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When you need a dinner that is warm, comforting, flavorful, and easy to get on the table, this Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup checks all the boxes. It is loaded with tender chicken, beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and Mexican-inspired spices, then finished with crispy tortilla strips and your favorite toppings.
Looking for more easy but packed with flavor soup recipes, you have to try my Marry me Chicken Soup, Zupa Toscana or this hearty and viral Lasagna Soup.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Ingredients needed to make my Chicken Tortilla Soup
- How to Make Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Recipe Tip
- Recipe Tip
- The Best Toppings for Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Can I Make Chicken Tortilla Soup Ahead of Time?
- Final Thoughts
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Try these Hearty Soup Recipes:
- Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Tortilla Soup
There are plenty of reasons this has become one of my favorite easy soup recipes.
Quick and easy: This soup doesn’t require hours of simmering. It’s a great option when you need dinner fast.
Big flavor: Tomatoes, peppers, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and tender chicken create a rich, savory broth packed with flavor.
One-pot meal: Everything comes together in one pot, which means less cleanup after dinner.
Family friendly: Keep the soup mild and let everyone customize their own bowl with toppings.
Perfect for leftovers: Like many soups, the flavors get even better after sitting overnight. Make a big batch and enjoy an easy lunch the next day.
Ingredients needed to make my Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken: to make this soup quickly, use already cooked rotisserie chicken or left over grilled chicken.
- Diced tomatoes: form the base of the soup and add acidity and sweetness to the broth.
- Beans: black beans add texture, protein and heartiness.
- Corn: adds a little sweetness that balances the spicy and savory flavors in the soup. Fresh, frozen, or canned corn will all work.
- Jalapeno and Onion: diced onion and peppers build the flavor base. Use a jalapeño if you like some heat, or leave it out for a milder family-friendly chicken tortilla soup.
- Broth: low sodium chicken broth to be the liquid base for the soup.
- Spices: a mix of Taco and All Purpose seasoning to add the Mexican flavors balanced by the traditional savory flavors of salt, pepper and paprika.
- Lime: adds tanginess to the soup making it lighter and balancing all the rich flavors.
How to Make Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Sauté Veggies First
This easy chicken tortilla soup recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight because it comes together without a long list of complicated steps. It’s hearty enough to serve as a complete meal, but it’s also a great recipe to make when you want something cozy without spending hours in the kitchen.
The first step in making my favorite Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup is sautéing the veggies.
Keep it simple. I went with an onion and jalapeno. Dice them up and drop them in pot or dutch oven with a little olive oil. Sauté until the onion is translucent but still firm.
Next, add in a 1 tbsp of Dad’s Taco seasoning and minced garlic. Mix everything together.
Recipe Tip
If you are worried about heat or making this soup recipe for smaller kids, replace the jalapeno with a green bell pepper.
Dad’s Seasonings
Must have grillin seasonings!
Add in the Canned Goods
Once you get the aromatics going, it’s time to add in all the canned ingredients.
Start with adding the crushed tomatoes and a can of Ro-Tel. Rinse the black beans and drop them in. Drain corn and finally add that in.
Finally Add Flavor and Broth
10 minutes later this Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup is ready for its final ingredients. Add in a whole carton of chicken broth. Drop in shredded chicken, Dad’s Taco and Dad’s All Purpose seasonings, chicken bouillon and finish off with freshly squeezed lime juice and drop in a bay leaf.
Bring the broth to a boil and let it simmer for the next 30 minutes to build the flavor and soften the ingredients.
Recipe Tip
Use low sodium or no salt broth. Adjust savoriness with spices.
For some heat, add some hot sauce into the soup.
For a creamy soup, add half a cup of heavy cream, cream cheese or Mexican cream.
Before serving, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. Add salt if needed or squeeze more fresh lime juice at the end can also brighten up the entire pot.
This tortilla soup recipe is lighter than most soups. I skipped the heavy cream or dipping tortilla chips in the soup.
The Best Toppings for Chicken Tortilla Soup
The toppings are one of my favorite parts of making chicken tortilla soup.
Set everything out and let everyone build their own bowl.
Some of my favorite toppings include:
- Crispy tortilla strips
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Avocado
- Sour cream
- Fresh cilantro
- Diced jalapenos
- Green onions
- Fresh lime wedges
Can I Make Chicken Tortilla Soup Ahead of Time?
Yes! This is actually a great make-ahead soup.
Prepare the soup according to the recipe, let it cool, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.
I recommend keeping crispy tortilla strips and other crunchy toppings separate until you’re ready to serve. That way they stay crisp instead of becoming soggy.
Final Thoughts
This Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup is exactly the kind of meal I love having in my back pocket. It’s simple, packed with flavor, and easy to customize depending on what you have in the fridge.
Whether you use leftover grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or smoked chicken, you can have a hearty bowl of soup on the table without spending all night in the kitchen.
And don’t forget the toppings. Crispy tortilla strips, creamy avocado, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime take this easy chicken tortilla soup from a simple weeknight meal to something the whole family will be excited to eat.
It’s warm, comforting, loaded with bold flavor, and perfect for everything from a busy weeknight dinner to a lazy weekend lunch. Grab a big bowl, pile on the toppings, and dig in! Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely. Using leftover chicken vs. store bought rotisserie chicken is perfect. Grilled chicken adds a delicious smoky flavor and makes this an excellent leftover chicken recipe.
The ingredients are simple and I’ve used them all in my recipe. Chicken, tomatoes, chicken broth, peppers, onions, beans, corn, and Mexican-inspired seasonings. It is traditionally served with crispy tortilla strips and toppings such as avocado, cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.
Try these Hearty Soup Recipes:
If you tried this Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Yellow onion
- 1 Jalapeno
- 2 tbsp Taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp All purpose seasoning
- 1 tbsp Chicken bouillon
- 2 tbsp Minced garlic
- 28 oz Crushed tomatoes (canned)
- 10 oz Ro-Tel
- 15 oz Sweet corn (canned)
- 15 oz Black beans (canned)
- 4 cups Chicken broth (lows sodium)
- 1 Rotisserie chicken
- 1 Lime – squeezed juice
- Salt and pepper for taste
- 2 Bay leaves
Instructions
- Start by heating a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add a little oil, followed by the diced onion and peppers. Add a tablespoon of taco seasoning.
- Cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook foranother minute.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, Ro-Tel, rinsed black beans and drained corn.
- Add in chicken broth, chicken bullion and drop in the shredded chicken. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Before serving, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. Add freshly squeezed lime juice to brighten up the soup.
- Serve this Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla soup in a bowl, topped with shredded cheese, tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.
