Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (2024)

By Laura

Posted Jan 30, 2023, Updated Feb 14, 2024

5 from 9 votes

7 Comments

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This chicken tortilla soup recipe is easy to make in 40 minutes on the stovetop. Learn how to make chicken tortilla soup that’s even more delicious than your favorite restaurant!

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (2)

This chicken tortilla soup is one of our family’s favorite soup recipes (along with this taco soup). It’s healthy and easy to make in 40 minutes on the stovetop!

This chicken tortilla soup is loaded with chicken, veggies, and beans, flavorful with herbs and spices and topped with the best homemade tortilla strips.

It tastes even better than your favorite restaurant and is an irresistible soup recipe you will make on repeat.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (3)

Chicken Tortilla Soup: Ingredients & Substitutions

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (4)
  • Chicken Breasts. I suggest thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the best results.
  • Onion. Use a sweet, yellow onion or red onion.
  • Minced garlic. Fresh or jarred can be used. You can replace 1 tablespoon minced garlic with 1 tsp garlic powder (add with the spices).
  • Green Bell Pepper. Any color bell pepper works well.
  • Diced tomatoes. fire roasted, with green chilies or just plain diced tomatoes all work well in this taco soup recipe.
  • Green Chiles. choose your “heat” preference, we use mild.
  • Chicken Broth. Vegetable broth can be used in place of chicken, although I prefer chicken broth.
  • Black Beans. Other beans that work well are kidney beans and great northern (white) beans.
  • Taco Seasoning. Make your own with this Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe, or use an organic seasoning to avoid unfavorable ingredients. This is a mild chicken tortilla soup, but you can easily increase the heat/spice by adding chili powder, hot sauce, spicy taco seasoning, jalapeño peppers, etc.
  • Frozen Corn. You can substitute fresh corn.
Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (5)

How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe is easy to make on the stovetop. We’ll walk through it together, and don’t forget tow watch the video.

Cook olive oil, onion green pepper and garlic over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (6)

Then, add the diced tomatoes, chiles, chicken broth, lime juice, taco seasoning, sea salt, pepper, chicken breasts, beans and corn to the pot and stir to combine.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (7)

Next, bring the mixture to a boil. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is easily shredded with a fork (about 25-30 minutes).

Once the chicken is fully cooked, shred it and then return it to the pot.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (8)

Then, add the cilantro and cover and simmer for 10-30 minutes (until ready to serve).

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (9)

Make the Tortilla Strips

While the soup is cooking (preferably while the chicken is cooking before it needs to be shredded), make the tortilla strips (I have a full post dedicated to making tortilla strips here: homemade tortilla strips)

Begin by preheating the olive oil in a large skillet, then add the tortilla strips and stir to combine

Cook over medium-high heat for 2-5 minutes, stirring often, until crispy. Sprinkle warm strips with salt and set them aside to serve on top of the soup!

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (10)

Serve

Once the homemade chicken tortilla soup is ready, serve it warm with sour cream, cheese, chopped onion, sliced avocado or homemade guacamole, and homemade tortilla strips. Check out all of our favorite Mexican Recipes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (11)

Store/Freeze

Store leftover chicken tortilla soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (12)

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe FAQs

How do I thicken Chicken Tortilla Soup?

This soup isn’t supposed to be very thick, however, you can thicken it in a few ways:
1) At the end of the cook time, simmer with the lid slightly ajar to cook off some of the water.
2) Add some cornmeal to the soup or crushed tortilla strips.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, you can double the ingredients and cook it in a large stockpot.

How do I make Chicken Tortilla Soup spicier?

We prefer a mild soup. Here are some suggested additions to make it spicier:
Jalapeños (dice and cook with the onions/green peppers).
Chili powder
Cayenne pepper
Hot sauce

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (13)

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (14)

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (15)

SavePinPrint

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Laura

This chicken tortilla soup recipe is easy to make in 40 minutes on the stovetop. Learn how to make chicken tortilla soup that's even more delicious than your favorite restaurant!

5 from 9 votes

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings 10 Servings

Calories 223

Prep Time10 minutes minutes

Cook Time40 minutes minutes

Total Time50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 green bell pepper finely diced
  • 15 ounces diced tomatoes
  • 4 ounces mild green chiles
  • 4 cups chicken broth (1 quart)
  • 1 Tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 pounds chicken breasts sliced thin
  • 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • ½ cup Fresh cilantro finely chopped (plus more for garnish)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Homemade tortilla strips

  • 4 corn tortillas (6" round) cut into 1” strips (or two 8-10” flour tortillas)
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Make the Soup

  • Cook olive oil, onion green pepper and garlic for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent.

  • Add diced tomatoes, chiles, chicken broth, lime juice, taco seasoning, sea salt, pepper, chicken breasts, beans and corn to the pot and stir to combine.

  • Bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is easily shredded with a fork (about 25-30 minutes).

