The Ultimate Flavor-Packed Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe!

Chicken tortilla soup is a rich, one-pot Mexican-inspired soup made by poaching raw chicken breasts directly in a simmering broth of crushed tomatoes, black beans, corn, jalapeños, garlic, and bold spices, then shredding the chicken and returning it to the pot. Homemade crispy tortilla strips are fried in the same Dutch oven before the soup is built, adding crunch and deepening the flavor base. A squeeze of fresh lime at the end brings the whole bowl to life.

We are making a flavor-packed chicken tortilla soup!

When the days are short and the night is long, the one thing that cheers me up is a warm and hearty soup. I could have basically any soup as long as it comes with something crunchy or crusty. So here, it is the crispy homemade tortilla strips, but normally it is some crusty French bread and maybe a beverage.

Well, I promise you, this soup is a full and hearty meal. It is so well balanced, loaded with pure flavor, and it all comes together in one pot.

Why You Will Love This Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

• The Perfect Crunch: We are making our own crispy tortilla strips right in the pot before we build the soup. It is a beautiful play of textures and flavors. Pro tip: Double the batch because you will be snacking on them!
• Zero Minced Garlic Required: I am tired of mincing garlic. I am busy! We use a garlic press for this recipe, and it works perfectly.
• It is Extremely Chickeny: We poach the chicken breasts directly in the broth, which flavors the soup and keeps the meat incredibly juicy.
• That Concentrated Flavor: We let this simmer and reduce down so it becomes thicker, glossy, and intensely rich. No flavorless and watery broth here!

If you love a cozy, one-pot soup that just warms you from the inside out, also check out our Creamy Loaded Potato Soup for another incredibly satisfying and hearty bowl that comes together with almost no effort.

What You Will Need

Special Equipment

• Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot
• Garlic press (save yourself the chopping!)
• Two forks (for shredding the chicken)
• Paper towel-lined plate (for draining tortilla strips)
• Kitchen gloves (optional, for handling jalapeños)

The Ingredients

• For the Crispy Strips: 4 yellow corn tortillas, ¼ cup olive oil, ⅛ tsp salt
• The Aromatics: 1 medium to large onion, 1 to 2 fresh jalapeños, 3 cloves garlic
• The Soup Base: 4 cups chicken broth, one 15 oz can black beans, 1½ cups frozen corn, one 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• The Spices: 1 tsp ground cumin, 1½ tsp chili powder (mild or hot), ½ tsp salt (plus more to taste), ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• The Chicken: 1 lb boneless and skinless chicken breasts (up to 2 lbs if you want it extra meaty!)
• The Finish: Juice of at least 1 fresh lime
• The Garnishes: Sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, extra lime wedges

Let us Get Cooking

1. Prep the Tortilla Strips

Cut the 4 yellow corn tortillas into ¼-inch thin strips and set aside.

2. Heat the Oil

In a Dutch oven, add the ¼ cup of olive oil and warm it over medium-high heat.

3. A Quick Word on Jalapeños (And No Crying Allowed!)

While the oil heats, dice the onion. We are starting with a base of onions, garlic, and fresh jalapeños. Before you start crying over those onions, just remember to use your knuckle as a guide so you do not chop your fingers off with your razor-sharp knife! Safe and easy.

When you halve, remove the seeds, and dice your jalapeño, consider wearing gloves. You can use one or two depending on your spice tolerance. If your pepper is super hot, the oil will get on your fingers, you will rub your eye, and bad things happen. Do not touch your face!

4. Crisp the Strips

Carefully add the tortilla strips to the hot oil. Cook them until crispy while stirring occasionally for about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the crispy strips to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Immediately sprinkle with ⅛ tsp of salt.

5. Saute the Aromatics

Reduce the heat under the Dutch oven to medium. Add the diced onion and jalapeño. Press the 3 cloves of garlic directly into the pot using a garlic press. Stir frequently and cook for about 4 minutes until the onions are softened.

6. Build the Soup

Once your aromatics are soft, dump in the chicken broth, drained and rinsed black beans, frozen corn, crushed tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, and the whole raw chicken breasts. Give everything a good stir.

