Best Chicken Tortilla Soup (Print)

Comforting Mexican-style soup with tender chicken, roasted tomatoes, corn, and crunchy tortilla strips. Quick 45-minute meal.

# Ingredients:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
06 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
07 - 1 lime, juiced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Canned Goods

09 - 1 can (14 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
10 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
16 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Tortilla Strips

17 - 4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
18 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Optional Toppings

19 - Sliced avocado
20 - Shredded cheese
21 - Sour cream
22 - Extra lime wedges

# Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Set aside.
02 - In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeño. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds.
04 - Add chicken breasts, fire-roasted tomatoes with juice, corn, bay leaf, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
05 - Remove chicken breasts from the pot. Shred them using two forks and return to the soup.
06 - Add lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Discard bay leaf.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips and desired optional toppings.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can have restaurant-quality soup on a weeknight without the stress.
  • The combination of fire-roasted tomatoes and lime creates this perfectly balanced brightness that makes you crave another spoonful.
  • Those crispy tortilla strips are where the magic happens, turning something simple into something you'll actually want to make again and again.
02 -
  • The first time I made this soup, I added the cilantro while everything was still simmering and it completely lost its punch, so now I always wait until the very end to add it in.
  • Tortilla strips taste best when they're truly crispy, and that means not overcrowding the baking sheet or they'll steam instead of toast.
03 -
  • Make a big batch on Sunday and you'll have lunch for half the week, since this soup actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have had time to get to know each other.
  • Store the tortilla strips separately so they stay crispy instead of getting soggy in the fridge, and add them fresh each time you reheat a bowl.
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