30-minute spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup is perfect as an easy weeknight meal loaded with tomatoes, corn, and black beans
Top this delicious soup with crunchy homemade tortilla strips, avocado, and shredded cheese for a complete meal!
This one-pot soup pairs perfectly with our Spicy Mango Margaritas, a basket of chips, and a bowl of zesty Pineapple Salsa or Salsa Verde
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Ingredients for Tortilla Soup
The ingredient list looks a little long but this easy recipe comes together quickly!
- Bake the Homemade Tortilla Strips (full instructions below) while the soup is simmering and you can have this recipe completely ready in about 30 minutes.
- Time Crunch? If you want to save time you can cook and shred the chicken ahead of time, use any leftover chicken you may have, or buy a roasted rotisserie chicken at the store and shred it. Skip the homemade tortilla strips and break up some tortilla chips to save time.
- Want to learn to make the easiest (and tastiest!) shredded chicken? Pop over to our How to Make Shredded Chicken step-by-step.
Soup Ingredients:
- Olive Oil – coconut oil or canola oil work fine too
- Yellow or sweet Vidalia Onion – red onion can be used instead
- Garlic cloves – be sure to use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor
- Jalapeno Peppers – optional, but highly recommended, or you could use green chiles instead
- Smoked Paprika – or regular paprika
- Chili Powder – gives the soup a medium heat
- Diced Tomatoes – we use the canned petite dice variety with its juices
- Chipotle Chili packed in Adobo Sauce – you will use one pepper and the sauce
- Chicken Stock or Broth – low-sodium chicken broth is best, or use homemade chicken broth
- Fresh Oregano Sprigs – a pinch of dried oregano can be substituted
- Chicken Breasts – boneless and skinless, or use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat
- Black Beans – we use canned, and you can substitute pinto beans if you prefer
- Fresh Corn – fresh or frozen both work
- Fresh Lime Juice – this squeeze of fresh lime juice gives the soup a bright flavor
- Fresh Cilantro Leaves – if you aren’t a fan omit them but we think it’s one of the best parts!
Tortilla Strips Ingredients:
- Corn tortillas – 6″ or 8″ in diameter (we don’t recommend flour tortillas)
- Olive oil – canola oil or coconut oil can also be used
- Salt – we like sea salt
- If you’re in a time crunch pre-packaged strips of corn tortillas can be used instead
Garnishes and Toppings:
All of the garnishes for this soup are optional but they really make the soup complete and extra delicious!
- Avocado – creamy avocado is a great contrast to all the spicy flavors
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese – shredded
- Sour Cream
- Fresh Cilantro Sprigs
- Lime Wedges
- Jalapeno Slices
- Tortilla Strips – see recipe below for homemade version
How to make easy Chicken Tortilla Soup:
There are a few times when the soup will be simmering which is the ideal time to prepare the homemade tortilla strips and prep the garnishes.
Prep the soup:
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F if making your own homemade crispy tortilla strips
- Cut 1 cup of onion into small dice; set aside
- Mince the garlic cloves and 1 Tablespoon of jalapeno; set aside. Slice the rest of the jalapeno for garnish, if desired
- Mince 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce and reserve it with 2 Tablespoons of the adobo sauce. (TIP: you can save the remaining chilis and adobo sauce for the next time you need them in an airtight container in the freezer)
- Drain, rinse, and drain again the canned black beans; set aside
- Cut lime in half and squeeze 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice; set aside. Slice the other half of the lime into wedges and save for garnish if desired
- Roughly chop 1/2 cup of cilantro leaves – reserve some whole leaves for garnish
Cooking the soup:
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven until it shimmers
- Saute the onion and jalapeno for about 3-4 minutes or until they are translucent (photo #1)
- Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Cook for 2 minutes (photo #2)
- Add diced tomatoes with their juices, and chipotle chili with adobo sauce to the pot. Cook additional 2 minutes
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the oregano sprig. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat (photo #3)
- Reduce heat to a medium simmer and add the chicken breasts
- Cook for 10-16 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken breasts)
- Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the soup with a slotted spoon. Remove when you have tender chicken that is easy to shred. Place it on a cutting board, and shred it. Learn more about How to Shred Chicken.
- Simmer the soup for another 10 minutes
- Add the drained black beans, corn, lime juice, and chopped cilantro, and cook for 5 minutes
- Stir in the shredded chicken and any juices (photo #4). Remove the oregano sprig. Warm everything for just a little bit longer to make sure the soup is piping hot
- Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed, and ladle into bowls
How to make crunchy Tortilla Strips
Making the tortilla strips to garnish the soup is very simple and they can be prepped and baked while the soup is simmering.
- Line a sheet pan with foil, parchment paper, or a Silpat baking mat (this makes for super easy cleanup)
- Cut tortillas into strips that are about 1/4-inch wide
- Place in a bowl, drizzle on a little olive oil, toss gently to coat, and sprinkle with the salt.
- If desired, also sprinkle with taco seasoning mix or a dash of chipotle pepper powder.
