Chicken Tortilla Soup is the perfect easy weeknight dinner. Full of tender shredded chicken, corn, beans, and homemade tortilla strips, this soup is a meal in itself. It’s comforting, hearty, and filling.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Chicken tortilla soup is like a taco in soup form. Its rich tomato and chicken broth pairs perfectly with nutritious veggies, shredded chicken, beans, and sweet corn. What’s even better? Just like our Taco Soup and Turkey Chili, this Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe comes together in one pot on the stove.
You can sprinkle some homemade crispy tortilla strips right on top with a healthy handful of cheese, or pair the dish with soft Dinner Rolls.
Tips For the Best Tortilla Soup
- Use Leftover Chicken. I cook the chicken breasts right in the soup, but you can use a Roast Chicken, or leftover Baked Chicken Breasts to make a fresh batch of Chicken Tortilla Soup, just shred and add the cooked chicken in step 3.
- Bone Broth Makes All The Difference. Use low-sodium bone broth or easily make your own chicken stock.
- Adjust The Spice. Do you like it spicy? Add some extra jalapeños into the mix.
- Save Time With Canned Corn And Beans. Speed up the cooking time by using canned corn and beans.
- Cut Avocado Right Before Serving. To keep your avocado from browning, cut it right before you serve the soup
- Season To Taste. Depending on the tomatoes and broth you use, you may need to adjust the salt to taste at the end.
How to Make Crispy Tortilla Strips
- Pan Frying: Preheat a pan with 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Cut 8 (6″) corn tortillas into thin strips and fry them in a couple of batches, adding more oil as needed. Remove from the pot and let drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.
- To Bake: Toss tortilla strips in a bowl with 2 Tbsp oil until well coated. Bake on a cookie sheet in a single layer at 350˚F for 15 minutes.
How To Make Chicken Tortilla Soup:
- Sauté Vegetables – Place a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil and saute chopped onion, garlic, and jalapeno until tender.
- Add chicken breasts and remaining soup ingredients to the pot. Bring to a boil then simmer for 25 minutes.
- Remove the chicken to a bowl and shred it with 2 forks. Return chicken to the pot and simmer 5 minutes then add lime juice.
- Serve the soup with homemade tortilla strips, chopped avocado, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
Natasha’s Make-Ahead Tip
The broth gets more and more flavorful the longer it marinates in itself. Can you say delicious leftovers? Make a big batch of tortilla soup and eat it for lunch throughout the week.
Toppings for Chicken Tortilla Soup
The only thing that makes Chicken Tortilla Soup taste even better is the toppings. These are our favorites:
- Sour cream
- Homemade tortilla strips
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Lime wedges
- Jalapeno, sliced or diced
Storing Leftover Soup
- Refrigerator: Store your leftover soup without toppings in an airtight container in the fridge. It should stay fresh for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: You can also freeze your soup in an airtight container for up to two months. When you are ready to eat it, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat soup by bringing it to a boil in a saucepan.
- To Reheat: You can warm the soup up in a saucepan on the stove or microwave until heated through.
This homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup is so cozy, comforting, and hearty for the cooler Fall and Winter months, and you’ll love that leftovers taste even better as the flavors meld.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup with tender chicken and homemade crispy tortilla strips is the perfect, cold-weather weeknight dinner. What’s even better? It comes together in one pot.
Ingredients
Servings: 6 servings
Chicken Tortilla Soup
- 2 Tbsp light olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers , seeded and diced
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 lb chicken breasts, (2 medium), or leftover rotisserie chicken*
- 15 oz can corn, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped, plus more to garnish
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice, from 1 lime, or to taste
Homemade Tortilla Strips
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 8 corn tortillas , (6" tortillas)
Toppings
- 1 large avocado, diced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
Instructions
Tortilla Strips:
- Preheat a pan with 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Cut tortillas into thin strips and fry them in batches in the hot oil until crisp. Remove from the pan and allow them to drain on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips, adding more oil as needed then set aside.
