The short answer: This chicken tortilla soup is a hearty, smoky bowl that's ready in about 40 minutes and makes chilly weeknights feel like a party.
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Sauté onion, garlic and jalapeño with cumin and chili powder, add fire-roasted tomatoes, broth, black beans, corn and chicken breasts, simmer until the chicken is cooked, then shred it and top each bowl with crispy tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, cilantro and lime. Below you'll find exact amounts, a slow cooker version, a rotisserie chicken shortcut, the best toppings and how to store and freeze it.
It's also a great way to use up leftover roast chicken or turkey in the weeks after Thanksgiving.
Chicken tortilla soup ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 2 tablespoons | |
| Yellow onion, diced | 1 large | |
| Garlic, minced | 4 cloves | |
| Jalapeño, minced | 1 | Seeded for mild |
| Ground cumin | 2 teaspoons | |
| Chili powder | 2 teaspoons | |
| Dried oregano | 1 teaspoon | Mexican oregano if you have it |
| Fire-roasted diced tomatoes | 1 can (14.5 ounces) | |
| Diced green chiles | 1 can (4 ounces) | |
| Chicken broth | 6 cups | Low-sodium |
| Boneless chicken breasts or thighs | 1½ pounds | |
| Black beans, rinsed | 1 can (15 ounces) | |
| Corn | 1½ cups | Frozen or canned |
| Lime juice | 2 tablespoons | |
| Corn tortillas | 6 | For the strips |
| Salt and pepper | To taste |
How to make chicken tortilla soup, step by step
- Make the tortilla strips. Cut the tortillas into thin strips, toss with oil and salt, and bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large pot and cook the onion and jalapeño for 5 minutes, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Toast the spices. Stir in the cumin, chili powder and oregano and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the liquids. Pour in the tomatoes, green chiles and broth, and bring it to a simmer.
- Cook the chicken. Add the whole chicken pieces and simmer, covered, for 18 to 22 minutes, until they reach 165°F.
- Shred and return. Move the chicken to a board, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot with the beans and corn.
- Finish. Simmer 5 more minutes, stir in the lime juice, and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and pile on the tortilla strips and toppings.
Check the chicken with a thermometer. FoodSafety.gov's safe minimum internal temperature chart lists 165°F for all poultry, including leftovers you reheat. The USDA's chicken from farm to table guide also recommends not rinsing raw chicken, since rinsing can splash bacteria around the sink.
Chicken tortilla soup toppings
| Topping | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Crispy tortilla strips | The crunch the soup is named for |
| Diced avocado | Cool and creamy against the spice |
| Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar | Melts into the hot broth |
| Sour cream or Greek yogurt | Tames the heat |
| Fresh cilantro | Bright, fresh flavor |
| Lime wedges | A squeeze right before eating |
| Sliced radishes or pickled onions | Crunch and tang |
| Crumbled cotija | Salty and crumbly |
Slow cooker, Instant Pot and shortcut versions
- Slow cooker: add everything except the lime, tortillas and toppings, and cook on low 6 to 7 hours or high 3 to 4 hours. Shred the chicken and stir in the lime juice.
- Instant Pot: sauté the aromatics and spices, add the rest, pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, then natural release for 10 minutes.
- Rotisserie chicken: simmer the soup base for 15 minutes, then add 3 to 4 cups of shredded chicken for the last 5 minutes.
- Creamy tortilla soup: stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese or ½ cup of heavy cream at the end.
- Leftover turkey: swap in shredded holiday turkey for the chicken.
How to store and freeze tortilla soup
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers, and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Keep the tortilla strips in a sealed bag at room temperature, and store avocado, cheese and sour cream separately so they stay fresh. The soup base freezes for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until steaming.
Plan a soup night
- Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. Put soup night on the weekly menu and shop for the toppings from one aisle-sorted list.
- Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Save this chicken tortilla soup and your other cold-weather favorites in one place.
For more cozy dinners, try white chicken chili, chicken noodle soup or butternut squash soup, and see our guide on how to cook chicken. For a classic clear-broth pot, cook easy chicken soup.
For a ground beef version with beans and corn, see our taco soup with a full toppings bar. For a different chicken supper, try chicken dumpling soup when you want a broth-based meal with a soft dumpling topping. For a different Mexican-style soup night, use our pozole recipe to plan the hominy, broth, and toppings.
For more soups and shredded chicken dinners made in a slow cooker, see our crockpot chicken recipes. For a gentler chicken broth with fluffy dumplings instead of tortilla strips, make matzo ball soup.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make chicken tortilla soup? To make chicken tortilla soup, sauté onion, garlic and jalapeño, then add cumin, chili powder and oregano. Stir in fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, black beans, corn and raw chicken breasts, and simmer for 20 minutes. Shred the chicken, return it to the pot, add lime juice, and top each bowl with crispy tortilla strips, avocado, cheese and cilantro.
Can I make chicken tortilla soup in a slow cooker? Yes, you can make chicken tortilla soup in a slow cooker. Put raw chicken breasts or thighs, onion, garlic, spices, tomatoes, broth, beans and corn in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Shred the chicken with two forks, stir it back in, and add lime juice and fresh cilantro before serving.
Can I use rotisserie chicken in tortilla soup? Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut for chicken tortilla soup. Simmer the soup base for 15 minutes to blend the flavors, then stir in 3 to 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken and heat it through for 5 minutes. It's also a smart way to use leftover roast chicken or turkey after the holidays.
How do you make tortilla strips for soup? Cut corn tortillas into thin strips, toss them with a little oil and salt, and bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and crisp. You can also fry them in a skillet of hot oil for about a minute. Add them right before eating so they stay crunchy, or use crushed tortilla chips.
Is chicken tortilla soup spicy? Chicken tortilla soup has a mild to medium kick, depending on the chiles you use. For a mild soup, seed the jalapeño and use mild green chiles. For more heat, add a chipotle pepper in adobo, a pinch of cayenne or hot fire-roasted tomatoes. Creamy toppings like avocado and sour cream also cool it down.
How long does chicken tortilla soup last in the fridge? Chicken tortilla soup lasts 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator in a covered container. Store the tortilla strips and fresh toppings separately so they don't get soggy. Reheat the soup on the stove until it's steaming hot, at least 165°F, and add fresh lime juice and cilantro before serving.
Can you freeze chicken tortilla soup? Yes, chicken tortilla soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Freeze the soup base with the chicken, beans and corn, but not the tortilla strips, avocado, cheese or sour cream. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, reheat it on the stove, and add the toppings fresh.