Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Soup season is my happy place. When the weather gets cold, I start dreaming about all the soups I can make to warm up my family. But weeknight dinners can be tricky when everyone wants something different. My kids love anything with cheese, my husband wants something filling, and I’m always hoping for leftovers that taste even better the next day.

That’s where chicken tortilla soup comes to the rescue. It checks all our boxes and then some. I can throw it together on a busy Tuesday, and everyone gets excited when they smell it cooking. The best part? All those toppings mean everyone can make it exactly how they like it.

Want it mild? Skip the jalapeños. Love it spicy? Add extra hot sauce. Cheese lovers can pile on the cheddar, and I get my leftovers that somehow taste even better after sitting in the fridge overnight.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this soup, rotisserie chicken is honestly your best friend – it’s already cooked, seasoned, and saves you tons of time. You can usually find them at any grocery store, and one chicken will give you more than enough meat for this recipe. If you don’t have rotisserie chicken on hand, leftover grilled or baked chicken works great too. You can even use chicken thighs or breasts that you’ve poached or cooked in a slow cooker. Just make sure whatever chicken you use is fully cooked and shredded into bite-sized pieces before adding it to the soup.

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Options for Substitutions

This soup is super forgiving and works well with plenty of swaps:

• Rotel tomatoes: If you can’t find Rotel, use regular diced tomatoes and add a 4-ounce can of diced green chiles, or throw in some fresh jalapeños for heat.
• Heavy cream: For a lighter version, try half-and-half, whole milk, or even coconut milk. If using regular milk, add it at the very end to prevent curdling.
• Rotisserie chicken: Any cooked chicken works here – leftover grilled chicken, poached chicken breasts, or even canned chicken in a pinch. You could also use cooked turkey or pork.
• Black beans: Pinto beans, kidney beans, or navy beans all work great. You can even mix different types of beans for variety.
• Canned corn: Fresh corn kernels (about 1 cup) or frozen corn work just as well. If using frozen, add it in the last few minutes of cooking.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works fine if that’s what you have, though you’ll lose some of that rich chicken flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making chicken tortilla soup is adding the heavy cream too early or at too high heat, which can cause it to curdle and ruin the smooth texture – always add cream at the end and keep the heat on low to medium-low.

Another common error is not draining and rinsing your black beans properly, as the thick liquid can make your soup overly starchy and muddy the flavors.

Don’t forget to taste and adjust your seasonings after adding the cream, since dairy tends to mellow out spices, and if you’re using rotisserie chicken, add it during the last few minutes of cooking to prevent it from becoming tough and stringy.

For the best flavor, let your soup simmer for at least 15-20 minutes after adding all ingredients (except the cream) to allow the spices to blend together properly.

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What to Serve With Chicken Tortilla Soup?

This hearty soup is pretty much a complete meal on its own, but I love serving it with warm flour tortillas or cornbread on the side for extra dipping and scooping. A simple side of Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice makes it even more filling, and you can’t go wrong with some tortilla chips and guacamole for that extra crunch. If you want to keep things lighter, a fresh avocado salad with lime dressing pairs really nicely with all those bold flavors. Don’t forget to set out all the fun toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, and fresh cilantro so everyone can customize their bowl just how they like it!

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This chicken tortilla soup gets even better after a day or two in the fridge! Store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors really meld together nicely, making it perfect for meal prep or having leftovers ready for busy weeknights.

Freeze: You can definitely freeze this soup for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers or bags. Just keep in mind that the cream might separate a little when you thaw it, but don’t worry – it usually comes back together when you reheat and stir it well.

Warm Up: Heat your soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If you’re using the microwave, heat it in 1-minute intervals and stir between each one. Add your fresh toppings like avocado and sour cream right before serving for the best texture and flavor.

 

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	15-20 minutes
Total Time	25-35 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1350-1500
• Protein: 60-70 g
• Fat: 55-65 g
• Carbohydrates: 150-170 g

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (10 oz) rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 can (12 oz) corn, drained
• 1 can (14 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

For topping (optional):

• Tortilla strips
• Avocado
• Sour cream
• Tex-mex style shredded cheese

Step 1: Sauté the Onion

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned and translucent.

Step 2: Build the Soup Base

• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (10 oz) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 can (12 oz) corn, drained
• 1 can (14 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies (including their juices), and chicken broth.

Add in the garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, corn, and black beans.

Stir well to combine all the ingredients, then increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.

Step 3: Simmer the Soup

Once the soup has reached a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar.

Let the soup simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Step 4: Prep the Toppings

• avocado
• sour cream
• Tex-Mex style shredded cheese
• tortilla strips

While the soup is simmering, prepare the toppings.

Slice the avocado, portion out the sour cream, shred the Tex-Mex style cheese if it’s not already shredded, and set aside the tortilla strips.

I like to get creative with the garnishes—adding extra fresh cilantro or a dash of lime juice can really brighten things up!

Step 5: Finish the Soup with Cream and Chicken

• 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Stir the heavy cream or whipping cream and the cooked, shredded or chopped chicken into the simmering soup.

Let it warm through for 3-5 minutes over low heat, until the chicken is heated and the soup is creamy.

Taste, then season generously with salt and pepper as needed.

Step 6: Serve and Garnish

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each serving as desired with tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream, and Tex-Mex style shredded cheese.

Serve immediately and enjoy your hearty, spicy Tex-Mex chicken soup!