Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup
User Reviews
5
Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Description
Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup is prepared by first sautéing diced onion and jalapeño with cumin and chili powder until tender, then garlic is added briefly for depth. Chicken broth, enchilada sauce, and salsa verde build a rich, vibrant base where whole chicken breasts cook gently until tender. After shredding the chicken, it's reincorporated into the broth for a hearty, textured soup. The combination of chili powder and jalapeño seeds determines the heat level, allowing you to adjust spiciness.
The soup offers a layered flavor profile balancing the earthiness of cumin and chili powder with bright, fresh lime juice and fragrant cilantro. Toppings like creamy avocado slices, crunchy tortilla chips, and melted pepper jack cheese complement the broth and tender chicken bite. This makes it suitable as a main meal or comforting lunch, especially when served with extra lime wedges and optional sour cream for a cooling contrast.
Notes suggest flexibility in oils and salsa choice, with alternatives like olive or coconut oil and chunky red salsa. Leftover or rotisserie chicken can replace raw chicken for a quick version, simmered briefly in the broth. Additional vegetables such as bell peppers, corn, or black beans can be added for extra texture and flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast boneless skinless
- 1 TBSP avocado oil or favorite cooking oil
- 1 onion medium
- 2 jalapeños
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin ground
- 4 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 2-3 cups Red Enchilada Sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 1/4-1/2 cup salsa verde or your favorite jarred salsa
- lime or extra to taste, juice of 1
- ½ cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- 1 tsp salt or season to taste
TASTY TOPPINGS
- 2-4 tsp cilantro additional
- 1 avocado (peeled, pitted, and sliced thin)
- 1-2 handfuls tortilla chips or strips
- 4-6 ounces pepper jack cheese or cheddar cheese, grated
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- jalapeño thinly sliced
- lime wedges, to garnish
Instructions
- Finely dice your onion and jalapeño, removing the stem and seeds from the jalapeño. For a slightly spicy soup, add a teaspoon or so of the seeds into the soup. If an extra spicy soup is desired, feel free to add all the seeds. You can make this soup as mild or as spicy as you'd like.
- Heat a large pot with 1-2 tsp of oil. Add onion, jalapeño, cumin, and chili pepper. Sauté until tender, approx. 3-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic towards the end, sautéing for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add your broth, enchilada sauce, and salsa to the pot and stir. Bring to a rolling boil, add your chicken, then reduce heat to a vigorous simmer.
- Cook the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes. For a speedier cook time, you are welcome to dice the chicken first before adding it to the soup, in which case you'll only need to simmer it 10-15 minutes.
- Use tongs to remove the chicken from the soup and add to a large bowl to shred with forks. You may also dice on a cutting board. Once it's in bite-sized shreds or chunks, add it back to to the soup along with your lime juice and cilantro.
- Give it a taste and season with salt as desired (this will depend on the saltiness of your enchilada sauce and broth) - you can also use this time to make your soup even spicier if desired by adding extra jalapeño seeds, hot sauce, or cayenne pepper.
- Top your choice of toppings from the list above (I added them all - SO GOOD!) and dive in! Leftover soup can be kept in the fridge and is great the following days!
Notes
- Substitute avocado oil with olive or coconut oil if needed.
- If salsa verde is unavailable, chunky red salsa works well too.
- Using cooked rotisserie chicken is possible; add about 3 cups and simmer 5-10 minutes to heat through and infuse flavors.
- Add extra vegetables like bell pepper, corn, or black beans for a chunkier soup.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 5servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 222 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 222kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 14g | 5% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 58mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 1105mg | 46% |
| Potassium | 621mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 1395IU | 28% |
| Vitamin C | 12.5mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 30mg | 3% |
| Iron | 2.2mg | 12% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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