I love a good soup recipe in the colder months (we actually have a ton of soup recipes on the site at this point!) and this one is probably a favorite in my family that actually gets requested time and time again. It’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner and makes great leftovers (win-win)! It is major comfort food and I love how you can customize the toppings. Can’t wait for you guys to try this one!
And if you love easy, weeknight chicken meals.… we also suggest that you try our Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas, Salsa Verde Chicken, or Creamy Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili.
What Goes In Chicken Tortilla Soup
Table of Contents
- olive oil – a drizzle in the dutch oven to help sauté the garlic, onion, and pepper. You could use butter here if you want.
- yellow onion & garlic – they get the flavor party started for all delicious soups.
- Anaheim pepper – personally, we love the heat & flavor these provide but you could also use a jalapeño, for more spice, or a green pepper, to be really mild.
- chicken broth or chicken stock – any will do – just grab your favorite. We do have a homemade chicken broth on the site if you really want to up the flavor!
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts – this is what we used but you could also use chicken thighs.
- diced tomatoes & crushed tomatoes – the perfect tomato base!
- canned corn & can of black beans – essential components to any chicken tortilla soup.
- chili powder, cumin, & kosher salt – the perfect combo of spices to really bring the soup to life.
- lime – the zest and the juice for all that fresh lime flavor!
How To Make Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Begin by sautéing the onion, garlic, and pepper in a large pot over medium heat.
Then add the chicken broth and raw chicken breast – cook for 15 minutes.
Remove the chicken breasts, shred, and return it to the pot.
Add the rest of the soup ingredients.
Mix and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Best Toppings For Chicken Tortilla Soup
Our favorite toppings that we used are:
- avocado
- cilantro
- lime wedges
- green onions
- strips of corn tortillas
This combination was delicious and highly recommended. Some other great options would be sour cream, fresh tomatoes, shredded cheese, red onions, or hot sauce if you want a bit of a kick.
Recipe FAQs
- How To Store Chicken Tortilla Soup? This family favorite soup makes great leftovers and is perfect for meal prep! You can simply store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Just make sure you wait on the toppings until you are ready to eat the next day.
- Can I Freeze Chicken Tortilla Soup? Absolutely! It is the easiest soup, that is perfect for freezing. Once it has cooled off you can place it in a freezer-safe container and store it for up to 6 months. When it is time to thaw, just place it in the fridge the night before you plan to eat it, reheat, and enjoy!
- Is it Easy to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Crock Pot? Yes! So easy, simply follow Steps 1 and 2 (cook the onions, garlic and anaheim pepper in some oil) and then transfer to a slow cooker along with all the other ingredients (not the toppings and start with 1-2 teaspoons salt .. you can always add more). Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and remove to slow cooker. Taste and add more lime or salt. Serve with toppings!
- Is it Easy to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Instant Pot? Yes, simply use the Saute function for Steps 1 and 2. Then add the rest of the ingredients, but leave out the corn and start with 1 teaspoon kosher salt (you can always add more later) and cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes. Let naturally release 10 minutes. Remove chicken and shred and return to pot along with corn. Let sit 5 minutes for corn to warm through. Serve with toppings!
A Few Recipe Tips
- Shredded Chicken: The recipe calls for cooking the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the broth, shredding them, and adding them back to the pot. This is super easy and provides even more great flavor to the pot but if you are really tight for time you could shred a rotisserie chicken instead.
- Taste + Adjust: Make sure you pause for taste tests to ensure that the salt and spice levels are where you want them. This is different for everyone and the salt content of various chicken broths will vary too so make sure you adjust to your liking.
Other Easy Soup Recipes You Might Like
Made this recipe and loved it?!
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Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (with crockpot and instant pot instructions)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Description
Our Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup is a simple, delicious and easy chicken tortilla soup recipe that is perfect for meal prepping!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/4–1/2 cup Anaheim pepper*, diced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 15oz can corn, drained
- 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 15oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- zest of 1 lime
- juice of 1 lime
- 2–3 teaspoons kosher salt (more to taste)
- Toppings: tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, avocado and lime wedges
Instructions
- Bring Dutch Oven to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat.
- Add onion, garlic and pepper; move around pan until garlic is fragrant and onions softens – about 1 minute.
- Add broth and bring to a boil.
- Add chicken and cover. Let simmer until chicken is fully cooked – about 15 minutes.
- Remove chicken from pot and place on a plate; use two forks to shred and return shredded chicken to pan along with the corn, tomatoes (diced and crushed), black beans, chili powder, cumin, lime zest, lime juice and salt.
- Stir to combine. Let simmer 10-15 minutes.
- Taste and add any additional salt, spice or lime juice – as desired.
- Serve with tortilla strips, fresh chopped cilantro, lots of avocado and lime wedges.
Notes
- Anaheim Pepper: you can use jalapeno if you want it spicier or you can use bell pepper if you want it really tame. I like Anaheim peppers because they bring a bit more flavor and heat, but nothing crazy – I also know they aren’t always easy to find so use what works for you/what you can find!
- Is it Easy to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Crock Pot? Follow Steps 1 and 2 (cook the onions, garlic and anaheim pepper in some oil) and then transfer to a slow cooker along with all the other ingredients (not the toppings and start with 1-2 teaspoons salt .. you can always add more). Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and remove to slow cooker. Taste and add more lime or salt. Serve with toppings!
- Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Instant Pot: Use the Saute function for Steps 1 and 2. Then add the rest of the ingredients, but leave out the corn and start with 1 teaspoon kosher salt (you can always add more later) and cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes. Let naturally release 10 minutes. Remove chicken and shred and return to pot along with corn. Let sit 5 minutes for corn to warm through. Serve with toppings!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 146
- Sugar: 5.5 g
- Sodium: 716.4 mg
- Fat: 3.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.3 g
- Protein: 13.3 g
- Cholesterol: 28.8 mg
Antonia says
Are there any nutritional facts available?
Bridget Montag says
Yes, I just added them to the recipe card. Thank you for asking!
Michael says
This is a staple for our winter menu! Thanks for an easy meal that my kids actually enjoy!
Laura says
So good!!
Maureen says
I love this soup! It’s a keeper.
Hattie says
Tried this over the weekend and it was a hit with the whole family! Easy, and so flavorful – will be making this again soon!!
Hope says
This is so good! It’s so simple and has a ton of flavour. My family loved it!
Erin says
So glad to hear that, Hope! Thanks for coming back to leave a rating and review!
Jennifer says
I loved how quick and easy this was to make. It is also very filling with the corn and black beans.
Erin says
So happy to hear that, Jennifer! Thanks for coming back to leave a review and rating!
Becky says
Loved it!
I used a green pepper, frozen corn, and instead of crushed tomatoes a second can of diced tomatoes only fire roasted. Topped with avocado, cilantro, lime juice and a bit of cheese! Easy delicious, one pot recipe!
Erin says
So happy to hear that, Becky!
Kristen Maggitti says
This was an easy and delicious soup! I was worried that the amount of chicken wouldn’t be enough for our family of 5, but it totally was (we did 1.5x recipe). So so so tasty and quick. Great weeknight meal!!!
Erin says
Yay!!! This is a current favorite of mine – so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review + feedback!