Authentic Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (Easy!)

I’ve perfected an Easy Tortilla Soup Recipe that uses just a handful of pantry staples and is ready from start to finish in under thirty minutes.

I love a good bowl of chicken tortilla soup and this version is shockingly quick, under thirty minutes from stove to spoon. I toss in fire roasted diced tomatoes and plenty of shredded chicken so it feels deeply savory without a long cook time.

Folks call it the Best Chicken Tortilla Soup and honestly sometimes I even say it tastes like Authentic Chicken Tortilla Soup Mexico, which gets a laugh. I screw up recipes all the time but this one forgives you, with bright lime and crispy tortillas doing all the heavy lifting.

You’re gonna wanna make it on repeat.

Ingredients

• Yellow onion brings savory depth, adds fiber and natural sweetness, cooks down nicely
• Garlic gives pungent warmth, tiny amounts boost immunity, packs flavor
• Jalapeño adds heat and brightness a little goes a long way
• Smoky roasted tomatoes add tang and umami, less acidic than raw
• Shredded chicken bring lean protein, keeps soup hearty without being heavy
• Black beans add fiber and protein, creamy texture and earthy taste
• Sweet corn gives pops of sweetness and starch, adds color too
• Avocado cools, adds healthy fats and creaminess, dont overpower spice
• Crispy tortilla strips add crunch, provide carbs and that classic tortilla flavor

Ingredient Quantities

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 14 oz (400 g) fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie works great)
• 1 cup corn kernels, frozen or fresh
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 6 to 8 small corn tortillas
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Lime wedges for serving

How to Make this

1. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the minced garlic and chopped jalapeño if using, cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, then stir in the ground cumin, dried Mexican oregano and chili powder and cook another 20 to 30 seconds so the spices bloom.

3. Pour in the fire roasted diced tomatoes with their juices and the 6 cups of low sodium chicken broth, increase heat to bring to a simmer.

4. Add the cooked shredded chicken, corn kernels and the drained rinsed black beans. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about 8 to 10 minutes so the flavors meld. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

5. While soup is simmering, cut 6 to 8 corn tortillas into strips. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat and fry the strips in batches until crisp and golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel and salt lightly. Shortcut option bake at 425F for 8 to 12 minutes tossed with a little oil if you prefer less mess.

6. Stir the juice of 1 lime into the soup, taste and adjust seasoning. If it needs more brightness add more lime or a pinch of salt.

7. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a handful of tortilla strips, diced avocado, shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar, and crumbled queso fresco or cotija.

8. Finish with chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, another grind of black pepper and lime wedges on the side. Serve right away so the tortilla strips stay crunchy.

9. Leftover tip keep soup in the fridge up to 3 days and store extra tortilla strips separately so they dont get soggy. Reheat gently on the stove and add a squeeze of lime before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy-bottomed pot (6 to 8 qt), for cooking the soup and simmering everything together
2. Large skillet or frying pan, to crisp the tortilla strips (or to bake them you need a rimmed baking sheet)
3. Chef’s knife and a cutting board, for onion, jalapeño, avocado and garnishes
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, for stirring the aromatics and spices
5. Ladle, for serving the soup into bowls
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons, for broth, oil and spices
7. Can opener, for the tomatoes and beans
8. Colander or fine mesh sieve, to rinse and drain the black beans (and corn if needed)
9. Tongs or a slotted spoon, to lift fried tortilla strips out of the oil
10. Paper towels or a wire cooling rack, to drain and crisp the fried strips and keep them from getting soggy

FAQ

Authentic Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (Easy!) Substitutions and Variations

• Vegetable oil: swap with olive oil, avocado oil or canola oil. Olive gives a fruitier taste and is fine at medium heat, avocado has a higher smoke point for searing, canola is neutral and cheap. Use about the same amount, or a bit less with extra virgin olive oil.
• Jalapeño: use serrano for more heat, poblano for milder flavor, canned green chiles for convenience, or a small chipotle in adobo if you want smoky heat. Adjust amount cause heat varies.
• Black beans: pinto beans or kidney beans work great, or use cooked chickpeas if thats what you have. Drain and rinse canned beans, and add them near the end so they stay intact.
• Corn tortillas: swap with small flour tortillas, tortilla chips for crunch, or store bought tostadas; you can also cut tortillas into strips and bake or fry till crispy for topping.

