Chicken Tortilla Soup is one of the easiest ever soup recipes and a family favorite!
Chicken breasts, corn, beans, and veggies are simmered in a simple seasoned tomato broth.
Garnish this delicious soup with crispy homemade tortilla strips, avocado, lime, and cilantro!
Chicken Tortilla Soup
One of the things I love best about travel is enjoying new foods and creating versions to enjoy at home for friends and family (and for you)! Chicken Tortilla Soup (and Lime Soup from Cancun) are a couple of my favorites to enjoy when I visit Mexico and of course I love soups of all kinds.
- This chicken tortilla soup recipe is easy to make!
- No need to precook the chicken; just toss it in the pot with the rest of the ingredients.
- It’s dairy-free, low in carbs and full of healthy goodness.
- It reheats and freezes well for future meals.
- Tortilla strips are fried crisp and add the perfect crunch. They can be made days ahead of time.
Ingredients in Chicken Tortilla Soup
Tortilla soup is a Mexican-inspired soup made with a tomato broth base.
Chicken – Tortilla soup can also be made with lamb, beef, or fish, but since this is chicken tortilla soup, I use chicken breasts. You can also use skinless chicken thighs or shredded chicken.
Veggies – Onions, garlic, and jalapeños flavor the broth. You can add your favorite veggies, we love corn and tomatoes, but you can also add red pepper or celery. Black beans (or pinto beans) make this soup both hearty and filling.
Broth – Regular or low-sodium chicken broth and canned diced tomatoes (like Rotel) or fire roasted tomatoes are the base of the broth. Add spices (or even a little homemade taco seasoning for flavor.
Tortilla Strips – Crispy tortilla strips are used as a topping for this soup. They are made by cutting corn tortillas into thin strips, frying them until crispy, and seasoning them with salt.
How To Make Tortilla Soup
It’s easy! Chicken tortilla soup takes just 30 minutes to cook. Make the tortilla strips while the soup is simmering (or you can purchase Tortilla Strips online or at the grocery).
- Saute jalapeno and onion until fragrant. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer
- Remove the chicken and shred. Stir the chicken and some lime juice into the soup.
- Serve it with tortilla strips and desired toppings.
Prep Tip
You can make the crispy tortilla strips a few days in advance (and make extra, they’re great for snacking). They fry in oil for just a minute or two so they’re quick to make.
Be sure to salt them while they’re warm so the salt sticks and let them cool completely before putting them in an airtight container.
Serving Suggestions
A bright, tangy cabbage slaw or a Fresh Corn Salad goes well with this chicken tortilla soup recipe, or even simple cheese quesadillas.
Toppings for Chicken Tortilla Soup
In addition to tortilla strips you can add your own favorite toppings.
- Fresh: lime juice, fresh cilantro, red onion
- Creamy: Cotija cheese or shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado
- Other favorites: Guacamole, pico de gallo
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Taco Soup – So quick and flavorful!
- Easy Chicken Fajitas
- Easy Chicken Taco Soup
- Easy Fish Tacos – Favorite!
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos (Pressure Cooker)
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup – Set it and forget it!
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeño diced and seeded
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 14 ½ ounces crushed tomatoes
- 14 ½ ounces can black beans rinsed & drained
- 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes with chilis such as Rotel
- 2 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 1 cup corn drained if canned
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 avocado sliced, for garnish
For the Tortilla Strips
- 6 6" corn tortillas cut into ¼" strips
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- salt
Instructions
- For the tortilla strips, cut the tortillas into ¼-inch strips. In a small pan, heat ¼ cup of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the tortillas, in small batches to the oil and fry them until they are crisp, about 1 minute per side. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towel. While warm, sprinkle with salt to taste.
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño to the pot, and cook until the onion is softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add in the chicken broth, black beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with juices, corn, lime juice, cilantro, ground cumin, and chili powder. Stir to combine.
- Add the chicken breasts and bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with two forks. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips, lime wedges, and sliced avocado.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Mexican© SpendWithPennies.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. Please view my photo use policy here.
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I wanted something “soupy” but also with lots of protein. And wow… This was so so so easy to make and I cannot say enough how delicious it was. I cooked it for 30 mins before shredding the chicken and cooking another 10 mins. Oh, and I cheated and used store bought tortilla strips.
This soup was very good. Definitely will make more. Thank you
This soup is absolutely Wonderful!. My unbelievably picky daughter even loves it. No better endorsement can be had. I make it exactly as written. Bill H.