This hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe is filled with vegetables, tender chicken, smoky chipotle peppers, and fresh cilantro, making it both filling and flavorful! It’ll be your new go to soup on those cold nights, trust me!
My Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe is a favorite in our home. It’s basically the lighter version of chili and a more flavorful version of chicken noodle soup. Ya feel me? This soup is naturally gluten-free and paleo, and if you top it with avocado, you’ll work some healthy fats in there too. However, if you want to top it with cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips, go to town! (Want a creamy version? Try my Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup!)
Why This Chicken Tortilla Soup Belongs on Your Menu
This is the perfect soup recipe for cozy season! Here’s why your family is going to love it.
- Big Tex-Mex flavor. This soup is smoky, spicy, savory, tangy, and a little bit sweet thanks to the corn. Every bite has the perfect balance of flavors!
- Super satisfying. If you like soups that you can make a meal out of, you will LOVE this tortilla soup. All the veggies and protein-packed chicken make it hearty and satisfying.
- Customizable. Change up the veggies based on the seasons or your preferences and pick your favorite toppings to put your own spin on this chicken tortilla soup recipe.
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need for this chicken tortilla soup. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Chicken breasts – I use boneless skinless chicken breasts for ease. If you prefer dark meat, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Low-sodium chicken broth – Use chicken bone broth for some extra nutrients.
- Bay leaf
- Coconut oil – Or another oil you like to cook with.
- Onion and garlic – These form the backbone of flavor for the soup.
- Canned chipotle – You’ll need one pepper from the can, plus some of the sauce too. (Freeze anything you don’t use for another day, or add Pineapple Chipotle Salmon Tostadas to your menu later in the week!)
- Smoked paprika – The chipotle adds some smokiness, but the smoked paprika amps up the smoky notes in this soup even more.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes – While regular diced tomatoes will work too, fire-roasted tomatoes are extra flavorful.
- Zucchini and yellow squash
- Sweet corn – I use canned, but frozen is fine too, or use fresh when it’s in season.
- Fresh cilantro
- Limes – Fresh lime juice adds a bright note to the soup.
- Salt & pepper
How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup
Let’s get started! Here’s a step-by-step guide to making this recipe.
- Poach the chicken. Bring the broth, bay leaf, and chicken breasts to a boil in a pan. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Sauté the aromatics. In a separate large pot over medium-high, melt the coconut oil, then soften the onions and garlic. Stir in the chipotle pepper and sauce with the smoked paprika and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Add the veggies. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the zucchini and squash. Add salt and pepper and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken from the broth (but reserve the broth!) and shred it with two forks.
- Simmer. Add the corn, shredded chicken, lime juice, cilantro, and broth to the large pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Serve. Top with diced avocado, cheese, tortilla chips, and anything else you like!
Tips and Variations
Here are a few more pointers for making this chicken tortilla soup recipe.
- Make your own tortilla strips. Cut corn tortillas into slices and fry them in oil for homemade crispy tortilla strips to add to your soup.
- Add beans. For an extra hearty soup, add a can of rinsed and drained pinto beans or black beans.
- Change it up with the seasons. In the fall and winter, cubed sweet potato and butternut squash would be delicious in this tortilla soup!
What to Serve With Tortilla Soup
This chicken tortilla soup recipe is a meal on its own, but if you want it to go a little further, serve it with a salad like this Mexican Chopped Salad or Avocado Corn Salad. It would also pair well with cornbread.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftover chicken tortilla soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze this soup in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm individual servings in the microwave or heat in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10–12 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
This hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe is filled with vegetables, smoky chipotle peppers, and fresh cilantro. Filling and flavorful!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless skinless Chicken Breasts
- 6 cups of Low-sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large Chipotle Pepper (from can of Chipotle Pepper in Adobe sauce)
- 1 teaspoon of sauce from Chipotle Pepper can
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 28 oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 large zucchini, diced
- 1 large yellow squash, diced
- 15 oz. can of sweet corn {no salt & sugar added}, drained
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 2 large limes
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- To a medium sauce pan add chicken broth, bay leaf and boneless chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, poach the chicken so it is cooked all the way through, approximately 10-15 minutes. (depending on size of chicken breasts)
- Heat a large stockpot or dutch oven to medium high heat, add coconut oil, diced onions and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent.
