This Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup is a delicious, budget friendly recipe that comes together quickly and will please the whole family. Tender chicken, black beans, kidney beans, corn, carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes, warm Mexican spices, and irresistible crispy tortilla strips make a flavorful and hearty soup.
My mom has been making this Chicken Tortilla Soup for as long as I can remember, and when I opened my little sandwich shop this is one of the first items I placed on the menu.
I love making this recipe because it is so easy, delicious, and huge. Making this Chicken Tortilla Soup one night for dinner always pays dividends in leftovers or freezer meals for the future.
The crispy tortilla strips are a must for this recipe. Making them is so easy, and adds a special homemade touch.
For more Mexican inspired dishes try Cheesy Chicken Baked Taquitos, Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Bowl, Steak Quesadillas, and Tender Pork Chili Verde!
Make This Recipe!
This recipe is great for using up pantry staples.
Using canned corn, tomatoes, and beans means that you can get this soup made in under an hour and have delicious results.
The spices give you a nice warm broth that is full of great Mexican inspired flavors, and this Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup can be dressed up with fun toppings like tortilla strips, sour cream, shredded cheese, and guacamole.
This recipe is huge! It is great for feeding a large group and I often bust this recipe out when I have a big group coming over. I set up a toppings bar and serve quesadillas on the side for a super simple and affordable meal.
This recipe filled a 7 quart pot, and is more than enough soup for dinner and a few lunches. If you were really ambitious and doubled this recipe, it would feed the whole neighborhood. Of course, it freezes very well. You can have dinner prepared for a few nights in the future.
Ingredients
Chicken Breast Tenders- I like tenders for this dish. I think they are a nice compromise between super lean breast meat and fattier thigh meat. The little extra fat adds great flavor to the broth and they live up to their name by being extra tender.
Instructions
Step 1
- Dice Carrots, Celery, Onion and garlic into small pieces.
- Heat two tablespoons of olive in a 7 quart pot or Dutch oven. Then, add diced vegetables to the pot and season lightly with salt and pepper. Let cook until the onions are translucent.
Step 2
- Next, chop chicken breast tenders into half inch pieces and add to the vegetables. Season with cumin, paprika, parsley, and chili powder and allow chicken to brown, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking . (If you like things a bit spicy, add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.)
Step 3
- Drain and rinse black beans and kidney beans. Drain canned corn. Add beans, corn, and stewed tomatoes with juice to the pot of soup.
Step 4
- Finally, add one quart of chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Place the lid on and let cook for around 30 minutes.
Step 5
- While the soup is cooking, brush flour tortillas with olive oil on both sides.
Step 6
- Cut tortillas into thin strips and place on a sheet pan. Place under a low broiler for 2 minutes. Toss and let cook for 1-2 minute more.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Chicken Tortilla Soup topped with crispy tortilla strips alone for a complete meal. The soup is chock full of goodness and is super satisfying.
Plain tortilla chips are a great topper if you don't want to make homemade tortilla strips.
To keep things interesting, top with sour cream or The Best Guacamole. Sour cream is a favorite in my house. It makes the broth a little bit creamy and extra delicious.
On the side, I often serve plain cheese quesadillas with Monterey jack or a Mexican cheese blend.
FAQs
Keep extra soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Reheat by bringing to a simmer (at least 165°) for around 30 seconds.
Store in freezer safe containers or food storage bags for up to 6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then heat on the stove to serve.
Expert Tips
Simmer the soup! Do not boil your ingredients. Simmering means cooking liquids at a low heat, just hot enough to get small bubbles at the top of the pot. Simmering will give you tender chicken and soft vegetables that hold their shape. Boiling cooks the chicken chunks too quickly and will make them rubbery.
Rinse canned beans to keep the soup broth clear. The liquid in the canned beans is starchy and not a very nice color. If you don't rinse the beans, the tortilla soup broth will turn a muddy color and the soup will thick too much from the starch in the beans.
Cooler weather calls for all things soup!
📖 Recipe
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment
- 7 quart pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken Breast Tenders
- 3 Stalks Celery
- 2 Medium Carrots
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 1 15 oz Can Black Beans
- 1 15 oz Can Kidney Beans
- 1 15 oz Can Corn
- 1 15 oz Can Stewed Tomatoes
- 1 Quart Chicken Stock
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Dry Parsley
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin
- ½ Teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- Cilantro for Topping
Instructions
- Dice Carrots, Celery, Onion and garlic into small pieces.
- Heat two tablespoons of olive in a 7 quart pot or dutch oven. Then, add diced vegetables to the pot and season lightly with salt and pepper. Let cook until the onions are translucent.
- Next, chop chicken breast tenders into half inch pieces and add to the vegetables. Season with cumin, paprika, parsley, and chili powder and allow chicken to brown, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking . (If you like things a bit spicy, add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.)
- Drain and rinse black beans and kidney beans. Drain canned corn. Add beans, corn, and stewed tomatoes with juice to the pot of soup.
- Finally, add one quart of chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Place the lid on and let cook for around 30 minutes.
- While the Chicken Tortilla Soup is cooking, brush flour tortillas with olive oil on both sides.
- Cut tortillas into thin strips and place on a sheet pan. Place under a low broiler for 2 minutes. Toss and let cook for 1-2 minute more.
Notes
- Keep extra soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Reheat by bringing to a simmer (at least 165°) for around 30 seconds.
- Store in freezer safe containers or food storage bags for up to 6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then heat on the stove to serve.
- Simmer the soup! Do not boil your ingredients. Simmering means cooking liquids at a low heat, just hot enough to get small bubbles at the top of the pot. Simmering will give you tender chicken and soft vegetables that hold their shape. Boiling cooks the chicken chunks too quickly and will make them rubbery.
- Rinse canned beans to keep the soup broth clear. The liquid in the canned beans is starchy and not a very nice color. If you don't rinse the beans, the tortilla soup broth will turn a muddy color and the soup will thick too much from the starch in the beans.
- Serve topped with crispy tortilla strips alone for a complete meal.
- Plain tortilla chips are a great topper if you don't want to make homemade tortilla strips.
- To keep things interesting, top this hearty soup with sour cream or guacamole. Sour cream is a favorite in my house. It makes the broth a little bit creamy and extra delicious.
- On the side, I often serve plain cheese quesadillas with Monterey jack or a Mexican cheese blend.
Nutrition
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