Chicken Tortilla Soup:
- Preheat a pot or dutch oven with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, and chopped jalapeño and sauté until veggies soften.
- Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, chicken breasts, corn, beans, chili powder, cumin, salt. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through and easy to shred.
- Remove chicken from the pot and shred it using 2 forks. Add shredded chicken back to the soup and simmer another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.
- Serve the soup garnished with some tortilla strips, diced avocado, fresh cilantro and lime wedges, or use your favorite toppings.
Notes
*If using leftover rotisserie chicken, shred the chicken and add it to the soup in step 3.
Nutrition Per Serving
539kcal Calories55g Carbs30g Protein24g Fat
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Amount per Serving
Calories
539
% Daily Value*
Fat
24
g
37
%
Saturated Fat
4
g
25
%
Trans Fat
0.01
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
15
g
Cholesterol
48
mg
16
%
Sodium
1112
mg
48
%
Potassium
1406
mg
40
%
Carbohydrates
55
g
18
%
Fiber
13
g
54
%
Sugar
8
g
9
%
Protein
30
g
60
%
Vitamin A
604
IU
12
%
Vitamin C
30
mg
36
%
Calcium
133
mg
13
%
Iron
5
mg
28
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Filed Under
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
- Beef Stew
- Pasta e Fagioli
- Loaded Potato Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Cabbage Soup
- Roasted Tomato Soup
- Hamburger Soup
- Easy Vegetable Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home. 
My kids LOVE this recipe. They ask for it all the time, even in the summer when it’s more than 100 degrees.
That’s great to hear. So glad they love it.
This soup was amazing. Very easy to make. Didn’t change a thing. It had just the right spices. Will make again.
So glad to hear that, Terry!
Lacks seasoning. Super bland and I had to really work to get it to taste like much of anything. In other words, the ingredients make a good base but season to your personal taste because I can guarantee the little amount in the recipe is not enough.
Hi Marlie, did you change anything in the ingredients? I’ve made this so many times and I haven’t had it come out bland.
I wonder if you’re seasonings are older and losing flavor?
Delicious soup and filling!!
Easy to make 🥣, really big hit in my house. So nice for a healthy, quick dinner meal!
Hi Shirleen, thank you for your good comments and feedback. We’re glad you liked it!
What are your thoughts about using avocado oil for the onions/garlic sautée instead of olive oil? And I use rotes with green chilis instead of the jalapeños. Just takes a step out.
Hi Ed, I haven’t tested that yet to advise but I saw one of our readers shared that they used avocado oil and liked it!
I made it tonight, and it was a hit like all your recipies. Thanks again Natasha!
That’s wonderful, Kevin! Thanks for sharing!
Does the calorie count include the tortilla strips, avocado, limes wedges and cilantro?
Hi Celine, yes, all of those ingredients were included in the recipe calculation.
I have been coming back to this recipe for about three years now. There’s just not a better balanced, simple, throw-it-together recipe. I make it in the crock pot on Sunday mornings, or I make it when I need to put something together fast during the week. We have two under two now, and this has been such a help. It’s especially great because it has leftovers! We serve with shredded cheese, avocado, and sour cream.
Glad you like our recipe, Codie. Thank you for sharing that with us!
So good and even better leftover! I made a vegan version omitting the chicken and using veggie broth with not chick’n bullion. I made my husband shredded chicken separately to add to his. So delicious I will be making in bigger batches to eat throughout the week.
Sounds wonderful, Emmy! Thank you for letting up know.
Excellent recipe. My first time making Tortilla soup and this was a hit. I made a few minor variations. I sliced a chicken breast into narrow strips, browned them in a Dutch oven, and set them aside. I also added one half of a red bell pepper and a bit more cumin than called for. Otherwise, followed the recioe.
Hi Dennis! Thank you for sharing. I’m so glad you loved the recipe.
