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. 
So yummy! Your recipes are the best (we make your chicken pot pie on repeat all winter). I baked the tortilla chips ((400 for 10 min w some olive oil and fire salt), added smoked paprika and oregano to the spice mix and toasted them with the onions before adding everything else. Added a shredded zucchini and some chopped baby spinach to get some extra veggies in there! Thank you for the inspiration!
That sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing your awesome review with me, Tara!
Thank you for sharing I love your cooking
You’re very welcome, Gloria!
This dish came out amazing! It was just what my family needed on a cold night🥰
I add some vegetable cream cheese at the end and simmer in gently for a minute or two until combined.
Really delicious! Easy to make, especially as I used left over roast chicken. Perfect on a chilly winter’s evening and for a poorly hubby. Thank you!
Hi Lisa, this recipe serves six. I was not able to weight and measure the per serving specifically but you can divide it into 6.
I have more of a question rather than a comment. Could I do this in a slow cooker as opposed to on the stove? I have a very hectic life and having dinner ready when I walk in the door would be amazing.
Hi Tina! Here is what one of my viewers said: “I do mine in the slow cooker. I do everything exactly the same. Add it all to the slow cooker and cook on low for about 4 -6 hours.”
Excited to try this! Trying to get better at making yummy meals for the fam. Any suggestions for a family that doesn’t like beans or corn? I may swap with other veggies like zucchini.
Hi Rob! Yes, you can use other veggies. Zucchini is a great choice.
I made this soup last night and it was a hit! I did double the spices b/c I like a lot of flavor and lightly salted the veggie mix while sautéing but kept everything else the same. I made my own chicken broth and went light with the salt so I could build it up if I needed to. The flavors in this soup are good! The only change I would make when I make this soup again is to add in a can of rinsed white or kidney beans. One can of rinsed black beans was really good but I love my beans and could go for a second can personally. Next time I want to try this with some smoked chicken. I think the it will add some delicious smokiness to the soup. I can’t wait!
Soup is amazing, my Family asks for it! Love love your recipes, they are my only go-to, Thanks so much!!
Thank you so much, Karen! I’m so glad to hear you love it.
This soup was delish! I made a few tweaks and everyone loved it. The chicken breasts were a little tough around 20 minutes so I let them simmer around 45 minutes before shredding. I also added 8 oz of sour cream at the very end, would recommend!
My all time favorite soup recipe. I make often and even share with family!
That’s great to hear. So glad you and your family love it.
This is so unbelievably good.
Guys if you can, buy her recipe book as well.
Natashaskitchen is the best for food
Aww, thank you Birgit! So thoughtful.
I am going to make this but I am going to wok my chicken and veggies and seasonings then pour into broth. But rhis looks delicious
Oh it turned out really really good !!! Thank you so much for the recipe !
Made this yesterday on a blustery cold icy day! Tweaked just a bit by adding a second can of black beans with the liquid, and doubled the spices! Came out so delicious! A definite keeper.
Wonderful recipe, so easy and delicious.
I used fire roasted frozen corn and leftover chicken from some tamales. I wish I had made a double batch!
Delicious! Reading some of the comments made me use 1/2 of the crushed tomatoes called for. The spice was on point! Anyone that calls this flavorless must have changed the spices or were using old flavorless spices. This is such an easy fast recipe. My husband gave me a hard time because he said we have Kirkland tortilla chips in the pantry we could use. He’s right, we do. But frying up those tortilla strips in oil (I used avocado oil cause it does well with high heat and is neutral) with a sprinkle of salt when they come out of the oil is worth the effort! The avocado is a perfect addition on the top too. Excellent recipe Natasha! These days our menus are almost completely from your recipes. I’ve beenburned before by looking for a recipe and not checking your site first.
Thank you for sharing that with us! I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed making this recipe!
This is the perfect base recipe! So, I’m a bit lazy and decided to use some local corn tortilla chips instead of making my own strips. I added them to the oil/onion/garlic stage. The moisture from the onions allowed the chips to become soft and release their flavor. I also chose to use hominy instead of corn, since it’s softer and easier to digest. It still has a great taste and I highly recommend trying it! Lastly, at the end, I crumbled a good handful of chips into the soup and added a bit more salt, and it was LITERALLY perfect. My family absolutely loved this for our Christmas Eve meal. Thank you 🙂
That’s just awesome, Elizabeth! I’m so glad your family loved it!
I made it in the crockpot and it was absolutely delightful! My husband is not real big on soups, but he really liked this. It was thick and full of flavor.