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5.0 from 123 votes

Cafe Rio Tortilla Soup

If you love Cafe Rio's Chicken Tortilla Soup, but don't want to go out - don't worry! We've got you covered with this AMAZING copycat recipe!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Simmering time
2 hrs
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 642 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 5 cups (40 ounces) chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 1 (15.5 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • pepper to taste
Chicken
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Vegetable oil, for brushing
Toppings
  • Pico de Gallo
  • 2 avocados, diced
  • 2 cups pepper jack cheese
  • tortilla strips
  • cilantro, for garnish
  • lime wedges, for garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a small skillet, saute onion in oil until onion becomes slightly soft. Stir in cumin, cayenne, and chili powder. Saute an additional 1-2 minutes.
  2. Crock Pot Method: Transfer seasoned onions to a small-medium crock pot. Add chicken broth, cilantro, lime juice, pepper, and pinto beans to onions and simmer on low heat for at least 2-3 hours. Stovetop Method: Transfer seasoned onions to a large pot or saucepan. Add chicken broth, cilantro, lime juice, pinto beans, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer on low heat for at least 30 minutes.
  3. In the meantime, when you are close to serving, combine taco seasoning and paprika. Brush chicken with oil and rub with seasoning mixture.
  4. Grill chicken over medium heat until cooked through. (Try to turn only once during the grilling process.)
  5. Remove from grill and shred.
  6. In small individual bowls, layer chicken, a few tablespoons pic de gallo, ⅓ cup diced avocado, and ⅓ cup pepper jack cheese.
  7. Ladle about 1 ½ cups of broth directly over the layers. Top with tortilla strips and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Notes

  • You can cook this soup in a slow cooker instead of simmering it on the stove. Put the sauteed onions and the remaining soup ingredients in a medium-sized slow cooker on low for at least 2-3 hours. You can throw the chicken in the slow cooker with the broth and it will taste rich and delicious but personally, I love the smoky grilled chicken taste. Grill it if you can. 
  • I added pinto beans to this recipe. It's not Cafe Rio's original way of doing things, but it is totally worth doing. The meaty beans give it a deeper flavor and actually make the soup go further. If you want to keep it exactly like Cafe Rio, feel free to leave them out.
  • Instead of adding a scoop of guacamole as I know Cafe Rio does, I just diced avocado, which saves the time of having to make a separate little thing of guacamole. Plus I love having the chunks of cool avocado in there. 
  •  

Nutrition Information

Calories 642kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 31g (10%) Protein 44g (88%) Fat 39g (60%) Saturated Fat 19g (95%) Cholesterol 118mg (39%) Sodium 1647mg (69%) Potassium 1243mg (36%) Fiber 13g (52%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 3057IU (61%) Vitamin C 29mg (32%) Calcium 659mg (66%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 642

% Daily Value*

Calories 642kcal 32%
Carbohydrates 31g 10%
Protein 44g 88%
Fat 39g 60%
Saturated Fat 19g 95%
Cholesterol 118mg 39%
Sodium 1647mg 69%
Potassium 1243mg 26%
Fiber 13g 52%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 3057IU 61%
Vitamin C 29mg 32%
Calcium 659mg 66%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.