I had chicken breasts roasting (standard rub of cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, ancho chili powder, oregano, coriander, and S&P.) for a quick enchilada meal when I switched gears & decided to make Chicken Tortilla Soup. While the chicken was roasting, I proceeded with the recipe and removed chicken when just done enough to shred. Added to Dutch oven of soup. My can of crushed tomatoes was only 15 0z so I added 5 fresh Roma tomatoes well chopped. Made the tortillas in the oven with some very stale white corn tortillas. Took a little longer than specified – I guess since they were not fresh. Delicious. savory. Just wonderful. Warmed leftovers today for lunch. Even our PICKY 15 y.o. son ate a bowl!! Will make again & again. Thank you for such a great & versatile recipe.
That’s wonderful! So glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Made this tonight and was fantastic! I used rotisserie chicken. I also added a little more cumin and chili powder. The fried tortilla strips added so much. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’ll definitely be following you for more 😊
So glad to hear that, Cheryl! Thank you for sharing.
Love this recipe! As a variation, I’m tempted to add 1/2 cup of rice. Have you tried that?
Hi Denise! I have not but I think it could work. You may need to experiment with it and make the rice on the side so it doesn’t absorb too much liquid from the soup itself or it may be too thick and need to be thinned out. Let us know how it turns out.
The. Best. Soup!! Seriously is. I have made it for my family as well as guests, and each time it turns out perfectly delicious and full of flavor. I’m thankful for you and your art. Thank you Natalya!!
Hi Lori! Thank you so much for sharing that. I’m so glad you are enjoying these recipes!
I’ve made this recipe a few times, and am making it again tonight – so delicious!!! I did forget to take the chicken breasts out before work so they’re still a bit frozen. Is it okay to add frozen chicken?
Hi Miles, it’s best to use thawed chicken, I haven’t tried it with partially frozen chicken, if you happen to try it though, I’d love to know how it works out.
Hi Miles,
I am always having to thaw meat at the last moment, so…
1. use the defrost setting on the microwave. If not quite thawed, its okay.
2. Put chicken in a baggie and sit it in medium to hot water for 10-15 mins and it should be close if not thawed. Then you work on other ingredients while your chicken or fish or beef is thawing!
– I also like adding a half cup of sour cream to the soup for a bit of creaminess and flavor.
SO GOOD! I added more cumin and chilli powder than suggested and used dried onions because I hate chopping fresh onions. Definitely going to be a staple recipe for me. Thanks!
Sounds lovely! Glad htat you ejoyed the results, thanks a lot for this good feedback.
Omg I made this tortilla soup for my mom and I and it was fantastic. Would recommend to anyone. Good for large gathering.
Thanks so much for your recommendation and review, Ramona. Appreciate it!
I made this yesterday and my family loved it! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
That’s wonderful, Donna! So glad it was a hit with the family!
So good! Made a few tweaks. Doubled the spices but the chili powder used 1 Tbsp. Added 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp oregano, a little thyme, a pinch or two chipotle powder. Added chicken bouillon powder to taste. Used half the tomatoes. Added a can of rotel. Added about a cup of salsa. Used 2 lbs chicken tenderloins. Used two small limes juiced instead of 1. Mexican blend cheese to the bowl. For the tortilla strips I used a pizza cutter to cut into strips, drizzled with avocado oil, sprinkled lime juice and salt and baked them on a baking sheet in the oven on 400 until crisp. This was so good!
Thank you for sharing that with us, Amanda! So glad you loved the recipe.
I add hominy, oregano and paprika. I leave out the jalapeño and substitute a small can of hatch green Chiles.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I also added smoked paprika and oregano. A little thyme and a pinch or two chipotle powder. And a can of rotel
Excellant! I didn’t have a jalepeno in the fridge so I used a small can of green chilis.
I also found the tortilla stips needed an additional 5 minutes in the oven; 20 minutes total.
Good idea and I’m glad that worked out well too!