Chicken tortilla soup is a cozy & filling soup recipe full of shredded chicken, corn, beans and other delicious ingredients that are simmered in a tomato base. Top the soup generously with homemade tortilla chips, cilantro, avocado, lime and a dollop of sour cream and you got yourself a perfect Mexican-inspired soup which is the perfect easy weeknight dinner.
Mix a warm rich broth with just a bit of spice with loads of texture from chicken, corn and beans. Then top that with all of your favorite toppings and you have a restaurant worthy chicken tortilla soup that you can easily make at home.
A pot of flavorful soup is perfect for so many occasions. After all a good bowl of soup is fabulous for lunch, great as a starter or have two bowls and make a whole dinner of it!
Of course it is fabulous as an accompaniment to a quesadilla or taco as well. The possibilities are nearly endless.
How to Store Leftover Tortilla Soup?
Soup stores well, so it is a wonderful option for meal prepping. Make a big batch on the weekend and enjoy the leftovers throughout the week as an easy lunch.
Or make a double batch now and freeze extra portions for quick and easy meals later. You can have a tasty meal with no effort whenever you would like.
Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. Or freeze the leftovers for up to six months.
Extra tortilla strips can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Though tortilla strips are best made fresh, so ideally just make what you need.
Tips and Substitutions
If you are in a hurry, you can use leftover cooked chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken. Smoked or grilled chicken could add an extra smoky layer of flavor to the soup.
If using precooked chicken just bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil, then drop to a simmer. Add the chopped chicken to the simmering broth to heat through then enjoy when you are ready.
If you can’t find fresh jalapeno, you can use pickled jalapeno. Either are great with this tortilla soup recipe. Or try using a can of chopped green chilies instead of jalapeno for a milder flavor.
If you like it spicy add more chili powder or some extra jalapenos. If you don’t want it spicy, skip the jalapenos and chili powder.
You can cook your own beans and corn but you save so much time by using canned beans and corn. Simply drain and rinse before adding to the soup. Frozen corn is another great option.
Cut your avocado right before serving to prevent browning.
More Easy Soup Recipes
Yummy taco soup is loaded with flavor and pasta! It’s made quick and easy in the instant pot.
Creamy white chicken chili is a perfect cold weather meal. Make it for game day or any day to warm up from the inside out.
Crock Pot creamy buffalo chicken chili is another great recipe. It is really easy to make and is perfect for game day or and the leftovers are great the next day.
Chili mac soup has the perfect combination of pasta, beef, tomatoes and chili beans for a hearty meal. It has beef and beans and plenty of macaroni noodles too!
Apple ale pumpkin chili is loaded with fall flavors. It is perfect for game day or for warming you when it’s chilly outside.
Or check out all of these other great soup recipes!
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Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup is a cozy & filling soup recipe full of shredded chicken, corn, beans and other delicious ingredients that are simmered in a tomato base. Top the soup generously with homemade tortilla chips, cilantro, avocado, lime and a dollop of sour cream and you got yourself a perfect Mexican-inspired soup which is the perfect easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 lb chicken breast (about 2 medium size chicken breasts)
- 20 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Crispy Tortilla Strips
- 6 corn tortillas (or any tortilla)
- Olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Cut your tortillas into thin strips and add them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Bake at 350ºF for 5-7 minutes until nice and crispy. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, preheat a large pot with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic and jalapeno and saute until vegetables soften.
- Add the whole chicken breasts, beans, corn, ground cumin, chilli powder, crushed tomatoes, cilantro and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using 2 forks. Add the shredded chicken back to the soup and simmer for another 5 minutes or so then add the fresh lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the soup warm with the tortilla strips, pieces of avocado, fresh cilantro, lime wedges and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Great toppings ideas for this tortilla soup recipe:
- 1 avocado, diced
- Squeeze of lime
- Cilantro
- A splash of hot sauce to personalize heat level
- Sour cream
For even richer flavor, try using chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts
Tips:
- If you can’t find fresh jalapeno, you can use pickled jalapeno.
- You can use leftover rotisserie chicken to make the soup. Just add the shredded chicken to the pot in step 4.
- If you like it spicy add more chili powder or some extra jalapenos. If you don’t want it spicy, skip the jalapenos and chili powder.
- You can cook your own beans and corn but you save so much time by using canned beans and corn. Simply drain and rinse before adding to the soup.
- Cut your avocado right before serving to prevent browning.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 371Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 1020mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 8gSugar: 7gProtein: 33g
All nutritional information is estimated and will depend on the exact ingredients you use.
