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.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
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.
Thank you ever so much Averie! This soup was by far the BEST Chicken-Tortilla Soup ever tasted ! We love spice, so I added an extra jalapeno, and it made it just perfect! Can you please advise how to save this recipe to my Pinterest? Definitely want to make again & again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was the best chicken tortilla soup you’ve ever tasted!
All photos have a hovering Pinterest button in the upper left hand corner so just select the photo you like and Pin It to your board.
This is so delicious! We omitted the jalapeno, but followed the rest of the recipe and it had amazing flavor, and there is plenty for more meals! Thanks!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this turned out with amazing flavor and you have leftovers for a few more meals!
This is a great recipe and came together quickly! This will definitely be a staple I make regularly. I’ve tried to find the nutrition information and have failed. My daughter and I keep food journals and the information wound be extremely helpful. Thank you.
It’s coming shortly for this recipe, within the next couple weeks. I’m in the process of updating all of my recipes.
Glad this will be a staple for you!
Unbelievably good! I’ve been cooking for many years, this is now my favorite soup recipe. I was skeptical about the short cook time but the flavors were complex and delicious. I usually poach a whole chicken at least once a week so I already had that plus the broth. Also used San Marzino tomatoes chopped up – they seem to add a richness that I can’t get from plain diced tomatoes.
Thank you for the recipe!
Glad to hear this is now your favorite soup recipe and that it turned out unbelieveably good for you!
I agree, San Marzano tomatoes have such a lovely flavor, I need to try them in this soup!
I always order tortilla soup when I see it on a menu so and I have tried many since I live deep in Texas. This is absolutely delicious! I will defenitly keep this receipe. I was actually looking for a slow cooker recipe when I found this but happy to know I don’t have to wait a few hours to enjoy this soup. Thank you for sharing this with us, now I Dont have to wait until I am at a restaurant to enjoy one of my favorite soups. I did use store bought whole baked chicken and tortilla strips for salads already made so it made it even easier.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you will keep the recipe! I agree, 30 minutes is much better than a slow cooker when you don’t want to wait hours to enjoy it!
This was easy to prepare and the flavor was delicious! I chose to add the optional cayenne which made it a little spicy, which was great for me and my family because we take spice well! Topping with the avocado calmed it down a bit with each bite….Great recipe, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this turned out delicious for you!
Delicious and easy! My whole family enjoyed this, even my picky eater. This will go into our regular rotation. Thanks for a great recipe!
Glad it was delicious, easy, and will go into your regular rotation!
Averie,
The 30-Minute Tortilla Soup is Marvelous. My wife said that it is definitely a ‘keeper.’ So it is now in my recipe folder with the appropriate credit to you! (In fact, I’m making it tonight. :-))
Glad this is a definite keeper and it’s now in your recipe folder and you’re making it tonite!
Can this be made without beans? If so, do you add more of something else instead? (my husband hates beans!)
Yes you can really do anything you want to to a recipe BUT it won’t taste like mine tasted. Since I haven’t experimented without using beans, not sure what else you would want to add to bulk it up. Perhaps nothing – noting it will be brothier. Or add more chicken. Or tortilla strips. Whatever you think it needs.
We ended up adding more chicken and a little extra corn…turned out great. This recipe was a winner and will be a staple in our rotation! Thank you!
Glad it turned out great and will be a staple in your rotation!
Made this for my fiancée and she said it was the best chicken tortilla soup she has ever eaten, and I agree! And we live in an area where it is everywhere.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that your fiance said it was the best chicken tortilla soup she’s ever eaten, and that you think so as well!
Making a grocery list.
Me: Would you eat that tortilla soup again?
Husband: Oh absolutely, everyday for the rest of my life.
Hahah! Thank you for this amazing recipe!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that your husband would eat it every day forever! What a huge compliment and thank you!
Thank you for such an awesome recipe! Made a few personal preference tweaks so that all of my family would eat it…green chilis instead of jalapenos, replaced 1 can of tomatoes with a can of Rotel w/lime juice & cilantro, did not add cilantro, used 48oz of broth + 1 cup of water, not sure exactly how much of the spices & salt, but probably just under double the recipe & just used store bought restaurant style white corn tortilla chips! So very good!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it was perfect for your family with the tweaks you made!
Made it for the first time tonight. My husband and I both loved it. This recipe is a keeper!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is a keeper for you!
My family loves this soup! I made it to add something new to our meal rotation and it is definitely a keeper! Thanks for the recipe!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was perfect and a keeper for you!
This is, an amazing receipe! Super easy and super delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was easy and super delish for you!
Would it be as tasty and if so can you covert it to a crock
Pot? Thank you
You probably could but for me when something is ready from start to finish in 30 minutes, I don’t see the point of a Crock Pot and it would just unnecessarily lengthen and complicate a fast and easy recipe. But of course feel free to experiment with what’s best for you!
I’ve made this exactly as described except not using low sodium broth and it was one of the best soups I’ve ever had. Have made it using vegetable broth, flavored tomatoes or beans and it’s such a great recipe it always turns out delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad to hear it was one of these best soups you’ve ever had!