Our Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe makes it a breeze to get this classic Mexican soup on the table in under an hour. Get your avocados, crisp tortilla strips, jack cheese, cilantro, and lime ready, because it’s all about the garnish for this memorably delicious soup!
As the scent of onions, garlic, tomatoes, chicken and Mexican herbs and spices starts filling the house, you’ll know you’re heading in the right direction. This Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup, while it can be an all day simmer-er, is more than merely delicious in under an hour.
Let’s break down what makes this particular soup so satisfying. In it’s essence, it is a bowl full of everything I have ever loved about Mexican food.
Bold flavors, savoury beans, smoky chiles? Yes, and in abundance.
Moist chicken, corn tortillas, fresh jalapenos, creamy avocados? Check, check and check.
If you’ve never eaten tortilla soup before, it is easiest to compare it to the flavors of chicken enchiladas. The chicken and tomato based broth is the perfect vehicle to deliver the ultimate in Mexican comfort food.
My recipe makes quite a quantity of soup. I didn’t down-size it for two solid reasons.
- You’re going to eat more than you think you are. Trust me. You won’t be sorry to have more of this than you think you need but you may regret it if you make just enough for one meal. This brings me to…
- Leftovers freeze like a dream. You can portion out family or individual sized servings and stash them in the freezer for fast meals. You’ll be so grateful to have a stash of this frozen to deal with last minute Tortilla Soup cravings because they. will. happen. When you’re ready for it, simply reheat and garnish.
Tortilla Soup
Adapted from my friend Melissa Ortiz
Scroll to the bottom for an easy-print version of this recipe!
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 quart jar crushed tomatoes (or 4 cups canned crushed tomatoes)
- 3 cups cooked black beans (You can use drained, rinsed, canned beans if you don’t have home cooked ones.)
- 4-5 cups cooked, leftover chicken shredded or cubed (This is the equivalent of 5 chicken breast halves on the bone roasted and picked.)
- 10 cups chicken stock (I used homemade garlic chile chicken stock but you can use purchased chicken stock and increase the garlic by 3 cloves.)
- 6 ounces tomato paste (Optional. Add if you like a thicker soup.)
- 1-2 fresh jalapenos, minced (or 1-4 tablespoons candied jalapenos or jarred jalapenos, minced), to taste
- 4-8 corn tortillas minced (These are going to thicken the soup, so add the smaller amount first. Add more if you want to thicken up the soup more.)
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 3 tablespoons oregano
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus some for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnish, all optional:
- hot cooked rice
- avocado slices
- sour cream
- grated cheese
- corn tortillas cut into strips (thick or thin or both), fried and salted**
- corn chips
- more fresh cilantro
- chopped green onions
- lime wedges to squeeze in soup
- candied jalapenos (Please tell me you’ve made yourself some of these. No? Get on it!)
In big heavy pot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and a pinch of salt and sweat until semi-translucent. Add tomatoes, stock, chili powder and oregano and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add beans, chicken, jalapeno, and minced tortillas and return to a boil. Drop heat to mid-low and simmer another 10 minutes. Test the thickness and seasoning of the soup. If you want it thicker, add more minced corn tortillas. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. You may find you need to add quite a bit of salt, but add it in small increments. It’s always easier to add salt than it is to take it out! Continue simmering for about 25 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Serve with desired garnishes.
*Ungarnished leftovers can be portioned into serving size containers and frozen for future meals.
**To make fried tortilla strips: Add about 1-inch of canola or peanut oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Heat it over medium-high heat. Slice desired amount of corn tortillas into strips, thick or thin according to preference. Drop one strip of tortilla in to the oil. If bubbles form immediately around the edges and it appears to be boiling, the oil is ready. Drop a handful of tortilla strips into the oil and stir to separate. Fry about 1-2 minutes then use tongs to transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with salt and seasonings if desired.
Preparation Notes:
I used a stock that was based on my basic chicken stock, but simmered with an additional head of garlic and a couple dried arbol chile peppers. It added a wonderful depth of flavor to the final soup. If you have time or the inclination to make your own stock for this soup, I highly recommend it. Will this still be good with purchased stock? You betcha, but you may find you need to up the spices and garlic a bit. Just taste it before serving and adjust.
Likewise, I used home-cooked black beans simmered according to this method with a smoked pork neck bone. The hint of smoky pork in the beans was not assertive, but added another layer of flavor that really upped the deep flavor quotient in this soup. You can use drained, rinsed, canned beans if dried beans are not available.
I like my soups with a lot of body and thickness, so I used both the optional tomato paste and the additional minced corn tortillas. If you prefer a brothier soup, use the smaller amount of minced tortillas and omit the tomato paste.
Tortilla Soup
Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 quart jar crushed tomatoes or 4 cups canned crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups cooked black beans I simmered mine with a smoked pork neck bone but you can use drained, rinsed, canned beans.
