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.
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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
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- 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. 
Having a Cinco party. This recipe looks great — Is it ok to double this recipe?
Hi Lisa! Yes, it can be doubled.
I have been following Natasha for quite some time now. Every recipe is a hit.
This soup is great as is. I did not have any jalapeños so I used just a dash of red pepper flakes..
Other than that I followed the recipe exactly.
Super yummy!
That sounds great, Jessica! Thank you for sharing your experience with this recipe!
Excellent recipe! My whole family loved it and I loved the simplicity of it all. I substituted a can of green chilis for the fresh jalapeno, added extra cilantro, and it was delicious!! Definitely will make it again, soon! Thanks for the recipe!!
You’re very welcome!
This soup is delicious and fairly easy to make. Rivals any restaurant tortilla soup that I’ve had and in most cases, better!
This is not a very authentic Tortilla Soup recipe. Far too acidic compared to any Tortilla Soup I eat when in Mexico for the winters. Would not make this one again.
Hi Glenda, I’d love to hear more about your authentic Tortilla Soup.
Yes! Please post your recipe for your authentic chicken tortilla soup. I find this one to be flawless and have made it many times 👍🏽
I’ve made this multiple times and it’s fantastic! Thanks for the great recipe!
Just made this with a couple tweaks (fire roasted diced tomatoes instead of crushed and about a half tablespoons of adobo sauce from a can of Goya chipotle peppers plus a single chipotle minced). My husband is thrilled, he said it’s in the top 5 I’ve ever made. I’m enjoying it too, and I’musually not big on spicy. This is pleasantly spicy, with great flavor. Thank you!
Hi Arianne, great to hear that it was a huge success! Thank you for sharing your experience trying thyis recipe!
This is my girlfriend and I’s favorite recipe! It blows our mind every time, as does every recipe Natalya creates! Every single time I cook a recipe from Natalya’s website it is absolutely amazing! Esp this chicken tortilla soup! Grateful this recipe was created and shared!
I love this recipe it is so delicious and easy. If I’m short on time I’ll buy a roasted chicken! So good!
I would like to put this in my crockpot, do you think perhaps 5-6 hours on low – long enough to cook the chicken?
Sounds so good, thank you!
Hi Sandra! I have not tested it but one of my readers mentioned making this in the slow cooker with good results but they did not share instructions. I hope you love it.
I have never made chicken tortilla soup before and I made it tonight, and my husband said it was the best chicken tortilla soup he has ever had (and he usually doesn’t eat meat!)!!!! Thank you for this winner!
That’s wonderful to hear, Harmony!
I add squash and zucchin. Lots of cummin too. And I like to use chicken thighs.
I’ve made this recipe for 120 people at my church. Made it three times now, and they’ve loved it every single time. Thank you so much for sharing! GRACIAS!!
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad it’s being enjoyed.
Best recipe I’ve ever found on the internet. Absolutely delicious every single time. I daydream about this soup!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Diana!
I was blown away at how delicious this recipe was. I made it for my mother in law who just lost her husband and she’s an only child as is her husband so there is no one left. I prepared the soup at her house so she would feel less lonely and my husband joined us when it was ready. We live around the corner. She loved it so much she finished the entire bowl. It was her first solid food in 2 months since his death. This is the meal that started her road to recovery in terms of the grieving and the sadness. I wanted to thank you for sharing your perfect chicken tortilla soup. I followed the directions and I was so proud of the dinner. It’s my new meal added into the weekly rotation. Yummy!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us. It’s so heart warming, I appreciate it!
This recipe needs zero modifications, and is so easy to make. It is so delicious that we all keep going back for more, even after being full! Everyone got a half a lime and a handful of cilantro and some good chips. Dang it is good! Thank you! Susan
Made this tonight and it was amazing. My son, who does not like soup at all, loved it and asked that I make it again. Thanks for the recipe. Will definitely be one that I will make again and again.
You’re welcome and grat to hear that your son loved this too!
OMGGGGGG SOOOOO GOOOOD!!!! I Followed this recipe using fresh corn instead of canned. I also included 1 breast & 2 thighs.
I WILL BE MAKING THIS AGAIN!!!! THANK YOU!.
Wait, question: is it foods are to put the raw chicken in with the veggies? Shouldn’t you cook the chicken separately first?
Hi Matt, it is okay to cook them together, simply ensure the chicken reached a safe internal temperature of 165.
Has anyone tried this in an instant pot? And if so, could you tell me how long you cooked it for?
Hi Amber, I have not tried this in an instant pot to advise.
So delicious! Very easy weeknight meal. I loved the addition of the lime. It adds such a bright freshness to the soup.
So glad you loved it!