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    Home » Recipes

    Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Published: Mar 14, 2021 · Modified: Jun 5, 2022 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links · 27 Comments

    This Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe comes together in 30 minutes and packs a ton of flavor and veggies! Make this soup for dinner any night of the week or freeze some for later.

    a bowl of tortilla soup with fried tortillas strips and avocado on top
    Jump to Recipe

    You guys know by now I love all Mexican-inspired food and tortilla soup is no exception. This Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup is a game-changer when it comes to quick and easy meals because it comes together in about 30 minutes!

    two bowls of tortilla soup with toppings

    Ingredients Needed to Make Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup

    • olive oil
    • onion
    • jalapeno pepper
    • garlic
    • diced or shredded cooked chicken
    • chicken broth
    • fresh lime juice
    • canned diced tomatoes
    • black beans
    • canned corn 
    • ground dried Mexican chilis (see notes)
    • chili powder
    • cumin
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • fresh cilantro
    • tortilla chips or fried tortilla strips (see notes)
    • queso fresco or shredded cheese, sour cream, and avocado for serving
    a bowl of chunky chicken tortilla soup with sour cream
    Click on the image above to PIN for later!

    How to Make Easy Tortilla Soup

    Warm up the olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot over med-high heat. Add the onions and jalapeno and cook for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking for another minute.

    Add the chicken, broth, lime juice, tomatoes, black beans, corn, chili powder, Mexican chili powder, and cumin. Stir everything together and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    Add salt and pepper to taste (this will depend on the type of canned goods you add and if your chicken had any seasoning) and the cilantro and lower the heat. Allow the soup to cool for a few minutes before serving. Place the tortillas on top and garnish with sour cream, avocado, and cheese if desired. Enjoy!

    bowl of tortilla soup with avocado and sour cream on top

    How to Make Crispy Tortilla Strips

    These are the same tortilla stips I use for my Instant Pot Green Chile Chicken. Here's how to make them:

    1. In a cast-iron pan or large skillet, heat the oil over med-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add half of the tortilla strips to the pan and allow to fry on one side. Use your metal tongs to flip and move the strips around for a few minutes.
    2. Once the tortillas start to brown, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate with a paper towel to catch the excess oil. Sprinkle with salt and allow to cool before serving.
    fried tortilla strips in a bowl
    homemade fried tortilla strips

    How to Make Ground Dried Mexican Chili Powder

    I use 2-3 different types of dried chiles that come in plastic bags (you can find them in the Mexican food aisle at the grocery store), but you can also just use one type. Take each chile, cut off the stem at the top and empty the seeds out of the middle. Cut up the chile into small pieces and fill a coffee/nut grinder (or use a small food processor). Pulse until you have a fine powder. Use the ground chiles for this recipe and then store any remaining chile powder in a sealed container for several weeks. This is also what I used to sprinkle on top of the sour cream for the final presentation.

    dried Mexican chiles on a counter
    dried Mexican chiles
    dried, cut up Mexican chiles in a grinder
    cut up chiles in a grinder
    dried Mexican chiles ground in a grinder
    ground Mexican chiles

    More Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Check Out

    • Air Fryer Chimichangas
    • Instant Pot Green Chile Chicken
    • Baked Chile Rellenos
    • Mexican Pizza Recipe (Taco Bell Copycat)
    • Air Fryer Taquitos
    bowl of tortilla soup with avocado and sour cream

    Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup

    An easy and delicious Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup that is full of a ton of goodies and flavor!
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 178kcal
    Author: EmilyFabulous

    Equipment

    • dutch oven or large pot
    • wooden spoon
    • ladel

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 medium onion, diced
    • 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
    • 4 cups chicken broth
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • 1 14.5 ounces can diced tomatoes
    • 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed
    • 1 11 ounce can corn (I found fiesta corn with added peppers or you can use regular whole corn)
    • 2 teaspoon ground dried Mexican chilis (see notes)
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 2 teaspoon cumin
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
    • tortilla chips or fried tortilla strips (see notes)

    Optional Toppings

    • queso fresco or shredded cheese
    • sour cream
    • sliced avocado

    Instructions

    • Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot over med-high heat. Add the onions and jalapeno and cook for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and continue stiring for another minute.
      onions and jalapenos in a dutch oven
    • Add the chicken, chicken broth, lime juice, tomatoes, black beans, corn, chili powder, Mexican chili powder, and cumin. Stir everything together and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
      tortilla soup in a dutch oven
    • Add salt and pepper to taste (this will depend on the type of canned goods you add and if your cooked chicken had any seasoning). Put in the cilantro, stir, and remove from the heat. Allow the soup to cool for a few minutes before serving. Place the tortillas on top and garnish with sour cream, avocado, and cheese if desired. Enjoy!
      bowl of tortilla soup with avocado and sour cream

    Notes

    • How to make ground dried chiles: Cut off the stem of the chile at the top and empty the seeds out of the middle. Cut up the chile into small pieces and fill the In a coffee/nut grinder (or small food processor). Pulse until you have a fine powder.
    • How to make fried tortilla strips: In a cast-iron pan or large skillet, heat the oil over med-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add half of the tortilla strips to the pan and allow to fry on one side. Use your metal tongs to flip and move the strips around for a few minutes. Once the tortillas start to brown, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate with a paper towel to catch the excess oil. Sprinkle with salt and allow to cool before serving.
    • Nutrition facts are for soup ONLY, not added toppings or tortilla strips.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.3g | Protein: 18.6g | Fat: 7.7g | Saturated Fat: 1.4g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 960mg | Potassium: 499mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 3.5g | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg

    Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

    two bowls of tortilla soup with toppings
    Click on the image above to PIN for later!

