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Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup is fantastically flavorful and oh so easy to make! Pile it high with all your favorite toppings and make it as spicy or as mild as you'd like. Recipe yields 5-6 cup sized servings or 3 large bowls.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 222 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American , Mexican

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 TBSP avocado oil or favorite cooking oil
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 jalapeños
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2-3 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2-3 cups Red Enchilada Sauce (homemade or store-bought)
  • 1/4-1/2 cup salsa verde or your favorite jarred salsa
  • Juice of 1 lime or extra to taste
  • ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • 1 tsp salt or season to taste
TASTY TOPPINGS
  • 2-4 tsp additional cilantro
  • 1 avocado (peeled, pitted, and sliced thin)
  • 1-2 handfuls tortilla chips or strips
  • 4-6 ounces grated pepper jack or cheddar cheese
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
  • Sour Cream or Greek yogurt
  • Thinly sliced jalapeño
  • lime wedges to garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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. 
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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

  • No avocado oil? No problem! Use olive oil, coconut oil, or your favorite healthy oil. No salsa verde? I've made this with chunky red salsa too and it's fantastic both ways!
  • Using leftover or rotisserie chicken in place of raw? You'll want to use about 3 cups and simmer it in the soup for just 5-10 minutes or until chicken is heated through and the broth is spicy and flavorful. Enjoy!
  • Want a chunkier soup or just looking to let more veggies in on the fun? Feel free to add extras like chopped bell pepper, corn, black beans, and more!
  • Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and are calculated before toppings. Adjust as needed based on topping choice and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Calories 222kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 14g (5%) Protein 25g (50%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 58mg (19%) Sodium 1105mg (46%) Potassium 621mg (18%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 1395IU (28%) Vitamin C 12.5mg (14%) Calcium 30mg (3%) Iron 2.2mg (12%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 5servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 222

% 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.