- Then add minced chipotle pepper, chipotle pepper sauce and smoked paprika. Stir and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Then add diced fire roasted tomatoes. Stir and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add diced zucchini and squash. Season with salt & pepper. Stir and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
- By this time the chicken should be done. Remove the chicken from the pot of broth {reserve broth} and shred chicken using two forks. To the dutch oven add, sweet corn {drained}, shredded chicken, lime juice, fresh cilantro and chicken broth.
- Turn heat down to medium low and let simmer for 30 minutes to let all flavors absorb.
- Optional toppings: diced avocado, cheese (Cheddar or Queso Fresco)
- Serve with crunchy bread or with crushed tortilla chips.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 372 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 33 mg
29 comments on “Easy & Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe”
This sounds amazing! I want to dive into my screen!
SO flavorful! Love all the added veggies, too!
This is the soup season and I love it! This Chicken Tortilla Soup looks so hearty!
Definitely my kind of soup! Your pictures look amazing too!
Exactly what I am craving right now! I need to make this soup soon!
This is such a filling soup! Love all the veggies its so festive and flavorful, can’t wait to try this!
OMG I am seriously in love with the flavors in this soup.
Just made this for dinner tonight. It was DELICIOUS!!! I used 1 lime rather than 2. I added carrots and forgot the corn. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. It’s been a loooong time since I’ve had a good tortilla soup.
Yeah! So glad to hear it Nicole. The carrot addition in that sounds awesome! Carrots are always a great addition into any soup if you have them just lying around. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and letting me know how it turned out, your so sweet!
Hi Krista – glad you had a good vacation!!! Thanks for linking this up to our MM party – I’m pinning and sharing on FB this week!
Thanks Deb! 🙂 Everybody needs to get a way every once in a while and just relax. Hopefully you get one soon too! Thanks for hosting such a great party, and for the pin and facebook love!
Your chicken tortilla soup looks so good! It’s one of my favorite soups to make, and I love how you used the zucchini and squash, I’ll have to add those next time! Looks fabulous!!
Thanks Maria! I just started adding that and love it, more veggies and the texture it adds to the soup is great!
I love chicken tortilla soup! And how great that you got away for your anniversary! My husband and I are wanting to do that next year for our 10th anniversary!
Thanks Kathy, we had a blast and loved every minute of it. You should definitely do it! 10 years is a good reason to 🙂 Where do you want to go?
I’m so jealous of your Mexico vacation! That sounds so nice! My husband I went to two different places in Mexico before we had kids, but we haven’t had a real vacation like that in many years. Maybe we can go back soon!
I LOVE Mexican food, and this tortilla soup looks delicious. I especially love how bright and crisp the photo is. Beautiful! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
You totally should. Mike and I went 2 years ago, found a great deal with flight, hotel, and all-inclusive on orbitz. Do it, the all-inclusive is the best route to go. You don’t have anything to worry about just show up and eat and drink. 🙂
Thanks for the foodie love, tortilla soup is my favorite this time of year. 🙂 Hope you have a great rest of the day Andi!
Happy belated anniversary, Kristin…glad y’all had such a fun trip! And this soup sounds delicious…beautiful pictures, too! 🙂
Thank you Samantha! 🙂 Your so sweet! Thank you for stopping by!
Hi Krista! Hope you have a wonderful trip and a fantastic anniversary! We’re glad that you are back! This soup looks amazing and great photo – pinning! Welcome back!!!
Thanks Cindy your too sweet. We did have a great trip, it was weird and nice unplugging from anything electronic. But back in the swing of things today, missed all you girls so much! 🙂
Looks so yummy, Krista! How was your trip! Missed you!!
Hey Girl! It was absolutely wonderful! We definitely had a blast and made lots of memories. It was nice to be “unplugged” from everything for a while. So glad to be back and playing with my little guy again, missed him alot, and glad to be back in a routine again. 🙂 Thanks so much for asking sweet friend!
Okay- 1—YUM!! 2— how fun & Happy Anniversary & 3– these images are BEAUTIFUL! Hugs!
Okay 1: So YUM!!! 2: Had a blast! and 3: Thanks… your so sweet, means alot coming from a expert like you!!! 🙂
I love that you put squash in this! I don’t think I’ve ever done that with chicken tortilla soup and yet it makes so much sense. I can’t wait to try this!
Thanks Dani! 🙂 I just load it with all the veggies I could, its so much better than just eating broth. haha.. Can’t wait to hear how you like it!
Sounds like you had a great trip. It is always good to take a break 🙂 I love chicken tortilla soup so I will have to try your recipe soon!
It definitely was! I was nice to just unplug from social media, emails, web surfing, and all things electrical to just focus on each other and read some good books. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the soup my friend!