Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

It's soup time in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends. There's nothing like a hearty, chunky soup to warm the bones. To be honest, though, this soup is great for any time of year.

We're talking Chicken Tortilla Soup, and it is the perfect soup. It's filled with loads of chicken, black beans, lots of peppers and onion, tomatoes, corn, and lots of my favorite seasonings.

And topped with crispy tortilla strips! I'll show you how you can make them at home very easily from fresh corn tortillas, though you can easily skip that step and just use your favorite bag of tortilla chips.

Either way, this is one of those very quick and easy soup recipes that you can have on the table pretty quickly.

This comfort food will certainly fill your belly.

Let's talk about how to make chicken tortilla soup, shall we?

Chicken Tortilla Soup Ingredients

• Boneless Chicken. Use chicken breast or chicken thighs, or a combination.
• Oil. For cooking and for frying the tortilla strips.
• Chili Peppers. I'm using jalapeno peppers, but if you want some REAL heat, add in something super spicy, like ghost or scorpion pepper - use bell pepper or other mild green chilies for a no heat version.
• Tomatoes. Use large tomatoes, though 1 can of diced tomatoes, chopped tomatoes or fire roasted tomatoes is good, too.
• Other Vegetables. Onion, garlic, corn, chili peppers. 
• Black Beans.
• Chicken Broth. Or chicken stock.
• Seasonings. Use chili powder (I'm using a combination of ancho and Spanish paprika, though you can use your favorite blend), cumin, and salt and pepper, cilantro. You can also use your favorite taco seasonings instead.
• Corn Tortillas. For the tortilla strips.
• For Serving. Use your favorite toppings, like diced avocado, jalapeno slices, hot red pepper flakes, fresh chopped parsley or cilantro, crumbly white cheese, hot sauce, or more.

How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup - the Recipe Method

First cook down the onions, peppers, and garlic in a large pot, then add the seasonings, chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and chicken broth.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer to cook the chicken through, about 20 minutes.

You can simmer longer if you'd like, but don't overcook the chicken. I usually do 30 minutes.

Carefully remove the chicken to a large bowl and shred it with a couple forks.

Add the chicken to the pot and simmer another 5 minutes to warm it through.

FOR THE CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS

Prep the Fry Oil. Add 1/2 cup oil to a separate wide pot or pan to medium heat. Do not let the oil boil.

Fry the Tortilla Strips. Add the tortilla strips and lightly fry them a few minutes per side, until they become a golden brown. Flip to fry both sides.

Drain and Salt. Remove the fried tortilla strips and set them onto paper towels to drain. Lightly salt them. They will crisp up nicely.

Prefer baked tortilla strips?

Baked Tortilla Strips. Toss the strips with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake at 375 degrees F (185 C) for 15 minutes, or until they turn a golden brown and crisp up. Set them aside until you are ready to use.

Learn how to make crispy tortilla chips (baked or fried).

Serve the soup into bowls and top with your crispy homemade tortilla strips and other favorite toppings. I like fresh cilantro and lime juice.

You'll enjoy the crunch, but it also looks extra delicious.

Boom! Pretty easy, right? Chicken tortilla soup is ready to serve. Looks wonderful, doesn't it? Nice and chunky and hearty and filling, and tasty! And just the right amount of spice for me. Such delicious soup!

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

If you'd prefer to make this recipe in your slow cooker or crock pot, or even your Instant pot, cook down the onion, peppers, and garlic first in a hot pan, then add them to your crock pot along with the remainder of the ingredients.

Cook the soup on low for 4 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours.

Shred the chicken, then serve the soup into bowls and top with your favorite toppings!

Storage and Leftovers

Leftover chicken tortilla soup will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Reheat it in a pot on the stove top to enjoy again.

It's also very freezer friendly. To freeze it, transfer the soup to freezer safe containers, seal them up, and freeze for up to 6 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator when you're ready to enjoy them again. Heat it up in a pot and you're good to go.

Patty's Perspective

This is more of a rustic style of the chicken tortilla soup you might find in restaurants, which is more creamy. This is a healthier version that you can just gobble up, a lot like a white chicken chili. It's always fun when we try different variations of certain types of dishes.

Try Some of My Other Popular Soup Recipes

• Albondigas Soup (Caldo de Albondigas)
• Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Chunky Southwest Chicken Soup
• 30-Minute Sweet Potato Soup
• Roasted Poblano Soup
• Spicy Thai Curry Chicken Soup
• Cheesy Guajillo-Potato Soup
• Sweet Pepper-Sweet Corn Chowder
• Spicy Sausage Soup
• Chicken Tortellini Soup
• Black Bean Soup
• Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Mexican Lentil Soup (Lentejas)
• See all of my Spicy Soup Recipes

If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.