This chicken tortilla soup recipe is easy to make with just one pot!
Tender chicken breasts are simmered in seasoned broth with beans and veggies and then topped with fried tortilla strips and avocado slices for an easy anytime meal.
You’ll Love How Easy This Soup Is Because…
- It’s quick to prep in just one pot.
- No need for cooked chicken, it simmers in the broth making it easy and flavorful!
- It’s packed with veggies and beans (add extra if you’d like) for a hearty soup packed with goodness.
- Everyone loves the flavor and it reheats and freezes well.
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this soup—they do not need to be pre-cooked or browned. You can replace it with chicken thighs or leftover rotisserie chicken (see recipe notes). Frozen chicken can also be used; just allow more time for cooking.
- Seasoning: Use a packet or make homemade taco seasoning.
- Vegetables: Onions, Rotel tomatoes, and corn add flavor to this chicken tortilla soup.
- Broth: I prefer chicken broth in this recipe, but you can use beef or vegetable broth. Low-sodium chicken broth works well too.
- Tortilla Strips: Homemade tortillas taste best in this recipe and are super easy to make, or you can buy them. Short on time? Crush up some tortilla chips or Fritos.
Stretch Your Budget
- Stretch the chicken further by adding extra vegetables, like green bell pepper or zucchini, and broth.
- Add 2 cups extra broth to the soup and add cooked white rice to the bottom of each bowl to stretch the soup further.
How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Make tortilla strips (recipe below).
- Soften onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Add the remaining soup ingredients (including raw chicken breasts) and simmer.
- Remove chicken, shred, and return to the soup.
- Serve with desired toppings—see my favorites below.
Add Fun Toppings!
Chicken tortilla soup is a fun family recipe—set out your favorite toppings and let everyone dress their own bowl.
- Sour cream, salsa, or guacamole.
- Cheese: Crumbled cotija cheese, cheddar cheese, or shredded Monterey jack cheese.
- Flavor Boosters: Lime wedges, black olives, green onions.
Storing Leftovers Soup
Keep leftover chicken tortilla soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave and add fresh toppings.
Freeze leftover soup in zippered bags for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Chicken Favorites
Did you enjoy this Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
This chicken tortilla is hearty and comforting with just the perfect spicy kick.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeño seeded and diced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 14.5 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounces canned black beans 1 can, drained and rinsed
- 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes with chilies with juices, such as Rotel, 1 can
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 6 ounces each
- 1 cup corn kernels drained if canned
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 avocado sliced, for garnish
For the Tortilla Strips
- 6 small corn tortillas cut into ¼-inch 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 a 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
Chicken: This recipe uses chicken breasts that are 6oz each. If your chicken is larger or smaller, adjust the cooking time as needed. The chicken is added to the soup raw and simmers in the soup.
Cooked chicken: To replace the chicken breasts with rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken, simmer the soup for a total of 25 minutes, adding 3 cups of shredded chicken during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Tortilla Strips: Tortilla strips can be replaced with tortilla chips or they can be cooked in the air fryer or oven. Toss the strips with 1 ½ tablespoons of oil and salt. Cook in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-4 minutes or until crisp or bake at 350°F for 11-14 minutes. Check the strips early to ensure they don’t burn.
Spice: Reduce the spice by replacing jalapeno with green chiles.
Serving suggestion: Create a fun meal by serving it with a variety of toppings.
Leftovers & Freezing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. To freeze, cool completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag for up to 4 months.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1.25cup | Calories: 278 | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 671mg | Potassium: 714mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 19.9mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2.7mg
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.
I thought this recipe was so so good. I got a 4 cup container of broth and added a splash when I warmed it up. My kids didn’t like the lime taste (I did) but I’ll add less next time.
Where are the recipe notes about using leftover rotisserie chicken?
Sorry for the confusion Nancy. To replace the chicken breasts with rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken, simmer the soup for a total of 25 minutes, adding 3 cups of shredded chicken during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
I had been following your recipe for years! Instructions are easy to follow and it always comes out good! Thank you!
Hi Rina. I am glad that you have been enjoying all the recipes over the years and that they have been a success in the kitchen. You are very welcome and have a great day!
Make this. It’s delicious. Super easy. I added cheese during the cooking once I shredded the chicken. Thickens it up. So good
I’ve been making this soup for years with your recipe. It’s easy simple, hearty, and delicious. No fuss no muss. I don’t use the jalapeño in there, instead I use cayenne powder because I’m not a fan of the jalapeños.
This is an easy solid chicken tortilla soup, quick and easy. my kids really enjoyed it too!
4.5 stars really
i did put an extra 1/2 tsp of cumin & chili powder, but to be fair we always use more cumin and chili in every recipe we ever use.
i also airfried tortilla strips. super easy!
this is going in the rotation for sure!
I have made this many times…We will have an office potluck for Halloween and I wanted to know if this is gluten free? I am trying to accommodate everyone and just checking as I am learning about gluten allergies.
Hi Wilma, in general this recipe will be gluten free but you will want to check the labels on the ingredients you are using as some brands do have cross contamination with gluten. You will also want to make sure you are buying a gluten free corn chip instead of a corn/flour blend. I hope that helps!
Thank you so very much!!! I will be making this for our Halloween Potluck and have the tortilla strips on the side! Yay!!!
This is my husband and I’s favorite weeknight meal! I’m an American living in England so when I crave good Mexican food this is also my go-to. Leftovers for days that are just as tasty as the night we make it. We have a sensitive smoke detector in our apartment so we just serve with tortilla chips instead of the strips in the recipe. Highly recommend this dish!
amazing
Easy and delicious. Used rotisserie chicken. Yum!
Thank you so much for leaving a comment, Lynne!