  • Shred the chicken then return it to the pot.

  • Add the cilantro, cover and simmer for 10-30 minutes (until ready to serve).

  • Serve hot with sour cream, cheese, chopped onion, sliced avocado, and homemade tortilla strips.

Make the Tortilla Strips:

  • Preheat olive oil in a large skillet

  • Add tortilla strips and stir to combine

  • Cook over medium-high heat for 2-5 minutes, stirring often, until crispy.

  • Sprinkle warm strips with salt.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Chicken Breasts. I suggest thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the best results.
  • Onion. Use a sweet, yellow onion or red onion.
  • Minced garlic. Fresh or jarred can be used. You can replace 1 tablespoon minced garlic with 1 tsp garlic powder (add with the spices).
  • Green Bell Pepper. Any color bell pepper works well.
  • Diced tomatoes. fire roasted, with green chilies or just plain diced tomatoes all work well in this taco soup recipe.
  • Green Chiles. choose your “heat” preference, we use mild.
  • Chicken Broth. Vegetable broth can be used in place of chicken, although I prefer chicken broth.
  • Black Beans. Other beans that work well are kidney beans and great northern (white) beans.
  • Taco Seasoning. Make your own with this Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe, or use an organic seasoning to avoid unfavorable ingredients. This is a mild chicken tortilla soup, but you can easily increase the heat/spice by adding chili powder, hot sauce, spicy taco seasoning, jalapeño peppers, etc.
  • Frozen Corn. You can substitute fresh corn.

Store/Freeze

Store leftover chicken tortilla soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 759mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 217IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

Try these recipes

Homemade Tortilla Strips

Taco Soup Recipe

Crockpot Chicken Tacos (Mexican Chicken)

Chicken Enchiladas

Best Chicken Quesadilla Recipe

Easy Guacamole Recipe (5 Minutes)

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is chicken tortilla soup made of? ›

Chicken tortilla soup actually is an authentic Mexican dish. The traditional soup is made with chicken broth, tomatoes, garlic, onion, chiles, and fried tortilla strips. There are also variations of the soup, like ones that include beans.

What pairs well with chicken tortilla soup? ›

What do you eat tortilla soup with? You can enjoy tortilla soup with many things, like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. Mexican rice, chips with guacamole, roasted corn, black beans, and Mexican cornbread are also good choices.

How can I thicken my chicken tortilla soup? ›

Mix cornstarch with a small amount of water to create a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into your soup while stirring continuously. Allow the soup to simmer for a few minutes to activate the thickening properties of the cornstarch. Remember to whisk the soup well to avoid any lumps.

Is chicken tortilla soup good when sick? ›

Chicken tortilla soup is low in calories but high in flavor. The amino acid cysteine, contained in the chicken in this powerful soup, loosens secretions, thinning out mucus and promoting coughing, which is needed to clear your nose and throat.

What is the liquid in chicken soup called? ›

Chicken broth is the liquid part of chicken soup. Broth can be served as is, or used as stock, or served as soup with noodles. Broth can be milder than stock, does not need to be boiled as long, and can be made with meatier chicken parts. Chicken bouillon or bouillon de poulet is the French term for chicken broth.

What is a fun fact about tortilla soup? ›

Tortilla Soup was born in the state of Tlaxcala near Mexico City. In fact, Tlaxcala in Nahuatl means “the land of the corn” or “ the place where tortillas abound.” Tlaxcala was one of the first places where the Spaniards settled.

What is the significance of tortilla soup? ›

Without a doubt the tortilla soup is one of the most representative dishes of the Mexican gastronomy. Its origin is attributed to the state of Tlaxcala (soil of maize) and the dish represents the fusion of the Prehispanic and Spanish cultures.

How do you tone down chicken tortilla soup? ›

Adding any or all of the following ingredients can help reduce the heat:
  1. Something sweet (sugar, honey, etc.)
  2. More liquid (water or broth)
  3. Something starchy (like potatoes, rice, or pasta)
  4. Something acidic (tomatoes, wine, citrus, etc.)
  5. Dairy (yogurt, sour cream, milk, cheese)
Dec 9, 2022

How long is leftover tortilla soup good for? ›

Fresh cilantro

And I always serve this soup with lime wedges for squeezing! Store leftover tortilla soup, separately from its toppings, for up to 4 days in the fridge. It also freezes well.

How to add egg to soup without curdling? ›

Occasionally, a soup recipe will call for beaten eggs as a thickening agent. Both whole eggs and yolks can be used. To avoid curdling the eggs, start by drizzling about ½ cup of the hot broth into the eggs, stirring vigorously while you pour. Then add the egg mixture to the soup and cook until thickened.

How to make chicken soup a little thicker? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool. Add a few tablespoons of flour or cornstarch to the bowl and whisk until it's blended smooth. Next, bring the soup to a simmer and add the mixture back to the pot. Pro tip: Don't dump in the entire mixture at once.

