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Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe - Comforting, Quick, and Flavorful

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Cooked chicken (about 3 cups shredded; rotisserie works great)
  • Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
  • Yellow onion (1 medium, diced)
  • Garlic (3–4 cloves, minced)
  • Jalapeño (1, seeded and minced; optional for heat)
  • Ground cumin (2 teaspoons)
  • Chili powder (2 teaspoons)
  • Smoked paprika (1 teaspoon; optional but recommended)
  • Crushed or diced tomatoes (1 can, 14.5 ounces)
  • Tomato paste (1 tablespoon)
  • Chicken broth (6 cups; low sodium preferred)
  • Corn (1 cup frozen or canned, drained)
  • Black beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
  • Lime (1–2, for juice and wedges)
  • Fresh cilantro (1/4 cup chopped, plus more for garnish)
  • Corn tortillas (6–8, for homemade strips) or tortilla chips
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)
  • Avocado (1–2, sliced; optional)
  • Shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, cheddar, or a blend; optional)
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional)

Method
 

  1. Prep your chicken. If using rotisserie, remove skin and bones and shred the meat. If cooking from raw, poach or roast 2–3 chicken breasts, then shred.
  2. Sauté the base. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and jalapeño and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Bloom the spices. Add cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Stir for 30 seconds to wake up the flavors. Don’t let the spices burn.
  4. Build the broth. Stir in tomato paste, then add crushed or diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release browned bits. Bring to a steady simmer.
  5. Add the heartiness. Stir in corn and black beans. Simmer 10 minutes to let the flavors come together.
  6. Fold in the chicken. Add shredded chicken and simmer another 5–10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and stir in chopped cilantro.
  7. Make tortilla strips (optional but worth it). Slice corn tortillas into thin strips. Toss with a little oil and salt. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 8–12 minutes until crisp, or pan-fry in a thin layer of oil until golden. Drain on paper towels.
  8. Serve and top. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with tortilla strips or chips, avocado slices, cheese, a dollop of sour cream, extra cilantro, and lime wedges. Add hot sauce if you want more heat.