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Chicken Tortilla Soup is having a moment and it’s easy to see why. It’s warm and filling like a classic Chicken Noodle Soup, but with bold Tex-Mex flavor and a pile of crunchy toppings. The trouble is that a lot of homemade tortilla soup tastes flat, more like chicken broth with beans floating in it than the rich, zesty bowl you get at a good Mexican restaurant. You do not need a long ingredient list or hours of simmering to fix that.
The secret is a small 4 ounce can of mild diced green chilies. In our Chicken Tortilla Soup, which has a perfect 5 star rating from 68 reviews, the chilies go into the pot with a can of diced tomatoes, low sodium chicken broth, black beans, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano. Green chilies add a gentle, savory warmth without making the soup too spicy for kids, and they give the broth that roasted pepper flavor you notice in restaurant versions. Simmer everything, poach the chicken right in the broth, then shred it and stir it back in with frozen corn and a tablespoon of fresh lime juice to brighten every spoonful.
How to make chicken tortilla soup in the slow cooker or Instant Pot
This recipe is flexible, which makes it a great weeknight dinner. It only takes 30 minutes to make it in a pot on the stove, but you can also make it in the crock pot and Instant Pot. For a crock pot version, saute the peppers, onion, and garlic first, then add everything except the corn and lime juice to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. In the Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 7 minutes and let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Short on time? Use rotisserie chicken and stir it in at the end with the corn. If you love this kind of easy soup, our Taco Soup is another family favorite.
The toppings are half the fun, so set out a little bar of tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges and let everyone build their own bowl. A spoonful of homemade Pico de Gallo is great on top, and a wedge of Skillet Cornbread or a pan of Chicken Enchiladas turns it into a bigger meal. Get all the details in our Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe.
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