If there is one recipe that earns a permanent spot on my fall and winter rotation, it is this Chicken Tortilla Soup. We are talking a deeply smoky, flavor-packed broth built on chipotle and fire-roasted tomatoes, loaded with shredded chicken and black beans, and finished with every topping your heart desires. I love using Easy Mexican Shredded Chicken when I have a little extra time, but a rotisserie bird works beautifully on a busy weeknight. If you are already in soup mode, my Chicken Posole is another Mexican-inspired bowl that belongs in your life immediately. And if you want to turn this into a full spread, Chicken Poblano Skillet Enchiladas alongside the soup is honestly a dream dinner situation.
Chicken Tortilla Soup at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 40 minutes (10 minutes prep + 30 minutes cook)
- 👪 Servings: 4
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: Mexican-Inspired / Southwestern
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: A smoky, savory tomato and green chile broth with chipotle, tender shredded chicken, black beans, and corn, finished with lime, avocado, cheese, and crispy tortilla strips.
- 📖 Dietary Info: Contains chicken. Dairy can be omitted by skipping the cheese topping. Can be gluten-free when made with gluten-free stock, seasonings, and corn tortillas.
- 📦 Storage Notes: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. Store tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, and other fresh toppings separately.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A rich, smoky broth, hearty chicken and beans, and all the fresh, crunchy toppings you could want. It's comforting, customizable, and great for leftovers.
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Why I Love Chicken Tortilla Soup
There was a restaurant in Tucson, AZ, where I grew up called Café Terra Cotta, and they had the most iconic Chicken Tortilla Soup in the city. It’s long gone now, but back in the good old days of high school, when we had zero responsibilities, my friends and I would go for lunch or girls’ night and, without fail, every single one of us ordered that soup.
It was smoky, a little spicy, and I always added extra cheese the second it hit the table. It’s one of those food memories that just sticks, and being able to recreate that same flavor at home makes me so happy.
If you’re a fan of Southwestern-flavored soups, you’ll also love my Chicken Chili Verde, my White Chicken Chili, and my Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili!
Ingredients
Substitutions & Swaps
🍗 Chicken
- Leftover Cooked Chicken - Use shredded chicken breasts or thighs in place of rotisserie chicken. Add it after blending the broth and heat through.
- Leftover Turkey - Shredded cooked turkey is an easy substitute, especially after Thanksgiving.
🌽 Corn and Beans
- Canned or Fresh Corn - Either works in place of frozen corn. Drain canned corn before adding it to the soup.
- Pinto Beans - A mild, creamy alternative to black beans.
- Hominy - Swap it for the corn for a heartier texture and a slightly different Southwestern flavor.
🌶️ Heat and Flavor
- Less Chipotle - Reduce the amount of chipotle for a milder soup. Add more to taste if you prefer extra heat.
- Vegetable Stock - Can replace chicken stock if needed, although the soup will still contain chicken unless you also replace the meat.
🧀 Toppings
- Cotija or Queso Fresco - Sprinkle over the finished soup instead of using a melting cheese.
- Mexican Crema or Sour Cream - Add a spoonful to individual bowls for a creamy contrast to the smoky broth.
- Store-Bought Tortilla Chips - Crush over the soup when you don't have time to fry homemade tortilla strips.
How To Make Chicken Tortilla Soup
Step 1: Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, garlic, and jalapeño and sauté until the onion is translucent and the jalapeño softens.
Step 2: Season with the salt, pepper, dried oregano, cumin and chipotle pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices toast.
Step 3: Add the fire-roasted tomatoes and the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Step 4: Add the black beans, corn, and shredded chicken, and continue cooking until everything is heated through.
Step 5 (optional): To make the tortilla strips: In a small skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add the tortilla strips in a single layer, frying quickly for about 30-45 seconds, flipping them once to ensure both sides get crisp. Remove the tortillas once crisp with a pair of tongs and transfer them to a paper towel lined plate to dry.