    Did you Make this Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup?

    If you get a chance to make this Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup don't forget to leave a comment below. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you share a photo.

    If you want more delicious and easy recipes follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my email list and you will never miss a recipe!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joe says

      April 15, 2021 at 3:11 am

      5 stars
      IDK how I stumbled across this food blog, but I'm glad I did. I was pressure cooking chicken breasts in the InstantPot wondering what to make with it. This soup is suuuper easy to make plus I had most of the ingredients in my pantry already. It's definitely delicious and nutritious! 🙂

      Reply
      • Emily says

        April 15, 2021 at 5:00 am

        Thanks, Joe! I'm also glad you stumbled upon my blog and you enjoyed this soup 😁. It's one of my favorites!

        Reply
    2. Addison says

      March 23, 2021 at 8:49 pm

      5 stars
      So warm and cozy!

      Reply
    3. Freya says

      March 23, 2021 at 5:37 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! This looks so good!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        March 23, 2021 at 5:43 pm

        Thanks, Freya, it's a go-to dinner recipe for sure!

        Reply
    4. Linda says

      March 23, 2021 at 3:36 am

      5 stars
      Hello, weeknight dinners! This one will be our new favorite especially after a long day at work.

      Reply
      • Emily says

        March 23, 2021 at 4:34 am

        Yes!! That’s exactly why I love this soup, enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Chef Dennis says

      March 23, 2021 at 3:11 am

      5 stars
      My wife really loved this soup!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        March 23, 2021 at 4:33 am

        So glad to hear it, Dennis! I hope you enjoyed it too 😉

        Reply
    6. Michelle says

      March 22, 2021 at 4:25 pm

      5 stars
      This chicken tortilla looks so delicious! Love the chunky, rustic feel! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        March 22, 2021 at 9:27 pm

        You are welcome, Michelle!

        Reply
    7. Wanda says

      March 22, 2021 at 4:21 pm

      5 stars
      Such a hearty, comforting soup to make on cooler days. We loved this recipe!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        March 22, 2021 at 9:28 pm

        I'm so glad to hear it, Wanda. We love this soup on chilly nights too!

        Reply
    8. Kathryn says

      March 22, 2021 at 3:44 pm

      5 stars
      Chicken Tortilla Soup is one of my favorites and your recipe looks delicious. I love how simple and easy it is to make so I will trying your recipe this week, thank you!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        March 22, 2021 at 4:12 pm

        Thanks, Kathryn! Tortilla Soup is one of my favorites too and if I can have it in under an hour I'm in!!

        Reply
    9. Sue says

      March 22, 2021 at 3:38 pm

      5 stars
      I love this chunky version of chicken tortilla soup. So full of flavor!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        March 22, 2021 at 4:12 pm

        Thanks, Sue, chunky soups are the way to go!

        Reply
    10. Biana says

      March 22, 2021 at 3:33 pm

      5 stars
      This Tortilla Soup looks amazing! Will be making it next time I have some shredded chicken leftover.

      Reply
      • Emily says

        March 22, 2021 at 4:12 pm

        It's perfect for leftovers, enjoy!

        Reply
    11. Fabiana says

      March 22, 2021 at 3:32 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds super yummy and easy to make !! I love Mexican food, can't wait to try your recipe!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        March 22, 2021 at 4:13 pm

        I hope you enjoy it, it's so easy to make!

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. 53 Quick Dinner Ideas: Save Time & Eat Well - The Female Professional says:
      June 17, 2021 at 10:02 am

      […] Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe This Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe comes together in 30 minutes and packs a ton of flavor and veggies! Make this soup for dinner any night of the week, or freeze some for later. Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup | Fast | Easy | EmilyFabulous […]

      Reply
    2. Quick Dinner Tips: Making Those Easy Dinner Recipes Even Quicker – Unique Balistreri says:
      June 5, 2021 at 11:11 pm

      […] Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup | Fast | Easy | EmilyFabulous […]

      Reply
    3. Quick Dinner Tips: Making Those Easy Dinner Recipes Even Quicker – Vincent Bermudez says:
      June 5, 2021 at 11:08 pm

      […] Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup | Fast | Easy | EmilyFabulous […]

      Reply
    4. Quick Dinner Tips: Making Those Easy Dinner Recipes Even Quicker – Arrest Your Debt says:
      June 5, 2021 at 10:21 pm

      […] Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup | Fast | Easy | EmilyFabulous […]

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    5. Quick Dinner Tips: Making Those Easy Dinner Recipes Even Quicker says:
      June 2, 2021 at 6:37 pm

      […] Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup | Fast | Easy | EmilyFabulous […]

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    6. 53 Quick Dinner Ideas You Can Make Tonight - Money Saved Is Money Earned says:
      May 12, 2021 at 12:05 pm

      […] Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup | Fast | Easy | EmilyFabulous […]

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