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 1674 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 does chicken tortilla soup contain? ›

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.

How do you tone down chicken tortilla soup? ›

Add Some Starches

The easiest way to tone down a spicy dish is to serve a smaller portion with plenty of rice, bread, potatoes, pasta, or plain starch to counter the heat. For soups and stews, raw and starchy vegetables like potatoes or carrots work well.

What can I use to thicken my tortilla soup? ›

Incorporate Cornstarch

Cornstarch is another popular thickening agent that can be easily added to your chicken tortilla soup. Mix cornstarch with a small amount of water to create a slurry.

What are the ingredients in Costco chicken tortilla soup? ›

INGREDIENTS: chicken stock, diced tomatoes in juice, cooked chicken meat, cooked white chicken meat, onions, corn, carrots, roasted poblano peppers, roasted red bell peppers, roasted green chiles, tortillas (corn, water, lime), contains 2% or less of: tomato paste, water, cultured dextrose, sea salt, modified food ...

Does Chicken Tortilla Soup have a lot of carbs? ›

How many carbs are in chicken tortilla soup? The carbs in chicken tortilla soup will vary, based on recipe and ingredients. Traditional tortilla soup can have 40 grams of carbohydrates! This version has just 10 grams net carbs per serving — WITH toppings included — and is filling enough to be a meal.

Is tortilla soup high in sodium? ›

Soup is tough on a low sodium diet. It's one of the Salty Six, foods identified by the American Heart Association as being very high in sodium.

How do you deepen chicken soup flavor? ›

For a deeply flavorful chicken soup, get some boneless, skinless chicken thighs, season them, brown them in a skillet, then finish them in a 375 F oven. You can refrigerate them until you're ready to make the soup, then simply dice them up and add them to the soup at the very end.

How to make can chicken soup taste better? ›

Herbs: Fresh chives, thyme, or cilantro stirred in just before serving. Spices: Your soup is probably salty enough, but what about simmering a bay leaf in there for a while (don't forget to remove it before serving)? Depending on the soup's flavor profile, you could shake in some cumin or red pepper flakes.

Can I use sour cream in soup? ›

Sour cream should be added only after you have cooked and served the soup, as a topping. Otherwise it will separate and it will not look appetizing. Once you have added sour cream, you cannot reheat the soup, so it's better to add spoonfuls to individual bowls and let people stir it in themselves.

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.

What to serve 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 do you make soup creamier and thicker? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Does chicken tortilla soup go bad? ›

How long will it keep? You can store any leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for 3-4 days. Yes, you can make this soup ahead of time and then freeze it.

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”).

Who makes Kirkland chicken tortilla soup? ›

The label declares the product, manufactured by Kettle Cuisine Midco, LLC, as gluten-free, which is a false negative claim.

What does chicken soup contain? ›

Chicken soup is a soup made from chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common additions are pasta, noodles, dumplings, or carrots, and grains such as rice and barley.

What goes well with Chicken Tortilla Soup? ›

What do you eat tortilla soup with? 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.

Does the Chicken Tortilla Soup at Chick Fil A have dairy? ›

According to the Chick Fil A website, their chicken tortilla soup is NOT gluten-free or dairy free. However, this copycat recipe is gluten-free and dairy free!

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”).

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