This Chicken Tortilla Soup has the perfect amount of spice alongside a healthy serving of vegetables, all in a warm, comforting broth. (gluten free, low carb, freezer friendly)
If you’re looking for a flavorful chicken tortilla soup that tastes like it’s been simmering on the stove all day but only takes about an hour to make, then this is for you!
This recipe is so good, it’ll trick your friends into thinking you spent all day in the kitchen pouring your heart and soul into this bowl of deliciousness. But don’t worry, I certainly won’t tell them it didn’t take you anywhere near that long. My lips are sealed.
Soups are one of my all-time favorite things to make. There’s just something so satisfying about about having all the ingredients in one tidy little pot that makes cleanup so much easier. It really appeals to the neat freak in me. Plus, packing a soup like this for lunch the next day makes eating leftovers super convenient and stress free.
And easy, stress-free lunches are a total win in my book.
Ingredients in chicken tortilla soup
The secret to packing in tons of flavor in a short amount of time is using lots of spices. From onions, garlic, cumin and oregano to fresh cilantro, lime juice, chipotle peppers and smoked paprika, every single inch of this chicken tortilla soup is full of as many delicious Mexican flavors as possible.
This bowl of soup has the perfect amount of heat alongside a healthy serving of vegetables, all in a warm, comforting broth. While the combination of various chili powders, cumin and smoked paprika give the chicken tortilla soup a slightly spicy kick, the lime juice and cilantro add hints of brightness and fragrance that make my mouth water. Top it all off with a healthy dollop of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, a sprinkle of shredded Mexican cheese and all you have left to do is one thing.
Top it with some crushed tortilla chips!
I personally like using regular store-bought tortilla chips, but if you’re looking for a super authentic version, then making your own tortilla strips is the way to go.
To make your own, simply cut 4 or 5 store-bought corn tortillas into thin strips and fry them in some oil. Once they get crispy, place them on a paper towel to drain off any excess oil and season with salt. That’s it!
If you’re looking to save 20-30 minutes of cooking time, you can use any leftover shredded chicken you have in the fridge or buy a cooked rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store and shred it at home. Using rotisserie chicken in recipes is one of my favorite little time savers!
Can chicken tortilla soup be frozen?
Yes. To freeze, I suggest cooling the soup in the fridge. Once chilled, scoop into freezer-safe zip-top bags or containers and freeze. When ready to eat, let frozen container thaw completely in the fridge or defrost in the microwave. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until completely warm.
Can this tortilla soup recipe be made in the slow cooker?
Yes! To make in the slow cooker, place all ingredients except black beans, corn, cilantro and lime juice in the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. When ready, transfer the chicken to a plate and shred with a fork. Add the shredded chicken, black beans, corn, cilantro and lime juice. Stir, season with more salt to taste and serve.
More Mexican recipes you’ll love!
- Chicken Pozole Verde
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
- The Best Taco Salad Recipe
- Mexican Slow Cooker Chicken Posole
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 pounds chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
For the soup
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauced, chopped
- 2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (or the juice of 1 lime)
- corn tortilla chips
Instructions
For the Chicken
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil.
- In a large mixing bowl or gallon-sized zip top bag, add chicken, olive oil, oregano, chili powder, cumin, garlic and salt. Toss to coat and transfer to baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until fully cooked through. Cook time will vary depending on the thickness of the breasts. Remove chicken from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Shred chicken with a fork and knife. Set aside until ready to use.
For the Soup
- Heat oil in large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add diced onions and peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until onions become translucent.
- Add garlic, chipotle pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and onion powder. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, green chilies, chicken stock, tomato paste and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add shredded chicken and cook for 15 more minutes. Turn off the heat, add the cilantro and lime juice and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt, to taste.
- Serve in bowls and top with cilantro, limes and crushed corn tortilla chips.
Isabel’s Tips:
Nutrition Information
This chicken tortilla soup recipe was originally published in September 2016. It was retested, rephotographed, rewritten, and republished based on reader feedback in March 2018.
HI Isabel,
Just wondering if you cook the chicken before adding it to the slow cooker? Thanks, making this today!
Hi Tammy, you can add the chicken raw when making it in the slow cooker. Then when the cook time is up, remove it from the slow cooker, shred it, and then put it back in with all the broth. Hope you love it!
This has become my go-to recipe for chicken tortilla soup! I’ve tried many other recipes over the years (I’m old!) and this is the best! It takes time, but well worth the effort! Even better the next day and freezes beautifully! A definite winner! And I NEVER bother with reviews! Yum!!
Thank you Jan!
Delicious. This is the second time I have made this soup. So good.
Love Your Recipes, keep em coming Please
Can I use masa to thicken soup? Thanks!
Hi! Yes, you can mix a masa and water mixture into the soup to achieve your desired thickness.
Hi
Do I need to use the seasoning ingredients for the chicken if I am doing the soup In my crockpot
Thanks
Hello! Yes, you will need to use the seasoning ingredients for the chicken.
I made this receipt last night and it was SO GOOD!!! It a slight kick to it (I may have added too many pepper or too much seasoning, I don’t know) but I loved it! I froze some of it and will have the rest for dinner tonight.
*recipe
This soup is awesome! I topped it which a dollop of crema that I had left over from your enchilada suizas recipe.. so good!! I immediately shared the recipe with all my friends. Thank you!
This is a delicious soup! So full of beans, corn & chicken; it’s almost like eating a stew. We served it for dinner with Isabel’s jalapeño corn bread (a treat in and of itself). Nourishing and filling with relatively easy prep and clean-up. Oh, and for desert there was Isabel’s flan, which we had made a few nights before.
My six year old daughter loved this and that says a lot. She’s so picky with her food. She even ate the tomatoes. I did add a little salt because we didn’t have any tomato paste so we used crushed tomatoes and added another full can of black beans. Delicious!!!
Holy Guacamole! 😀 Just made this soup…deeeelicious! I used skinless boneless thighs and marinated them in the spices overnight. I may add a little more chicken stock to stretch the servings. Great recipe, thank you!
I’m so happy you loved it, Stephanie!
This soup is absolutely delicious!! I’ll definitely be making it again and again. Instead of chicken, I made dried pinto beans which also replaced the black beans. I replaced half of the chicken stock with the broth from the beans. I also had some leftover cole slaw (from making fish tacos!) and used that as a garnish too. Thanks for the wonderful recipes!
Love this soup! This will be a frequent menu item as we love all things Mexican! Thank you for such a great meal, easy and using the slow cooker.