Pro Tips

– Toast the spices in a dry skillet for 20 to 30 seconds before they hit the pot to deepen the flavor, then add them to the onions while still hot so they bloom better. Dont skip the final lime squeeze though, acid at the end is what makes the whole bowl pop.

– Crisping the tortilla strips: fry small batches in hot oil for 1 to 2 minutes per side and salt them right out of the oil, or bake at 425 F tossed with a little oil until golden. Store extras completely separate from the soup and re-crisp in a hot oven or toaster oven for 3 to 5 minutes if they go soft.

– Give your chicken contrast: rotisserie is easy, but toss some shredded chicken in a hot skillet with a pinch of cumin and a little oil to get browned edges before adding to the soup. If you want deeper broth flavor, poach raw chicken in part of the broth, shred it and return it to the pot.

– Mind the texture and balance: char a bit of the corn or pan-roast the tomatoes for smokiness, rinse and pan-dry the black beans so they dont water down the soup, and taste for salt and brightness before serving. If the tomatoes are too sharp add a tiny pinch of sugar rather than over-salting.

Authentic Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (Easy!)

Recipe by James Level

0.0 from 0 votes

I've perfected an Easy Tortilla Soup Recipe that uses just a handful of pantry staples and is ready from start to finish in under thirty minutes.

Pin

Servings

6

servings

Calories

442

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large heavy-bottomed pot (6 to 8 qt), for cooking the soup and simmering everything together
2. Large skillet or frying pan, to crisp the tortilla strips (or to bake them you need a rimmed baking sheet)
3. Chef’s knife and a cutting board, for onion, jalapeño, avocado and garnishes
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, for stirring the aromatics and spices
5. Ladle, for serving the soup into bowls
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons, for broth, oil and spices
7. Can opener, for the tomatoes and beans
8. Colander or fine mesh sieve, to rinse and drain the black beans (and corn if needed)
9. Tongs or a slotted spoon, to lift fried tortilla strips out of the oil
10. Paper towels or a wire cooling rack, to drain and crisp the fried strips and keep them from getting soggy

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped (optional)

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 14 oz (400 g) fire roasted diced tomatoes

• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie works great)

• 1 cup corn kernels, frozen or fresh

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 lime, juiced

• 6 to 8 small corn tortillas

• 1 avocado, diced

• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• Salt, to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Lime wedges for serving

Directions

• Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic and chopped jalapeño if using, cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, then stir in the ground cumin, dried Mexican oregano and chili powder and cook another 20 to 30 seconds so the spices bloom.
• Pour in the fire roasted diced tomatoes with their juices and the 6 cups of low sodium chicken broth, increase heat to bring to a simmer.
• Add the cooked shredded chicken, corn kernels and the drained rinsed black beans. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about 8 to 10 minutes so the flavors meld. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• While soup is simmering, cut 6 to 8 corn tortillas into strips. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat and fry the strips in batches until crisp and golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel and salt lightly. Shortcut option bake at 425F for 8 to 12 minutes tossed with a little oil if you prefer less mess.
• Stir the juice of 1 lime into the soup, taste and adjust seasoning. If it needs more brightness add more lime or a pinch of salt.
• Ladle soup into bowls and top with a handful of tortilla strips, diced avocado, shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar, and crumbled queso fresco or cotija.
• Finish with chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, another grind of black pepper and lime wedges on the side. Serve right away so the tortilla strips stay crunchy.
• Leftover tip keep soup in the fridge up to 3 days and store extra tortilla strips separately so they dont get soggy. Reheat gently on the stove and add a squeeze of lime before serving.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 642g
• Total number of serves: 6
• Calories: 442kcal
• Fat: 21g
• Saturated Fat: 4.3g
• Trans Fat: 0.08g
• Polyunsaturated: 1.7g
• Monounsaturated: 10g
• Cholesterol: 32mg
• Sodium: 508mg
• Potassium: 800mg
• Carbohydrates: 42g
• Fiber: 6.5g
• Sugar: 5g
• Protein: 21g
• Vitamin A: 1200IU
• Vitamin C: 15mg
• Calcium: 130mg
• Iron: 2mg