Chicken Tortilla Soup

This one-pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is an easy weeknight dinner that’s loaded with amazing flavor. It’s made with shredded chicken, black beans, red bell pepper, corn, homemade taco seasoning, and fresh lime juice. Top each bowl with crispy tortilla strips and you have a comforting meal that the whole family will love.

I can’t get enough of this chicken tortilla soup. It’s smoky, a little spicy, and full of flavor. The best part is the toppings you can garnish this soup with. I love adding a dollop of sour cream, chopped avocado, jalapeño peppers, fresh cilantro, and tortilla strips (of course).

Chicken tortilla soup is a Mexican-inspired soup that features shredded chicken, tomatoes, and a seasoned broth. You can add extras like beans, corn, veggies, or chilies, and top it with crispy tortilla strips.

The tortilla strips are traditionally fried in oil, but I like to bake them in the oven to make it a little healthier.

Chicken tortilla soup ingredients

Chicken: I use chicken breasts for this recipe. It’s gently poached in the soup, which makes this an easy one-pot dinner.

If you have leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken, you’ll need approximately 2 heaping cups of shredded cooked chicken for this soup. Stir it in at the end with the cilantro and lime juice.

Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil because that’s what I have in my pantry. You can substitute with any neutral-tasting oil, such as avocado or canola oil.

Spices: This soup uses a homemade taco seasoning made with chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and kosher salt.

Onion: I use red onion for this recipe, but you can use yellow or white onion.

Bell pepper: I like adding a red bell pepper for some extra veggies. You can use orange, yellow, or green bell pepper if you prefer.

Jalapeño pepper: This gives the soup a nice kick of heat. If you’re sensitive to heat or serving this to little ones, you can leave it out.

Garlic: Fresh minced garlic gives this soup great flavor.

Broth: I use Better Than Boullion Chicken Base for this soup. You can homemade broth or your favorite low-sodium store bought broth for this recipe.

If you want to make this vegetarian or vegan, use vegetable broth instead.

Tomatoes: You can use crushed or diced tomatoes in this soup. Fire roasted tomatoes will give it good flavor.

Beans: Black beans are my favorite type of bean to use in Chicken Tortilla Soup. You can substitute with navy or pinto beans if you prefer.

Corn: I like using frozen corn because it’s easy. You can use canned or fresh corn if you prefer.

Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds good flavor to this soup.

Lime juice and zest: This helps to brighten up the soup and balance all the flavors.

Corn tortillas: I use corn tortillas to make the crispy tortilla strips. I like to season them with a little chili powder, ground cumin, and salt and black pepper.

Optional toppings: This soup is all about the toppings. Some popular options are sliced green onions (scallions), fresh chopped cilantro, diced avocado, sour cream, diced tomatoes, pico de gallo, lime wedges, shredded cheese, or sliced jalapeño peppers.

How to make chicken tortilla soup

Make the tortilla strips. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Use a knife or pizza cutter wheel to cut the tortillas into ½-inch strips. Add the tortilla strips to a large bowl.

Drizzle the tortilla strips with olive oil. Sprinkle the tortilla strips with the chili powder, ground cumin, and a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to evenly coat the tortilla strips.

Transfer the seasoned tortilla strips to the baking sheet and spread in an even single layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway through until golden brown and your desired crispiness is reached. Keep a close eye on the tortilla strips because they can burn easily. Set aside to cool.

Make the soup. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño pepper, and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the veggies have softened.

Add garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and salt, and let cook for 1 minute. Stir in the diced tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes if using). Let cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the chicken, broth, black beans, and corn. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Let simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.

Use tongs to remove the chicken to a clean cutting board. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before shredding it with two forks.

Add the shredded chicken back to the pot, along with the cilantro, fresh lime juice, and lime zest. Give everything a good stir and let simmer on low for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. 

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the crispy tortilla strips and your choice of additional toppings.

How to store leftover chicken tortilla soup

To store in the refrigerator: Let the soup cool and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

To freeze the soup: Let the soup cool and store it in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat it on the stovetop until warmed through.

Tips for making chicken tortilla soup

Make it easy by using rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken. You’ll need 2 heaping cups of cooked shredded chicken to make this soup.

Add it in at the end when you add the cilantro, fresh lime juice, and lime zest. Let it cook for a few minutes until warmed through.

Use a thermometer to check the chicken. It’s easy for chicken breast to get dry and tough when poached in soup. I highly recommend using a thermometer to check for doneness. It should read 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.

Watch the tortilla strips carefully. Since every oven is different, it’s important to watch the tortilla strips during the last 5 minutes of cooking. They can burn quickly if you’re not paying attention.

Make this soup vegan or vegetarian. To make this soup vegan, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and add an extra can of black beans instead of chicken.  

Please let me know how you like this Chicken tortilla soup recipe in the comments below! Your feedback and review encourages me to keep creating new and yummy recipes. I hope you love this soup as much as I do.

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