- Scatter the strips on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until crispy and lightly crunchy. Remove from the tray and set aside to cool.
- Strips can be made ahead and stored in a sealed bag or container for about 3 days. They also make a great addition to any salad.
Assembling the soup
- Prep the various garnishes while the soup is cooking. Be sure to wait to cut the avocado right before using it, or else it will begin to brown
- If serving a crowd it can be fun to put all the toppings in small dishes and then let everyone top their bowl of soup with their favorite toppings
- Ladle the soup into the bowls and top with a little of everything for the best flavor!
- It’s best to garnish the soup right before serving it
Make-ahead and How to Store
The full recipe makes a large pot (enough for 8-10 servings) so if you have leftovers you can save them.
REFRIGERATE: Let the soup cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, without garnishes. It tastes even better the next day!
FREEZER: Like most soup recipes this Tortilla soup (with out garnishes) freezes beautifully in a sealed container for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw slightly, and bring to a quick boil until heated through, or place everything in a slow cooker on low and reheat slowly.
What to serve with Chicken Tortilla Soup
- A fresh green salad with tangy Classic Lemon Vinaigrette
- Citrus packed Tricolore Salad would be perfect for balancing the spiciness of this soup
- End the meal on a sweet note with Baked Churro Donuts or Mexican Wedding Cookies
Hungry for more soups?
We’ve got a great selection of slow cooker, cooktop, and Instant Pot soups in our Soups & Stews category
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Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
Homemade Tortilla Strips
- 6 Corn Tortillas, cut into strips 6"-8" inch
- 1 Tablespoon oil (more if needed)
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
Chicken Tortilla Soup
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup yellow or sweet Vidalia onion, small dice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon jalapeno pepper, optional, minced (more/less to taste)
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 28 ounces small dice tomatoes with juices (2 cans)
- 1 chipotle chili packed in adobo sauce minced with 2 Tablespoon of adobo sauce
- 8 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano, (or 1 tsp dried oregano)
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- 15 ounces black beans, (1 can) drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Toppings / Garnishes
- 1 avocado sliced or medium dice
- cheddar cheese, shredded
- sour cream
- cilantro leaves
- tortilla strips (homemade recipe above)
- lime wedges (optional)
Instructions
Making Homemade Tortilla Strips
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a sheet pan with foil, parchment paper, or a Silpat mat for easy cleanup.
- Cut tortillas in strips about 1/4-inch wide. Place in a bowl, toss with oil to coat well, and sprinkle with salt.
- Scatter the tortilla strips in on the baking sheet, and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until crispy and crunchy. Remove from tray, set aside and cool. (Makes about 3 cups of strips)
Making Chicken Tortilla Soup
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, on medium heat, add olive oil and heat until it begins to shimmer.
- Add onions and (optional) jalapeno. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are translucent and glazed-looking. Add garlic, smoked paprika, and chili powder and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, chipotle chili with adobo sauce to the pot and cook additional 2 minutes
- Add chicken broth and oregano springs and bring to a boil. Add chicken breasts, reduce to a medium simmer.
- Cook chicken breast for 10-16 minutes (depending on size), and remove from the soup pot. Place chicken on a cutting board and shred.
- Simmer the soup another 10-minutes. Add black beans, corn, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and shredded chicken to the pot and cook for additional 5 minutes.
- Taste, and add salt and pepper to taste, and any other additional spices depending on your preferred spice level. Simmer for a few more minutes to let flavors meld. Remove oregano sprigs.
- Ladle soup into bowls, top with garnishes, and tortilla strips. Serve.
Notes
- The heat in jalapeno is in the seeds so if you want to ramp up the heat include the seeds, if not, discard them.
- In a time crunch? Use store-bought rotisserie chicken and pre-made tortilla strips or just lightly crush some tortilla chips
Erica
This recipe is a winner, I’ve made it twice in the past couple of weeks and it’s delicious! My “not a soup person” husband keeps requesting it now too. The only thing I did differently was use bone-in thighs instead of breasts because that’s all I had. With thighs I was able to cook it longer so it reduced for a while, and the bones gave the leftovers that gelatinous stock quality. The meat falls right off to shred. I don’t think you can go wrong no matter what kind of chicken you use, though – it’s that good. Already looking forward to making more!
Cyndy
Great tip re: the bone in thighs! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Judy Shea
I can’t wait to try this soup ❤ it sounds delicious
Cyndy
Thanks and we hope you’ll love it!
Helen
I love a soup that’s a meal in itself! This looks terrific and packed with flavour.
Rachna
This soup looks absolutely delicious. I love its rich deep colour. Will make it soon. Thanks for sharing.
Ieva
Absolutely scrumptious! We loved it so much. The garnishes really enhanced the flavours and added extra textures to the soup. We particularly liked the avocado! 🙂 Thanks for the recipe.
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
This soup is an entire meal on its own. Lots of flavours packed in and a great idea for leftover chicken too.
Mahy
I am truly amazed about how easy it is to make this soup. It looks so delicious, too!