Food safety note: Raw chicken breasts should be handled on a clean board and washed hands thoroughly afterwards. Chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before it is safe to eat. As long as the soup maintains a steady simmer, the chicken will safely reach this temperature within 20 to 25 minutes.

7. The Magic of the Simmer

Let it come to a full boil, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Then you just let the magic happen. Cook while stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the soup has visibly reduced and thickened.

As it cooks, the steam carries away the flavorless water, leaving you with a beautifully concentrated and glossy broth. If you prefer a thinner soup, you can always add a splash more broth or water, but I want all that rich flavor!

8. Shred the Chicken

Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pot and place them on a cutting board. Using two forks, pull the chicken apart and shred it into small bite-sized pieces.

9. Finish the Soup

Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to coat it in the rich broth. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed with a dash more salt!

10. Garnish Like You Mean It

You absolutely need a fresh squeeze of lime right at the end to punch up the acidity. Squeeze in the juice of at least one lime and stir. Then go wild! Unless you are a soap taster, you need to have oodles of cilantro. Just gobs of it! Grab your bowls, ladle the hot soup, and pile high with your favorite toppings including those crispy tortilla strips, slices of avocado, a dollop of sour cream, diced red onion, scallions, thinly sliced cabbage, or cheese. Enjoy!

If you love a spicy, bold-flavored soup like this one, you will also want to save our Spicy Cabbage Soup for another weeknight when you want something warming, deeply savory, and totally effortless.

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Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (One-Pot, 40 Minutes!)

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: Main CourseCuisine: Mexican, AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

400

kcal

Total time

40

minutes

Make this flavor-packed chicken tortilla soup! Tender poached chicken, black beans, sweet corn, and homemade crispy tortilla strips in a rich, concentrated tomato broth. All in one pot in 40 minutes.

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot

• Garlic press

• Two forks (for shredding)

• Paper towel-lined plate

• Ingredients:

• 4 yellow corn tortillas (approx. 100g)

• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil

• 1/8 tsp salt (for the tortilla strips)

• 1 medium to large onion, diced (approx. 150g)

• 1 to 2 jalapeños, halved, seeded, and diced

• 3 cloves garlic, pressed

• 4 cups (946ml) chicken broth

• 1 can (15 oz / 425g) black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 and 1/2 cups (approx. 200g) frozen corn

• 1 can (28 oz / 794g) crushed tomatoes

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 and 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste

• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

• 1 lb (454g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (up to 2 lbs for extra protein)

• Juice of 1 fresh lime

• Garnishes: sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, lime wedges

Directions

• Slice the corn tortillas into 1/4-inch thick strips.
• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add the tortilla strips to the hot oil and cook for about 60 seconds, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with 1/8 tsp salt.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and jalapeño to the pot. Press the garlic cloves directly into the pot using a garlic press. Saute for about 4 minutes until the onions soften.
• Pour in the chicken broth, drained black beans, frozen corn, crushed tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Add the raw chicken breasts whole.
• Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C) and the broth has reduced and thickened.
• Remove the cooked chicken and shred it using two forks into bite-sized pieces.
• Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Squeeze in the fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• Serve hot, garnished with the crispy tortilla strips, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and cheese.

Notes

• The Tortilla Strip Hack: Highly recommend doubling the tortillas and adding a little extra olive oil to fry them. You will be snacking on these while the soup cooks, and everyone always wants more crunch!
• Glove Warning: Wear gloves while handling hot jalapeños, especially if they are super spicy. You do not want those oils anywhere near your eyes!
• Customize the Thickness: Let the soup simmer uncovered longer for a thicker, glossier, more concentrated broth. Add a splash of extra chicken stock for a thinner version.
• Food Safety: Always verify the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) before shredding and returning to the pot.
• Rotisserie Shortcut: In a rush? Use shredded rotisserie chicken and add it at Step 8. Skip the poaching step and reduce the simmering time to about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze (soup and chicken only, no toppings) for up to 3 months.