Step 6: Divide the soup into 4 bowls and top with cheese, avocado, cilantro, and crisp tortilla strips. Add extra lime juice if desired and/or jalapeño slices. Serve immediately.
🌶️🍲 Gabys Tips & Tricks
A few simple tricks will give you a smoky, flavorful broth and plenty of texture in every bowl.
- Soften the aromatics first. Cook the onion, garlic, and jalapeño until the onion is translucent and the pepper has softened before adding the seasonings.
- Give the spices time to develop. Stir in the oregano, cumin, and chipotle and cook for another 1–2 minutes, as directed, before adding the tomatoes and stock.
- Simmer before blending. Let the tomato and stock mixture simmer for 30 minutes, then use an immersion blender to create the smooth, smoky broth.
- Add the chicken, beans, and corn after blending. This keeps the broth smooth while leaving plenty of hearty texture in the finished soup. Heat everything through before serving.
- Use cooked chicken for convenience. Rotisserie chicken or leftover shredded chicken makes this an easy weeknight dinner without cooking the chicken separately.
- Fry tortilla strips until crisp. Work in a single layer and transfer the strips to a paper towel-lined plate after frying. Add them just before serving so they stay crunchy.
- Finish each bowl individually. Add cheese, avocado, cilantro, lime, jalapeño, and tortilla strips at the table. Keep toppings separate when storing leftovers.
Chicken Tortilla Soup FAQs
What gives Chicken Tortilla Soup its smoky flavor?
Chipotle, fire-roasted tomatoes, green chiles, cumin, and oregano create the smoky, savory broth. Simmering the mixture before blending helps bring the flavors together.
Can I use rotisserie chicken in Chicken Tortilla Soup?
Yes. Rotisserie chicken is a convenient choice because it's already cooked. Shred the meat and add it after blending the broth, along with the beans and corn. Heat everything through before serving.
How can I make Chicken Tortilla Soup thicker?
The recipe already uses an immersion blender to create a smooth broth from the cooked vegetables and tomatoes. For a thicker consistency, simmer the blended broth a little longer before adding the chicken, beans, and corn.
Can I freeze Chicken Tortilla Soup?
Yes. Cool the soup promptly and freeze it in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Freeze the soup without avocado, cheese, tortilla strips, or other fresh toppings. Add those after reheating.
How long does Chicken Tortilla Soup last in the refrigerator?
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Keep tortilla strips and fresh toppings separate, and reheat the soup thoroughly before serving.
Other Chicken Soups
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper stem and seeds removed and roughly chopped
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
- 1 14- ounce can fire roasted tomatoes and green chiles
- 3 cups chicken stock
- ¾ cup black beans
- ¾ cup frozen corn
- 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
Toppings:
- shredded cheese - Colby Jack / Monterey Jack / Pepper Jack your choice
- quartered limes
- cubed avocado
- cilantro
- sliced green onions
- 2 small corn tortillas cut into thin strips
- sliced jalapenos
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, garlic, and jalapeño, and sauté until the onion is translucent and the jalapeño softens. Season with the salt, pepper, dried oregano, cumin, and chipotle pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices toast.
- Add the fire-roasted tomatoes and the chicken stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Add the black beans, corn, and shredded chicken, and continue cooking until everything is heated through.
- Divide the soup into 4 bowls and top with cheese, avocado, cilantro, and crisp tortilla strips. Add extra lime juice if desired and/or jalapeño slices. Serve immediately.
- To make the tortilla strips: In a small skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the tortilla strips in a single layer, frying quickly for about 30-45 seconds, flipping them once to ensure both sides get crisp. Remove the tortillas once crisp with a pair of tongs and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to dry.
Video
Notes
- Soften the aromatics first. Cook the onion, garlic, and jalapeño until the onion is translucent and the pepper has softened before adding the seasonings.
- Give the spices time to develop. Stir in the oregano, cumin, and chipotle and cook for another 1–2 minutes, as directed, before adding the tomatoes and stock.
- Simmer before blending. Let the tomato and stock mixture simmer for 30 minutes, then use an immersion blender to create the smooth, smoky broth.
