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 Tex-Mex soup which is a great easy weeknight dinner.
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.
Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup
Meanwhile, preheat a large pot with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Sauté 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 breastsTips:
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.
If you don't like cilantro, feel free to leave it out.