Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup
User Reviews
4.6
Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup
Description
Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup starts by baking tortilla strips until crisp and golden. Meanwhile, onions, jalapeño, and garlic are sautéed, then combined with chicken broth, diced tomatoes, black beans, shredded chicken, corn, and a mixture of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. The soup simmers briefly to build flavors. Lime juice added brightens the overall taste, and fresh cilantro finishes the soup.
The result is a hearty, well-spiced soup with a slightly smoky undertone from the paprika and defined heat from jalapeño and optional cayenne. The black beans and corn add texture and body while the shredded chicken adds protein, making it filling. The baked tortilla strips provide a crunchy contrast when sprinkled just before serving.
This soup can be served as a main dish, especially with toppings like diced avocado, shredded cheese, or sour cream for creaminess and complementary tastes. It stores well in the refrigerator for up to a week and freezes for several months. Leftover tortilla strips can be kept separately to maintain their crispness.
Storing the soup in airtight containers ensures freshness, and reheating is quick in a microwave. The recipe allows adjusting spice levels to taste by including or excluding jalapeño seeds and cayenne pepper.
Ingredients
Tortilla Strips
- 10 corn tortillas cut into 1/4-inch wide strips, small
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup sweet onion peeled and diced small (about 1 medium onion, Vidalia or yellow onion
- 1 jalapeno pepper about 4 to 5 inches long, diced very small (the seeds are where the heat is concentrated; included or discard them based on preference, large
- 4 garlic peeled and finely minced, cloves
- 32 ounces chicken broth low-sodium, 4 cups
- diced tomatoes I used petite diced, no-salt-added, two 14.5-ounce cans with juice
- black beans drained and rinsed, canned
- 2 cups chicken use store bought rotisserie chicken to save time; or roast or cook your own chicken or use other leftover chicken you have on hand, shredded, cooked
- 1 ½ cups corn (I used frozen straight from the freezer, or use canned corn that's drained, or fresh may be substituted)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice plus more to taste if desired
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika may be substituted)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional and to taste
- ⅓ cup cilantro finely minced, or to taste, fresh leaves
- avocado optional for serving, diced, for serving
- cheese optional for serving, shredded
- sour cream optional for serving
Instructions
Make the Tortilla Strips:
- Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or foil to save cleanup time.
- Loosely scatter the tortilla strips, evenly drizzle with olive oil, evenly sprinkle with kosher salt, toss with hands to coat evenly, and bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until crisp and lightly golden brown; set aside.
- While strips bake, begin making the soup.
Make the Soup:
- To a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium-high heat to warm.
- Add the onion, jalapeno, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir intermittently.
- Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and juice, black beans, chicken, corn, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, smoked paprika, optional cayenne pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Allow mixture to boil gently for about 5 to 7 minutes. If at any point the overall liquid level looks low or you prefer your soup to have more broth, add 1 to 2 cups of water; you’ll adjust the salt and seasoning levels at the end.
- Add the cilantro and boil 1 minute.
- Taste soup and add salt to taste. This will vary based on how salty the chicken broth, tomatoes, black beans, and rotisserie chicken are, and personal preference. Make any necessary seasoning adjustments (i.e. more salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, etc.).
- Ladle soup into bowls, top with tortilla strips to taste, optionally garnish with avocado, cheese and/or sour cream; serve immediately.
Notes
- Soup can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or frozen for 3-4 months.
- Reheat soup in the microwave for 30-60 seconds as needed.
- Extra homemade tortilla strips keep well at room temperature in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 5Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 485 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 485kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 55g | 18% |
| Protein | 28g | 56% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Cholesterol | 42mg | 14% |
| Sodium | 1873mg | 78% |
| Potassium | 878mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 12g | 48% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 979IU | 20% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 117mg | 12% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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