- Add the chicken, beans, and corn after blending. This keeps the broth smooth while leaving plenty of hearty texture in the finished soup. Heat everything through before serving.
- Use cooked chicken for convenience. Rotisserie chicken or leftover shredded chicken makes this an easy weeknight dinner without cooking the chicken separately.
- Fry tortilla strips until crisp. Work in a single layer and transfer the strips to a paper towel-lined plate after frying. Add them just before serving so they stay crunchy.
- Finish each bowl individually. Add cheese, avocado, cilantro, lime, jalapeño, and tortilla strips at the table. Keep toppings separate when storing leftovers
I LOVE chicken tortilla soup! Those spicy, fresh flavors are perfect for springtime... and my mouth. Craving all things tangy-spicy-salty lately!
Hands down the best soup EVER. Like you said, no reason to change it up whatsoever!!
I LOVE tortilla soup and this looks just perfect!!!! Wishing I had a big bowl for lunch!!!
Who doesn't love a good chicken tortilla soup! I have always cooked the chicken in the soup. I will have to remember this version next time I have leftover chicken 🙂
Wow! Gaby, this seems pretty authentic, love it!
Love this soup! It seems so spicy and flavorful!
you are from my planet girlfriend. I have been obsessed with making tortillas soup lately, but honestly had no idea how to (lol!) But I am going to make some for sure now!
I love a good Chicken Tortilla Soup - the toppings are the best part!
Love chicken tortilla soup and this one looks tasty!
Love this soup and always enjoy trying it different ways. Tucsonan Native and everywhere you go it is made different and I enjoy most of them and yes Café Terra Cotta soup was Delish.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this soup. It is a go to meal all winter long. My cilantro is growing like crazy right now, so I think I must make a big batch of this very soon!!
Mmmm tortilla soup is soo good! I'd totally add the guac on the side, as I am a purist when it comes to this soup. But a side of guac and chips, yes please.
While subjective, I have always both purchased and made this great dish, but in both cases, the tortillas were already put in the bottom of the bowl, not added crisp as a topping. This is not a Mongolian Hot Pot, or a Vietnamese Pho, nor a fondue. Makes a world of difference in giving the soup some body. After all, your recipe really only has canned tomatoes and one jalapeno, for solids, and blended at that, and as such, respectfully could use a revision. Often, black beans are included, and even refried beans to give it body. I guess the point I respectfully wish to make, is that the "traditional" recipe is more like a stew than a consome in body, and, adding the chicken (always bland in taste), as a topping, is definitely incorrect. Stirred in, it takes on the flavor of the soup, like any mild-tasting protein incorporated into a soup. No offence, Luv your blog, but I am having trouble visualizing a native from whence the recipe originated, being happy with this all-too-common version..
She never said this was supposed to be culturally authentic. This was a recreation of a soup she used to love from a restaurant. She also doesn't add the chicken as a topping- it's clearly stirred into the soup.....
Very good observations. I agree with most of your comments. They said, this is suppose to be an easy, flavorable soup with few ingredients and mission was accomplished.
Best chicken tort soup I've ever tasted!
I'm from the South, Louisiana specifically so most recipes thoroughly disappoint when it comes to robust flavor. I'm a very picky eater and rarely actually enjoy the food I eat. However, this recipe has me craving this soup 5 out of 7 days of the week. Excellent job! Thank you for sharing!
Frank Mosher. Wow! Rude. Unnecessary. Inaccurate. Arrogant. Self-aggrandizing. You hit all things that make the internet ugly. Get your own blog and blast away, but when commenting on someone else’s hard work, have some civility and sensitivity.
Always wanted to make this. Looks so simple, not a obnoxiously long list of ingredients. Always nice when you can recreate a dish that you loved from the past. Thanks for the recipe, Gaby! Pinned 🙂
Good solid recipe you can't beat. The chicken breasts in my fridge might like to be called tortilla soup tonight. I'm pulling some stock from the freezer just now. - Thanks!