Chicken Tortilla Soup
on Jul 20, 2023, Updated Jun 28, 2024
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Bursting with flavors, this hearty Mexican-inspired Chicken Tortilla Soup has captured the hearts and taste buds of people worldwide. We’ll dive into the reasons why people adore this soup, when it’s the perfect time to savor it, and we’ll answer some frequently asked questions to help you master the art of making this scrumptious dish.
One of the main reasons people adore chicken tortilla soup is its adaptability. This recipe allows for a range of personal preferences and dietary needs. You can experiment with different spices, vegetables, or even substitute the chicken with other proteins like shrimp or tofu. It’s a canvas for culinary creativity.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
There’s something inherently comforting about a warm bowl of chicken tortilla soup. It’s a soothing and hearty dish that warms you from the inside out, making it an ideal choice for chilly evenings or when you need a comforting meal. The combination of broth, protein, and vegetables creates a satisfying and filling experience.
Chicken tortilla soup is great with a rotisserie chicken and it makes it even easier than it was before. However, if you don’t have cooked chicken on hand, you can cook chopped raw chicken (about 1 to 1.5 pounds) with the onions and peppers in the recipe and just let it simmer in the soup.
Chicken tortilla soup is an excellent choice to impress your guests. With its vibrant colors and inviting aroma, it adds a touch of festivity to any occasion. Serve it with an assortment of toppings, such as shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, and crunchy tortilla strips, allowing everyone to customize their bowl to their liking.
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil
- Onion
- Poblano or jalapeño peppers
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Chicken broth
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Dried oregano
- Chicken
- Back beans
- Corn
- Corn tortillas
- Cilantro
- Lime
Keep scrolling to find a full, printable recipe with a detailed ingredient list.
Recipe Instructions
- In a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat, add oil. Sauté onion and peppers until onion is tender (about 5 minutes).
- Add garlic and cumin, cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Stir in broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and oregano. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in chicken, beans, and corn, and bring back to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375℉. Cut tortillas into strips, spray with cooking oil, lightly salt, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp. Serve the soup topped with tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Frequently Asked Questions
The level of spiciness in chicken tortilla soup can vary depending on personal preference. However, you can adjust the heat by adding more chili powder or even including extra diced jalapeños for an extra kick. It’s all about tailoring the flavors to your taste.
Chicken tortilla soup often tastes even better when made in advance, as the flavors have more time to meld together. Prepare it a day ahead, store it in the refrigerator, and simply reheat it before serving. Just make sure to add the toppings right before serving to maintain their freshness and crunch.
Chicken tortilla soup goes well with lots of different side dishes. Some we have tried are: cornbread, a green salad, pico de gallo, and chips with guacamole.
More Recipes
- White Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Taco Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Soup
- Quick and Easy Tortellini Soup with Spinach
If you’ve tried this Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe or any other recipe on Bless This Mess, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 fresh poblano or 2 jalapeño peppers, (stemmed, seeded, and chopped)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 3 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, (14.5 ounce)
- 1 can tomato sauce, (8 ounce)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 1 can black beans, (15 ounce), rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
- 4 6- inch corn tortillas
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lime cut into wedges
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium to medium high heat, add the oil. When the oil is warm add the onion and peppers and cook until the onion is starting to get tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cumin and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and oregano. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
- Cover pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in chicken, beans, and corn. Bring back to a simmer
- While pot is simmering, preheat oven to 375℉.
- Cut tortillas in half. Cut halves into ½-inch-wide strips. Spray the strips lightly with cooking oil spray, toss and spray again, lightly salt.
- Place strips on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until crisp.
- Serve soup with tortilla strips and fresh cilantro on top with fresh lime juice squeezed in.
Notes
- This is a great way to use part of a leftover rotisserie chicken or a whole chicken you baked.
- If you don’t have cooked chicken on hand, you can cook chopped raw chicken (about 1 to 1.5 pounds) with the onions and peppers in the recipe and just let it simmer in the soup.
- If you want to make this a creamy tortilla soup add 1 cup or cream just before serving.
- This recipe is also great with sour cream or cheese on top just before serving.
Nutrition
Chicken tortilla soup is a versatile dish that has become a favorite for its delightful flavors, comforting nature, and adaptability to various dietary preferences.