Is it better to thicken soup with flour or cornstarch? ›

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

What is the healthiest soup you can eat? ›

6 delicious and healthy soups
  • Chicken Vietnamese Pho.
  • Green spring minestrone.
  • Herb and yoghurt-based soup.
  • Lamb shank and barley soup.
  • Pumpkin soup with star croutons.
  • Lentil and vegetable soup with crusty bread.
Apr 26, 2020

Is there cilantro in Chick-fil-A tortilla soup? ›

The combination of our delicious chicken, hearty beans and corn, flavorful green chilies and cilantro, creaminess of sour cream, as well as herbs and spices make it a perfect, soothing dish. It's comfort in a bowl.

Which soup is best for a cough? ›

A hot and soothing vegetable soup can be beneficial for easing cold and cough symptoms. Consider a vegetable broth-based soup with ingredients like carrots, ginger, garlic, onions, and leafy greens. These ingredients may provide vitamins, antioxidants, and warmth that can be comforting during a cold.

What is sopa de tortilla made of? ›

Traditional tortilla soup is made of fried corn tortilla pieces, submerged into a broth of tomato, garlic, onion, and epazote. It is served with pieces of pasilla chiles, chicharrón, avocado, queso panela, lime, and Mexican crema.

What does chicken soup contain? ›

The best chicken soup recipes are chock-full of veggies like carrots, celery and onions — all of which are rich in vitamins C and K, not to mention other antioxidants and minerals. Vitamin C is a nutrient your body needs to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen in your bones.

What are the ingredients in Costco chicken tortilla soup? ›

INGREDIENTS: chicken stock, diced tomatoes in juice, cooked chicken meat, cooked white chicken meat, onions, corn, carrots, roasted poblano peppers, roasted red bell peppers, roasted green chiles, tortillas (corn, water, lime), contains 2% or less of: tomato paste, water, cultured dextrose, sea salt, modified food ...

What are tortillas made out of? ›

tortilla, round, thin, flat bread of Mexico made from unleavened cornmeal or, less commonly, wheat flour. Traditionally, the corn (maize) for tortillas was boiled with unslaked lime to soften the kernels and loosen the hulls. (This lime was the principal source of calcium in the Mexican diet.)

Top Articles
Old-Fashioned Homemade Fudge Recipe
Keto Licorice Recipe
Craigslist San Francisco Bay
Katie Nickolaou Leaving
Canya 7 Drawer Dresser
Parke County Chatter
Lorton Transfer Station
Devon Lannigan Obituary
Unity Stuck Reload Script Assemblies
Shs Games 1V1 Lol
Linkvertise Bypass 2023
Learn How to Use X (formerly Twitter) in 15 Minutes or Less
Bubbles Hair Salon Woodbridge Va
Where does insurance expense go in accounting?
Busty Bruce Lee
Bowie Tx Craigslist
Price Of Gas At Sam's
Simpsons Tapped Out Road To Riches
Aspen Mobile Login Help
Osborn-Checkliste: Ideen finden mit System
Lcwc 911 Live Incident List Live Status
Sni 35 Wiring Diagram
Jang Urdu Today
Fort Mccoy Fire Map
Shiftselect Carolinas
The Weather Channel Local Weather Forecast
SN100C, An Australia Trademark of Nihon Superior Co., Ltd.. Application Number: 2480607 :: Trademark Elite Trademarks
R&S Auto Lockridge Iowa
Bòlèt Florida Midi 30
Craigslist Maryland Trucks - By Owner
Apartments / Housing For Rent near Lake Placid, FL - craigslist
Jcp Meevo Com
Workshops - Canadian Dam Association (CDA-ACB)
Water Temperature Robert Moses
Feathers
Cona Physical Therapy
Little Einsteins Transcript
Pnc Bank Routing Number Cincinnati
Rise Meadville Reviews
Flashscore.com Live Football Scores Livescore
Studentvue Columbia Heights
Blasphemous Painting Puzzle
Joey Gentile Lpsg
'The Night Agent' Star Luciane Buchanan's Dating Life Is a Mystery
Interminable Rooms
City Of Irving Tx Jail In-Custody List
Www Pig11 Net
Latina Webcam Lesbian
St Als Elm Clinic
Pelican Denville Nj
Twizzlers Strawberry - 6 x 70 gram | bol
Osrs Vorkath Combat Achievements
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Stevie Stamm

Last Updated:

Views: 5878

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Stevie Stamm

Birthday: 1996-06-22

Address: Apt. 419 4200 Sipes Estate, East Delmerview, WY 05617

Phone: +342332224300

Job: Future Advertising Analyst

Hobby: Leather crafting, Puzzles, Leather crafting, scrapbook, Urban exploration, Cabaret, Skateboarding

Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.