Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup — 🥑🍅🧀 Chicken, tomatoes, corn, black beans, avocado, cheese, and addictively crunchy tortilla strips! Fast, easy weeknight meal, and better than from a restaurant! Made in ONE pot and ready in 30 minutes, this is a fan FAVORITE that will impress your friends and family!
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Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
When I see chicken tortilla soup on a restaurant menu, I get excited. There’s something about the slightly spicy broth with tender chicken, the corn and black beans, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, and those addictively good tortilla strips on top that I can’t resist.
- Rather than making a trip out for it, you can make Mexican tortilla soup with chicken at home in just 30 minutes and it’s easy! And it tastes better than my favorite Mexican restaurant version!
- My family loves this easy tortilla soup and I love that it’s ready so quickly and with very minimal effort.
- So many ingredients get tossed into the pot all at once and before you know it this hearty, comforting soup is ready.
- The homemade tortilla strips are a perfect touch and just get those baking in your oven while the soup simmers on the stove and they’re done at the same time. Or just use store bought tortilla chips or strips if you’d like.
- This tortilla soup recipe makes enough that I stash half in the freezer for those nights when I just want to pull something out of the freezer for dinner. And with winter cold and flu season around the corner, soup is perfect.
Chicken Tortilla Soup Ingredients
To make this easy tortilla soup recipe, you’ll need:
- Corn tortillas + olive oil – Used to make the baked tortilla strips for topping the soup.
- Flavoring and Seasonings – Kosher salt, pepper, yellow onion or white onion, garlic, jalapeño pepper, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika or paprika, optional cayenne pepper.
- Chicken broth – I like reduced sodium broth and add salt, to taste, at the end.
- Canned goods from your pantry – Diced tomatoes and black beans. I like to use lower or reduced salt versions of both and then add salt to taste, at the end. You can use canned corn too or frozen corn.
- Cooked shredded chicken – To save time, use store bought rotisserie chicken. I stick with white breast meat but you can use the chicken thighs and dark meat for extra flavor. Leftover shredded chicken from my Perfect Baked Chicken, Whole Roasted Chicken, or Poached Chicken are other protein options.
- Garnishing – Additional lime juice, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, avocado, tortilla strips or tortilla chips, sour cream, salsa, cotija cheese, cheddar cheese, or your favorite soup toppers.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup
This really is such an EASY recipe for chicken tortilla soup! Here’s a look at how it’s made:
- Sauté the onion and jalapeño in an oiled Dutch oven, then add the diced garlic and continue cooking until fragrant. Tip – Shredding your chicken now is a good idea to get ahead if you haven’t done it already.
- Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and juice, black beans, chicken, corn, lime juice, spices and bring to a boil.
- Let the mixture boil for 5 minutes, then stir in fresh cilantro and boil another minute.
- Ladle the homemade chicken tortilla soup into bowls and top with homemade crispy tortilla strips (I’ve given the recipe in the recipe card below), cubed avocado, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream.
what to serve with easy chicken tortilla soup
Here are a few side dishes to serve with chicken tortilla soup:
- Grilled Mexican Corn
- Homemade Tortilla Chips
- Salsa (Pineapple Chipotle Salsa or Restaurant-Style)
- Guacamole
- Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad
- Mexican Wedge Salad
Pair your bowl of soup with a homemade margarita or refreshing glass of horchata to wash it all down!
Storage
In the Refrigerator: This recipe will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make sure to store the toppings separately.
In the Freezer: This recipe will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3-4 months.
To Reheat: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30 seconds on high, or as needed. But you can use your stove or whatever is best suited for you.
Recipe FAQs
I’m sure you could, but when a recipe is as quick and easy as this one I’d rather use the stove to avoid dirtying extra dishes. And wrap it up in 30 minutes rather than hours!
I like using a large 6 to 7-quart Dutch oven. This Le Creuset Dutch oven has been with me for 20 years! You can’t argue with the quality workmanship and materials with anything Le Creuset. A more budget-priced Dutch oven is also another option.
Absolutely! Buy pre-shredded rotisserie chicken at your local grocery store to save yourself some prep work and reduce the cook time.
