Chicken Tortilla Soup
A brothy, smoky tomato soup with tender shredded chicken, topped with crisp baked tortilla strips, cheese and plenty of fresh cilantro.
By Tasty Nest Recipes Editorial TeamPublished
55 min total 6 servings (about 10 cups)Easy
Photo: jfiess · CC BY 2.0. Illustrative photo; your results may look different.
About this recipe
Tortilla soup is all about contrast: a warm, gently spiced broth underneath and a pile of crunchy, cool toppings on top. It is filling without being heavy, and it comes together in under an hour.
Boneless chicken thighs simmer right in the broth, so they flavour the soup as they cook and stay tender when shredded. Fire-roasted tomatoes and a little chipotle add a smoky depth without much extra effort.
Baking your own tortilla strips takes ten minutes and makes a big difference, but a handful of crushed tortilla chips works when you are short on time.
Equipment you'll need
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Rimmed baking sheet
Tips for success
- Add the tortilla strips just before eating so they stay crunchy.
- For a thicker soup, blend about a cup of the broth with a few tortilla strips and stir it back into the pot.
- Control the heat with the jalapeño seeds and the amount of chipotle: leave them out for a mild soup, add more for a spicier one.
Substitutions and variations
- Use leftover roast or rotisserie chicken: simmer the broth and tomatoes for just 10 minutes in step 3, then stir in 3 to 4 cups of shredded cooked chicken with the corn.
- Add a drained can of black beans along with the corn for extra fibre.
- Swap the fire-roasted tomatoes for regular diced tomatoes plus 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika.
Storage and reheating
To store: Refrigerate the soup without toppings for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Store tortilla strips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To reheat: Thaw frozen soup overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stove over medium heat until steaming throughout, then add fresh toppings.
Recipe
Chicken Tortilla Soup
A brothy, smoky tomato soup with tender shredded chicken, topped with crisp baked tortilla strips, cheese and plenty of fresh cilantro.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Yield
- 6 servings (about 10 cups)
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
Tick off ingredients as you gather them.
For the soup
For the tortilla strips
To serve
Instructions
Step 1: Bake the tortilla strips
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the tortilla strips with the oil and salt on a baking sheet and spread out. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once, until golden and crisp. Set aside.
Step 2: Soften the aromatics
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano and chipotle (if using) and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 3: Simmer the chicken
Add the tomatoes, broth, chicken thighs and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, partially covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Step 4: Shred the chicken
Lift the chicken onto a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Return it to the pot along with the corn and simmer for 5 minutes more.
Step 5: Season
Stir in the lime juice. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Step 6: Serve
Ladle into bowls and top with tortilla strips, cheese, cilantro and avocado. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Cuisine: Mexican-inspired · Course: Soup
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300
- Protein
- 25 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugars
- 4 g
Approximate values estimated from typical nutrition data for the listed ingredients, excluding optional toppings and serving suggestions. Actual values vary with brands, portion sizes and substitutions. Not verified by a dietitian or laboratory analysis.
tastynestrecipes.com/recipes/chicken-tortilla-soup
Keep cooking
