, chopped avocado, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (5)

Make-Ahead Tip: the broth gets more and more flavorful the longer it marinates in itself. Can you say delicious leftovers? Make a big batch of tortilla soup and eat it for lunch throughout the week.

Serving Chicken Tortilla Soup:

The only thing that makes Chicken Tortilla Soup taste even better are the toppings. These are our favorites:

  • Sour cream
  • Homemade tortilla strips
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Cilantro
  • Avocado
  • Lime wedges
  • Jalapeno, sliced or diced
Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (6)

Storing Leftover Soup:

  • Refrigerator: Store your leftover soup without toppings in an airtight container in the fridge. It should stay fresh for 3-4 days.
  • Freezer: You can also freeze your soup in an airtight container for up to two months. When you are ready to eat it, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat soup by bringing it to a boil in a saucepan.
Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (7)

More Soup Recipes You’ll Love:

  • Beef Stew – with tender morsels of beef
  • Pasta e fa*gioli – easy Olive Garden copycat recipe.
  • Loaded Potato Soup – creamy and you’ll love the toppings
  • Chicken Noodle Soup – a family favorite
  • Cabbage Soup – a soup to warm your soul in winter
  • Minestrone Soup – a hearty, tomato-based soup that never gets old.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

4.99 from 1684 votes

Author: Natalya Drozhzhin

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (9)

Chicken Tortilla Soup is the perfect, cold weather weeknight dinner. What’s even better? It comes together in one pot.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6 servings

Chicken Tortilla Soup

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper , seeded and diced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 lb chicken breasts, (2 medium)
  • 20 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 32 oz chicken broth
  • 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 14 oz can corn, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, divided (reserve 1/4 of it for garnish)
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 tsp salt, or to taste

Homemade Tortilla Strips

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 8 corn tortillas , (6" tortillas)

Toppings

  • 1 large avocado, diced
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

Instructions

Tortilla Strips:

  • Preheat a pan with 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Cut tortillas into thin strips and fry them in batches in the hot oil until crisp. Remove from the pan and allow them to drain on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips, adding more oil as needed then set aside.

Chicken Tortilla Soup:

  • Preheat a pot with oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, garlic and chopped jalapeño and sauté until veggies soften.

  • Add whole chicken breasts, corn, beans, chilli powder, cumin, crushed tomatoes, salt, ¼ cup of cilantro and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and let simmer for at least 25 minutes.

  • Remove chicken from the pot and shred it using 2 forks. Add shredded chicken back to the soup and simmer another 5 minutes then add lime juice.

  • Serve the soup with some tortilla strips, pieces of avocado, fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

Nutrition Per Serving

540kcal Calories62g Carbs32g Protein22g Fat3g Saturated Fat48mg Cholesterol673mg Sodium1368mg Potassium15g Fiber9g Sugar663IU Vitamin A28mg Vitamin C111mg Calcium5mg Iron

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

540

% Daily Value*

Fat

22

g

34

%

Saturated Fat

3

g

19

%

Cholesterol

48

mg

16

%

Sodium

673

mg

29

%

Carbohydrates

62

g

21

%

Fiber

15

g

63

%

Sugar

9

g

10

%

Protein

32

g

64

%

Vitamin A

663

IU

13

%

Vitamin C

28

mg

34

%

Calcium

111

mg

11

%

Iron

5

mg

28

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Chicken Tortilla Soup, tortilla soup

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $

Calories: 540

Natalya Drozhzhin

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (10)

Natalya is a food blogger who founded Momsdish.com to make cooking easier. Growing up on a farm in Ukraine, Natalya was inspired by the amazing dishes that were prepared using simple ingredients. Natalya is most notably known for making cooking approachable for any person.

Read more posts by Natalya

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is chicken tortilla soup made of? ›

Chicken tortilla soup actually is an authentic Mexican dish. The traditional soup is made with chicken broth, tomatoes, garlic, onion, chiles, and fried tortilla strips. There are also variations of the soup, like ones that include beans.

What pairs with chicken tortilla soup? ›

You can enjoy tortilla soup with many things, like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. Mexican rice, chips with guacamole, roasted corn, black beans, and Mexican cornbread are also good choices.

How can I thicken my chicken tortilla soup? ›

Mix cornstarch with a small amount of water to create a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into your soup while stirring continuously. Allow the soup to simmer for a few minutes to activate the thickening properties of the cornstarch. Remember to whisk the soup well to avoid any lumps.

Is chicken tortilla soup good when sick? ›

Chicken tortilla soup is low in calories but high in flavor. The amino acid cysteine, contained in the chicken in this powerful soup, loosens secretions, thinning out mucus and promoting coughing, which is needed to clear your nose and throat.

What is the liquid in chicken soup called? ›

Chicken broth is the liquid part of chicken soup. Broth can be served as is, or used as stock, or served as soup with noodles. Broth can be milder than stock, does not need to be boiled as long, and can be made with meatier chicken parts. Chicken bouillon or bouillon de poulet is the French term for chicken broth.

What is a fun fact about tortilla soup? ›

Tortilla Soup was born in the state of Tlaxcala near Mexico City. In fact, Tlaxcala in Nahuatl means “the land of the corn” or “ the place where tortillas abound.” Tlaxcala was one of the first places where the Spaniards settled.

Why is it called chicken tortilla soup? ›

It's hard to pinpoint exactly the origin of tortilla soup, but it is generally attributed to Central Mexico and especially popular in Mexico City, where it was possibly born in the nearby state of Tlaxcala (which in Nahuatl means “land of the corn” or “place where tortillas abound”).

What is the significance of tortilla soup? ›

The story goes that it was first invented in the state of Tlaxcala, which in the Náhuatl means the place of tortilla abundance. It is believed that the soup was created from the need to prepare foods that were easily digestible with the ingredients on-hand.

How long is leftover tortilla soup good for? ›

Fresh cilantro

And I always serve this soup with lime wedges for squeezing! Store leftover tortilla soup, separately from its toppings, for up to 4 days in the fridge. It also freezes well.

How to add egg to soup without curdling? ›

Occasionally, a soup recipe will call for beaten eggs as a thickening agent. Both whole eggs and yolks can be used. To avoid curdling the eggs, start by drizzling about ½ cup of the hot broth into the eggs, stirring vigorously while you pour. Then add the egg mixture to the soup and cook until thickened.

Can you use tortilla chips to thicken soup? ›

Second, you can add some crushed corn chips – tortilla chips work well, as do salty Fritos. The chips will soak up liquid and become soft, thickening the chili and adding flavor without being noticeable.

Is it better to thicken soup with flour or cornstarch? ›

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

Where is chicken tortilla soup from? ›

Although the exact origin of tortilla soup is unknown, it is known that it comes from the Mexico City area in Mexico. Traditional tortilla soup is made with chicken broth combined with roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, chiles and tortillas, cut into strips and fried.

What does chicken soup contain? ›

The best chicken soup recipes are chock-full of veggies like carrots, celery and onions — all of which are rich in vitamins C and K, not to mention other antioxidants and minerals. Vitamin C is a nutrient your body needs to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen in your bones.

What is chicken soup made from? ›

These are the simple ingredients you'll need for this chicken soup recipe:
  • Chicken: This homemade chicken soup starts with a 3-pound whole chicken.
  • Vegetables: You'll need carrots, celery, and an onion.
  • Seasonings: Simply season the soup with salt, pepper, and chicken bouillon granules (if you want).
Feb 13, 2024

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