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Tortilla Chicken Soup
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Tortilla Chicken Soup

This authentic Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup is the real deal. It takes time to do it right, but it's worth every minute.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings (2 cups each)
Calories: 446 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

For the fried tortilla strips:
  • corn oil or vegetable oil
  • 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas cut into 1/2-inch wide strips (see note 1)
For the poached chicken and broth:
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled, divided
  • 1 large onion quartered, divided
  • 10 prigs cilantro or epazote (see note 2, fresh
  • 1 teaspoon oregano crushed (see note 3, dried, Mexican
  • black pepper freshly ground
  • salt freshly ground
  • 2 pounds chicken breast trimmed, bone-in
For the soup base:
  • 2 tomato cored and quartered
  • 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce (see note 4)
For serving:
  • Mexican crema or sour cream (see note 5)
  • cotija cheese crumbled
  • avocado cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • jalapeno pepper stemmed and thinly sliced
  • cilantro fresh leaves
  • lime wedges

Instructions

To fry the tortilla strips:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Line a plate with paper towels. Heat ¼ to ½ inch of vegetable oil in a skillet or Dutch oven (or you can use a deep fryer). When the oil reaches 350 degrees, place a few of the tortilla strips in at a time to cook. (Be careful not to overcrowd the pot.)
  2. Fry the strips for just a couple of minutes, until they start to turn light brown, remove from the oil and let drain on paper towels. Set aside.
To poach the chicken:
  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, bring chicken broth, 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, cilantro, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to a boil.
  2. Add chicken breasts, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked and registers 165 degrees on a digital thermometer, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred it into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones and skin. Strain broth through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding solids. Reserve broth and set aside.
To make the soup base:
  1. While the broth is simmering, adjust an oven rack to 4 to 6 inches from the heat source and preheat broiler on HIGH. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up.
  2. Arrange tomatoes, remaining 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, and tomatoes on the prepared sheet. Broil until vegetables are charred and sizzling, about 15 minutes, rotating pan every 5 minutes to ensure even broiling.
  3. Transfer broiled vegetables to a blender. Add chipotle pepper. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
  4. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the empty pot and heat until shimmering over medium-high heat. Add blended tomato mixture and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is darkened and liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes.
To make the tortilla soup:
  1. Stir broth into tomato soup base and simmer until flavors meld, about 15 minutes, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  2. Stir in shredded chicken. Continue to simmer until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Place a small amount of tortilla strips in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle soup over the top. Serve with cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, lime, and tortilla strips, or your favorite toppings.

Notes

  • Corn tortillas: Store-bought tortilla chips are too flimsy and bland for this soup. You can use store-bought corn tortillas, then slice and fry them yourself.
  • Cilantro: If you hate cilantro, just leave it out.
  • Mexican oregano: This dried herb tastes more like marjoram than Italian oregano, and you can find it in the Hispanic food aisle at some grocery stores. Substitute Italian oregano if that’s what you have.
  • Chipotle chiles: These canned chiles in adobo sauce are spicy! If you shy away from spicy food, add a small amount to start or leave them out.
  • Crema: Mexican crema is a lot like sour cream in flavor but with a thinner consistency. It's ideal for drizzling whereas sour cream is easier to dollop.
  • Yield: This recipe makes 8 cups of soup, enough for 4 hearty servings, 2 cups each.
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition Information

Serving 2 cups Calories 446kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 33g (11%) Protein 46g (92%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g (24%) Monounsaturated Fat 6g (30%) Trans Fat 0.04g (2%) Cholesterol 126mg (42%) Sodium 1985mg (83%) Potassium 1095mg (23%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 887IU (18%) Vitamin C 16mg (18%) Calcium 101mg (10%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings (2 cups each)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 446

% Daily Value*

Serving 2 cups
Calories 446kcal 22%
Carbohydrates 33g 11%
Protein 46g 92%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 6g 30%
Trans Fat 0.04g 2%
Cholesterol 126mg 42%
Sodium 1985mg 83%
Potassium 1095mg 23%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 887IU 18%
Vitamin C 16mg 18%
Calcium 101mg 10%
Iron 2mg 11%

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