March 14, 2021

Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup

Name: Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
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)); queso fresco or shredded cheese; sour cream; sliced avocado

Jump to 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.

a bowl of chunky chicken tortilla soup with sour cream — Click on the image above to PIN for later!

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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 tortilla soup with fried tortillas strips and avocado on top

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:

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.

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 — dried Mexican chiles

More Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Check Out