This chicken tortilla soup recipe is creamy, hearty, filling, loaded with flavor, and keeps you warm and satisfied. Make this easy tortilla soup any day of the week and serve it to family and friends all year round.
Everything you love about Mexican flavors is placed in one pot and it is ready in just 45 minutes including prep time. Loaded with chicken and veggies, this creamy chicken tortilla soup recipe can be made on your stovetop, instant pot, or slow cooker. A comforting one-pot meal that will impress your friends and family. Made with shredded chicken, corn, salsa, beans, a variety of seasonings, cream cheese, and broth. Top your healthy tortilla soup with a variety of different toppings of your choice to create the most impressive soup dish of all time.
Why this tortilla soup will be your go-to soup
- Flavorful: If you love Mexican food you will love the flavors in this chicken tortilla soup. Everything you are looking for in a Mexican meal will be found in this soup.
- Easy and Healthy: Making this tortilla soup is quite easy and made with healthy ingredients. You may even eliminate the cream cheese and use coconut milk.
- Filling: This creamy chicken tortilla soup will keep you full for hours because it is so filling and packed with protein.
Ingredients you will need for this chicken tortilla soup
Below is a list of ingredients and some substitutes you can use to make this creamy tortilla soup. The full measurements are listed further down in the recipe card.
- Avocado oil: essentially, any oil you decide to use is fine.
- Onion: we used yellow onion, but purple and sweet onion can be used.
- Bell pepper: any color works, but we used red.
- Garlic cloves: use fresh garlic cloves instead of garlic powder. If you must, you can use garlic pwder.
- Seasonings: cumin, dried oregano, taco seasoning.
- Beans: we used black beans, but any other bean will do.
- Corn: use frozen, canned, or fresh.
- Tomato salsa: if you like your tortilla soup to be more on the spicy side, use spicy salsa.
- Pickled jalapeños: pickled is our prefered choice. you may use fresh.
- Chicken breast: use raw, or to save on time, use shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Broth: chicken broth was used, but you may use vegetable broth
- Cheese: You will need shredded cheddar cheese and one pack of cream cheese
- Additional garnishes: chopped avocado, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, yogurt, or sour cream
How to make creamy chicken tortilla soup from scratch
Heat the oil in a dutch oven pot and saute the onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and seasonings and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
Add the corn, salsa, jalapeño, beans, chicken, and broth. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to a low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it. Return back the shredded chicken and stir in with the cheeses.
Top with additional garnishes and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
There are a variety of sides you can serve with your chicken tortilla soup. our favorite picks would be some tortilla chips, chips & guacamole, roasted corn, cornbread, Mexican rice, breadsticks, grilled cheese, or Quesadillas.
To add more protein to your soup, consider adding some sort of meat like some shredded chicken breast. Another great way to add protein to soup is to add legumes. Beans work great with soup and any type you choose will work well. Another great option for protein is to add in some dairy.
If your soup is too watery, don’t fret. There is a solution to your problem. Things you can do quite easily to thicken up your soup is to use flour or cornstarch. Mix about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with some cold water and add it to the soup. The same goes for flowers but you may need to use 2 tablespoons of flour. Another way to thicken up your soup if you don’t want to use cornstarch is to simply remove some of the soup, blend it, and add it back into the pot. You may also consider adding in some dairy like yogurt, some rice, or lentils.
How to make this chicken tortilla soup in the slow cooker
- Heat the oil in a dutch oven pot and saute the onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and seasonings and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Turn on the slow cooker, add in the sauteed veggies. Then, add the corn, salsa, jalapeño, beans, chicken, and broth.
- Cover the slow cooker and set it on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours
- Open the slow cooker, remove the chicken breast and shred it. Return back the shredded chicken and stir in with the cheeses. Mix well.
- Top with additional garnishes and enjoy!
- Tip: If the tortilla soup is watery, use a spoon and mash some of the beans on the side of the pot, add in some cornstarch or flour (mix the cornstarch and flour with cole water before adding it in)
Love soups? We have more you may like
- Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
- Easy Moroccan Vegetable Soup
- Mexican Sweet Corn Soup
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Vegan Lentil Soup
- Chicken Cabbage Soup
- Crockpot Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
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Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 4 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 oz. packet taco seasoning
- 15 oz corn one can, drained
- 8 oz tomato salsa spicy or mild, one can
- 8 oz pickled jalapeño slices one can
- 15 oz black beans one can, drained and rinsed
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 oz cream cheese one pack, at room temp
- Additional garnishes: chopped avocado lime wedges, chopped cilantro, yogurt, or sour cream
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a dutch oven pot and saute the onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and seasonings and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Add the corn, salsa, jalapeño, beans, chicken, and broth. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to a low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it. Return back the shredded chicken and stir in with the cheeses.
- Top with additional garnishes and enjoy!
Notes
- serving size: one bowl or 2 cups
- corn: use canned or frozen
- chicken: use shredded rotisserie chicken, leftover turkey, or make your own chicken breast
- cream cheese: use light cream cheese
- if you don’t have chicken broth, you can use vegetable broth
- any oil works
- black beans preferred but any other bean works
Dale perozzo says
Muy creamy best lgbtq+chicken tube steak soupa recipe #1
Grace says
I made it a few times and everyone enjoyed was delicious.
Thanks Rena for all your great delicious recipes.
Rena Awada says
Thanks for the feedback grace. So glad you loved it
Lynn Dexter says
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! Can this be frozen and reheated later?
Rena says
Yes. You sure can
Lynn Dexter says
Thank you! This soup is so good!
Rena says
Thank you, Lynn. Glad you loved it
LB says
When do you add the cream cheese? Am I over looking it in the instructions?
Rena Awada says
I like adding it towards the very end. Mix it in until it dissolves, and let it simmer for the last 5 mins.
Joan says
How do you substitute coconut milk for the cream cheese in this recipe?
Rena says
You can add in the coconut milk towards the end and let it simmer for 5 minutes before serving
terrie bumpas says
This is the best tortilla soup I’ve tasted. Made in the crockpot and my husband couldn’t stop eating.
Topped with avocado and tortilla strips !!!
Rena says
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you loved it.
Donna says
The best ever!!!!
Rena says
Thank you Donna
Courtney says
If I was to make this in the crock pot do I just put all the ingredients in at once? And how long would you recommend cooking it for in the crock pot?
terrie bumpas says
I cook on low till done, not sure of time but I throw it all in except the cheese and do not sauté veggies. Happy Eating
Aj says
Has anyone made this with coconut milk instead of the cream cheese? Wonder how it would alter the taste. Or is there a better substitute? Any advice would be welcome!
Rena Awada says
it should be fine. Use the canned coconut milk
Katie says
I made it tonight and substituted 14 oz of coconut cream (omitting the cheese and cream cheese). It turned out great. The coconut cream made a good thickener.
Zaynab Fsai says
This is the perfect comfort soup on a cold day. It’s easy, quick to make and soooo good. I put a dollop of sour cream on top and it was perfect. Thank you for so many delicious recipes Rena.
Rena says
You are sweet. Thank you so much. Glad you loved it
Cassie says
It’s lovely, just made it! However I added too much cheese as cheese should be specified in grams not cups. Will make again but will be careful on the amount of cheese! Thanks so much x
Lisa says
I just made this tonight! My husband loves it! He likes it better than a famous chef’s tortilla soup, which is what I usually make. I added some chopped carrot and celery only because I like to add more veggies! I will be cooking this again! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Beck says
wow the sheen on that looks spectacular drool worthy and finger licking delicious love it! A must try soon!