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    Emily Fabulous » Recipes » Recipes

    Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Published: Mar 14, 2021 · Modified: Sep 23, 2023 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links · 27 Comments

    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.

    bowl or homemade tortilla soup with sour cream and avocado topping
    Jump to:
    • Why I Love This Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup
    • How to Make Easy Tortilla Soup
    • Expert Tips and Substitutions for This Recipe
    • How to Make Crispy Tortilla Strips
    • How to Make Ground Dried Mexican Chili Powder
    • Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Why I Love This Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup

    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!

    If you love Mexican food as much as I do check out my Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Beef, Air Fryer Chimichangas, and my Instant Pot Mexican Style Beans. All of these recipes are easy to make and full of flavor.

    bowl of chunky chicken tortilla soup

    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.

    onions and jalapenos in a dutch oven

    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.

    tortilla soup cooking in a dutch oven

    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!

    two bowls of tortilla soup

    Expert Tips and Substitutions for This Recipe

    • Open all of the cans and prepare all of the vegetables before starting the cooking process. This helps keep the recipe preparation time at 30 minutes.
    • If you don't want to make crispy tortilla strips, you can use tortilla chips from the bag instead.
    • Create a toppings bar so each person can individualize their soup with their favorite toppings.
    • For additional heat, add 1-2 canned chipolte peppers. These are dried jalapenos that have been smoked and canned in hot sauce. A little goes a long way!
    • Substitute dried Mexican Chiles with Chile Powder.

    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 pot 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.

    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

    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.

    If you get a chance to make this Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes right in your inbox.

    bowl of chunky chicken tortilla soup

    Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup

    An easy and delicious Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup that is full of a ton of goodies and flavor!
    5 from 39 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 178kcal
    Author: Emily
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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 stirring for another minute.
    • 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.
    • 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!

    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.

    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.

    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @EmilyFabulous_Blog or tag #emilyfabulous!

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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

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