Skip to Content

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love chicken tortilla soup because it’s packed with rich flavors and has a mix of textures that all work so well together. It’s Mexican comfort food and I love it! This soup is easy to make and can be finished in 30 minutes, prep to finish! I love the way the herbs, spices, peppers, vegetables, lime juice and chicken all work together.

I love using rotisserie chicken in this recipe but you can use any cooked chicken. You can boil the chicken or grill it before hand.

You can have fun with the toppings and put anything you like on it.

I like to put fresh avocado, tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, pico de gallo or freeze dried guacamole seasoning, which is essentially just freeze dried pico de gallo or fresh salsa.

What you need to make chicken tortilla soup:

serves 4

  • 1 cup onion- diced
  • 1 cup celery – diced
  • 1/2 cup bell pepper- diced, any colors you want
  • 1/3 cup jalapeno – diced, seeded removed for milder soup or 2 tablespoons freeze dried jalapenos
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 -15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes or 2 cups diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • dash cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried cilantro or 1/4 cup fresh – roughly chopped
  • 1 cup white corn tortillas- diced
  • 2 teaspoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 cups cooked or raw chicken – diced, raw chicken can be cooked in broth

Optional toppings

  • cheese – I like to use a Mexican blend
  • fried corn tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
  • avocado – diced
  • cilantro
  • pico de gallo or freeze dried guacamole seasoning
  • guacamole

Instructions

  1. In a stock pot, add olive oil, onion, celery, bell pepper and jalapeno, salt, garlic powder and cook until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add chicken stock, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cayenne pepper and cilantro and bring to a boil.
  3. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add corn tortillas and stir into soup to thicken slightly.
  4. Add the lime juice and sugar and stir again.
  5. Stir in raw or cooked chicken. If adding raw, simmer for 10 minutes, if adding cooked chicken then simmer for another 3 minutes.
  6. Serve with cheese on top, crispy corn chips or strips, avocado, cilantro, pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole or whatever you want on top.
  7. Enjoy!

Here are a few other recipes you may love:

Cabbage Roll Soup
Instant Pot Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup
Ham, Potato and Chive Soup

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Delicious flavors and textures in this chicken tortilla soup!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time21 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: Chicken, Dinner, Mexican, Soup
Keyword: 30 minute, avocado, Chicken, Dinner, Easy Recipes, Mexican, Peppers, Salsa, Soup, Tomatoes, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 cup onion- diced
  • 1 cup celery – diced
  • 1/2 cup bell pepper- diced any colors you want
  • 1/3 cup jalapeno – diced seeded removed for milder soup or 2 tablespoons freeze dried jalapenos
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 15 ounce can Fire roasted tomatoes or 2 cups diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • dash cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup tablespoon dried cilantro or 1/4fresh – roughly chopped
  • 1 cup white corn tortillas- diced
  • 2 teaspoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 cups cooked or raw chicken – diced rotisserie chicken or any cooked chicken
  • optional toppings:
  • cheese – I like to use a Mexican blend
  • fried corn tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
  • avocado – diced
  • Cilantro
  • pico de gallo or freeze dried guacamole seasoning
  • guacamole

Instructions

  • In a stock pot, add olive oil, onion, celery, bell pepper and jalapeno, salt, garlic powder and cook until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes.
  • Add chicken stock, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cayenne pepper and cilantro and bring to a boil.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes, then add corn tortillas and stir into soup to thicken slightly.
  • Add the lime juice and sugar and stir again.
  • Stir in cooked chicken and cook for another 3 minutes. If using raw chicken then add and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Serve with cheese on top, crispy corn chips or strips, avocado, cilantro, pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole or whatever you want on top.