We love garnishing out individual bowls of soup with fresh cilantro, cubed avocado, a little shredded cheese (like cheddar or a Mexican cheese blend), and / or sour cream. And tortilla strips, of course! But use any toppings that sound good to you!
Yes of course and if you’re short on time or energy, go for it. Homemade is next-level but store bought is just fine.
As written, this homemade recipe has a nice kick to it without being burn-your-tongue-off spicy. You can easily reduce the amount of spice by removing the seeds from the jalapeño pepper or using half of the jalapeño instead of the whole thing. For more spice, keep the seeds in the jalapeño or add another jalapeño to the pot of soup. Diced green chiles are another option that tend to be more mild than fresh jalapeno peppers.
As written, yes it is. Make sure you use corn rather than flour tortillas and always check labels on canned goods, broth, and spices.
Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup
Video
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch Oven (or large soup pot)
Ingredients
Tortilla Strips
- 10 small corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, peeled and diced small (about 1 medium onion)
- 1 large jalapeno pepper, (about 4 to 5 inches long, diced very small (the seeds are where the heat is concentrated; included or discard them based on preference)
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
- 32 ounces 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes and juice, (I used petite diced, no-salt-added)
- one 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, (use store bought rotisserie chicken to save time; or roast or cook your own chicken or use other leftover chicken you have on hand)
- 1 ½ cups corn, (I used frozen straight from the freezer, or use canned corn that's drained, or fresh may be substituted)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus more to taste if desired
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, (regular paprika may be substituted)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely minced, or to taste
- diced avocado for serving, optional for serving
- shredded cheese, optional for serving
- sour cream, optional for serving
Instructions
Make the Tortilla Strips:
- Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or foil to save cleanup time.
- Loosely scatter the tortilla strips, evenly drizzle with olive oil, evenly sprinkle with kosher salt, toss with hands to coat evenly, and bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until crisp and lightly golden brown; set aside.
- While strips bake, begin making the soup.
Make the Soup:
- To a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium-high heat to warm.
- Add the onion, jalapeno, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir intermittently.
- Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and juice, black beans, chicken, corn, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, smoked paprika, optional cayenne pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Allow mixture to boil gently for about 5 to 7 minutes. If at any point the overall liquid level looks low or you prefer your soup to have more broth, add 1 to 2 cups of water; you’ll adjust the salt and seasoning levels at the end.
- Add the cilantro and boil 1 minute.
- Taste soup and add salt to taste. This will vary based on how salty the chicken broth, tomatoes, black beans, and rotisserie chicken are, and personal preference. Make any necessary seasoning adjustments (i.e. more salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, etc.).
- Ladle soup into bowls, top with tortilla strips to taste, optionally garnish with avocado, cheese and/or sour cream; serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Chicken Soup Recipes:
Easy Chicken Stew – You don’t need to wait all day for this one-pot comfort food chicken stew recipe that’s ready in 45 minutes! It’s chock full of juicy chicken, buttery potatoes, tender carrots, celery, green beans, and seasoned to perfection with a variety of herbs and spices!
Chicken Poblano Soup — All the familiar flavors of chicken tortilla soup but with the addition of roasted poblanos and tomatillos to give extra heartiness and depth of flavor!
Easy 30-Minute Chicken Enchilada Soup — Don’t have all day for chili to simmer? No problem! This EASY, hearty, healthier chili full of Mexican-inspired flavors is ready in 30 minutes! Perfect for busy weeknights!!
Easy 30-Minute Homemade White Chicken Chili — Hearty, healthy, loaded with tender chicken, and packed with bold flavor!! Fast and easy comfort food that everyone loves!! It’ll be on rotation all winter!!
Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup — Classic, comforting, and tastes just like grandma made but way easier and faster! This soup is amazing and it’ll be your new favorite recipe!
Chicken Tortellini Soup — This chicken tortellini soup has all the comforting qualities you want in classic chicken noodle soup but with the unexpected twist of cheesy tortellini.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup — All the comfort food feels of pot pie, but in soup form! Rich, hearty, creamy and ready in just 30 minutes!
