Chicken tortilla soup exactly how it should be: loaded with flavor, but still super easy and quick to throw together.
Jump to RecipeIt’s SOUP SEASON y’all! And while I’m less-than-ecstatic about the colder temps, I’m super pumped for alllllll the savory soups! To be honest, I’m pretty sure I have more soup, stew, and chili recipes on the blog than literally any other type of dish… I’m a soup fanatic, what can I say?! If you’re a fellow soup lover, you’re going to quickly become OBSESSED with this chicken tortilla soup. It’s super easy and quick to throw together, and tastes AMAZING. It’s so good, that I made it twice in quick succession just so I could get it on the blog right away! As if the taste wasn’t good enough, this soup has plenty of fiber and veggies to boot, making it the perfect nutritious and delicious supper.
The main reason why this recipe is so simple to make is because it utilizes canned goods. I’ve gotta say, I’m a HUGE fan of how convenient canned goods can be. Staple canned goods in my pantry include tomatoes and tomato sauce, all kinds of beans, and the occasional fruit or vegetable. We aren’t big canned fruit and veggie people in my house, but most of that is a texture thing (for me at least). :P I love using canned goods when I’m cooking, however, because they actually make it do-able! To get the most nutritional benefits out of your canned foods look for products with less sodium and sugar, if possible. I also drain and rinse my canned beans and veggies to further help reduce the sodium content.
Okay, okay, I’ll get off my “canned goods are not the devil” soapbox now… One of the main reasons why I love this recipe so much is because the prep work is quick and easy. All you have to do is dice your white onion, mince your garlic, juice your lime, and chop your cilantro.
Then, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add your chicken breast and sear for about 5 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. If you have a particularly large chicken breast, you may want to put the cover on your stockpot. This helps cook your chicken through more efficiently because it traps the hot air inside your pot. Basically, it turns your stockpot into a convection oven.
Once your chicken is cooked through, remove it from the stockpot and set aside on a plate. I have made this recipe before with the chicken in the stockpot the entire time, but it’s much harder to shred in the pot with everything else than separately. It’s up to you! Next, add your onion to the now-empty stockpot and saute until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Once your onions are translucent, add your garlic and saute until fragrant, about another 30 seconds.
Then it’s time to turn our soup into actual soup! Add the chicken broth, petite diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper to your stockpot, and stir. Bring everything up to a boil and then simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes.
While your soup is simmering, brush your tortilla with the remaining vegetable oil. Cut into strips, and spread evenly over a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or foil. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
Shred your chicken breast, and return to the stockpot. Add the lime juice and chopped cilantro, and remove soup from heat. Ladle into individual bowls, and top with tortilla strips and shredded cheddar cheese. Enjoy!
If you try this recipe, please be sure to leave a rating and your thoughts in the comments below. Don’t forget to tag me @HookomOnHealth and use the #HookomOnHealth so that I can see your creations online!
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Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 small white onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.25 oz) can whole kernel corn drained and rinsed
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 6" flour tortilla
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or foil.
- Heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and sear until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Once chicken breasts are cooked, place on a plate and set aside to cool.
- Add onion to stockpot and saute until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds or until garlic is fragrant.
- Add chicken broth, petite diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Brush tortilla with remaining vegetable oil before cutting into strips. Place in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Shred chicken and return to stockpot along with lime juice and fresh cilantro. Remove from heat, ladle into individual bowls, and garnish with tortilla strips and cheddar cheese.
Notes
- Remember: draining and rinsing your canned goods helps reduce the sodium content! You can buy low-sodium varieties as well, if you wish.
- You can buy tortilla strips ready-to-go if you’d prefer instead of doing it yourself.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.