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup — Why have regular chicken noodle soup when you can have CREAMY instead? Pure comfort food at its finest! Ready in 30 minutes, an instant family favorite, and PERFECT for chilly weather!!
Originally posted September 15, 2015 and reposted September 4, 2020 with updated text.
This is my go to soup for neighbors who are sick or who have had surgeries. Everyone absolutely LOVES it!! Thank you so much!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and great to hear this is your go to soup for neighbors who are sick or on the mend. How nice of you to cook for them when they need it most!
I realized too late that I didn’t have any diced tomatoes like I thought I did. I subbed in mild salsa and my goodness it was incredible!!! I think I’ll always make it with salsa, and everything else as the instructions say. Incredible flavor and consistency!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it turned out great with the mild salsa and you’ll do it from now on!
Outstanding ! So filling yet not heavy. My boyfriend delivers freight all day in chilly Buffalo NY and he will absolutely love coming home to a bowl of this! Or two! Yum. 5 huge stars! Will make again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it’s outstanding for you! I can only imagine how much this hits the spot after working a hard job in the winter in Buffalo!
I finally found a recipe for this soup and it was actually DELICIOUS. Thank you so much! I threw in a couple dashes of Cholula – just the right amount of spiciness!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved the soup!
The soup was great, we all loved it. I used leftover Turkey from Thanksgiving.
I am glad you loved the soup and that your leftover turkey came in handy!
The smoked paprika is a must and added a lot of flavor depth. Would definitely make again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad you will make this again!
This soup was delicious. It’s a keeper. I made this soup but without the tortillas and cilantro. I had roasted a whole organic chicken a couple of days ago and used the leftover chicken which was more than the recipe called for. In addition to the 3 cups of chicken broth I added the juices that remained after roasting the chicken. I left some of the jalapeño seeds, but not all, when I chopped the jalapeño and added it. It is delicious, great flavor and spices.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad it was delicious and that this is a keeper!
FANTASTIC AND EASY!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was fantastic and easy!
Very good. I usually use a recipe that calls for using green chili’s and enchilada sauce, I had neither. So used yours I will continue to use your and share it. I’ve already facebooked it and sent to my kids as an easy yummy, quick dinner. You did a good job.Thanks
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you enjoyed my recipe and will continue to use and share it!
This chicken tortilla soup is amazing! Everyone raved about it! I’ll definitely be making this on a regular basis. I made it exactly as is except I used one can of regular and one can of fire roasted diced tomatoes and I added the cilantro in with the garlic to open up the flavor. I used better than bouillon base to make my broth, which is more flavorful, so I didn’t need as much salt. Thanks for this fantastic recipe!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this will be made regularly!
Tried this recipe last night. Loved how cheap and quick it was to fix and the soup was amazingly delicious. My whole family loved it, even my picky eater ate 2 bowls. Will definitely make this again😊❤
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that even the picky eater ate 2 bowls! Glad you’ll definitely make it again!
Nutrition Facts?
What can I use in place of the tomatoes? I don’t really care for diced tomatoes
Well if you tend to like tortilla soup, then you probably like them in this fashion because all tortilla soup recipes will generally have them. There is no substitute here for tortilla soup if that’s what you want it to taste like.
The soup was delicious. I added chili style diced tomatoes and it added a kick to it. Yummy!!!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it was delicious!
This is officially my favorite Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe and all within 30 minutes! It is absolutely delicious. Thank you!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it’s your favorite chicken tortilla soup!
I have made this soup multiple times and we absolutely love it! Have you ever tried making it in the crockpot? I am thinking of doing it for a get together on Halloween but wasn’t sure of the time… Thanks again for a great recipe
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad to hear you love it!
For me, when something is less than 30 minutes, I would always opt for the stove rather than a CP. So you could always make on the stove and then transfer to a CP to keep warm. Or you could just make it in the CP. It would probably take a couple hours to heat through, depending on the intensity of your CP. Although the onion, jalapeno, and garlic will never get the same flavor in a CP as they would on the stove unless your CP can sear things. Some of the new ones can.