- 4-5 cups cooked This is the equivalent of 5 chicken breast halves on the bone roasted and picked., leftover chicken shredded or cubed
- 10 cups chicken stock I used homemade garlic chile chicken stock but you can use purchased chicken stock and increase the garlic by 3 cloves.
- 6 ounces tomato paste Optional. Add if you like a thicker soup.
- 1-2 fresh jalapenos or 1-4 tablespoons candied jalapenos or jarred jalapenos, minced, minced , to taste
- 4-8 corn tortillas minced These are going to thicken the soup, so add the smaller amount first. Add more if you want to thicken up the soup more.
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 3 tablespoons oregano
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus some for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish all optional:
- hot cooked rice
- avocado slices
- sour cream
- grated cheese
- corn tortillas cut into strips thick or thin or both, fried and salted**
- corn chips
- more fresh cilantro
- chopped green onions
- lime wedges to squeeze in soup
Instructions
- In big heavy pot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and a pinch of salt and sweat until semi-translucent. Add tomatoes, stock, chili powder and oregano and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add beans, chicken, jalapeno, and minced tortillas and return to a boil. Drop heat to mid-low and simmer another 10 minutes. Test the thickness and seasoning of the soup. If you want it thicker, add more minced corn tortillas. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. You may find you need to add quite a bit of salt, but add it in small increments. It's always easier to add salt than it is to take it out! Continue simmering for about 25 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Serve with desired garnishes.
- *Ungarnished leftovers can be portioned into serving size containers and frozen for future meals.
- **To make fried tortilla strips: Add about 1-inch of canola or peanut oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Heat it over medium-high heat. Slice desired amount of corn tortillas into strips, thick or thin according to preference. Drop one strip of tortilla in to the oil. If bubbles form immediately around the edges and it appears to be boiling, the oil is ready. Drop a handful of tortilla strips into the oil and stir to separate. Fry about 1-2 minutes then use tongs to transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with salt and seasonings if desired.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Reader's Thoughts...
susitravl says
Your daddy is funny! And I like you on Facebook.
susitravl(at)gmail(dot)com
susitravl says
I’m sure I would share these with my husband, unless he hides the jar so he can have them all to himself. But the package will be addressed to me and he doesn’t open my mail….What did I have for dinner Friday? I can’t remember that far back. Saturday I had Pizza & Salad, and yesterday I had Lime/Herb grilled chicken that was tangy and delicious, rice and salad.
susitravl(at)gmail(dot)com
Kim says
Yumm, your candied jalapenos would be glorious! I just discovered your blog a few weeks ago and bookmarked that recipe. I can’t wait for this summer when I have lots of jalapenos to make this.
Jenny says
I would share them with the hubby…. maybe…
Susan Zabritski says
Those candied jalepenos would be great to serve with cheese, crackers to my friends…and me, I’d eat ’em right from the jar.
Kay Gardiner says
Just made a pot of this and it is delicious! I love that it is basically a “pantry” recipe.
I didn’t have leftover chicken (I never do!) so I poached 4 boneless breasts in chicken stock while I was prepping, shredded them up and put them, poaching stock and all, into the soup.
I think if I had any candied jalapenos I would eat them standing up in the kitchen.
Thanks for the great recipe.
Kay
da papa says
I would eat them with Pinconning cheese, sorry Becc I know that’s a tease
da papa says
I know I can’t win a jar cause I’m family but maybe you’d have a soft spot for your dad and send one anyway.
So, here’s how I would use them..
I would eat them on a triscuit, I would eat them with a biscuit
I would eat them in a car, I would eat them near and far.
I would eat them in my soup, mindless of the pain when I …well you know where that ends up
Vic Burnham says
I love these. I make them alot. They are very addictive.I knew I was addicted when I realized I was planning dinner around them. 🙂
Holly says
I’d probably just hand the jar over to my pepper loving hubby.. It’s almost our anniversary, would it be weird if I him a gift made by another woman? 🙂
Friday’s supper: Pot roast, Whole wheat rolls, mashed potatoes and a vegetable (OMG, I can’t even remember which one)
Dave says
I love to put candied jalapenos on a pimento cheese sandwich!
Michele says
I would love to serve my favorite cowboy (and bottomless pit), my 16 year old son, that Cowboy Candy if I won a jar. I think it would go great with his favorite Cowboy Beans, that have to be cooked over a campfire! I fed him some of your wonderful Bacon Jam and he is so hooked, that he had me sign up for your email updates. I’ve tried several of your recipes and they are always so good! Thank you for the fun blog. Enjoy those puppies. The “cowboy” would be lost without his two old “puppies” that have been his best friends for most of those 16 years.
West says
If I had a jar of your Cowboy Candy, I would mince them to use as kicker in double chocolate chip cookies or brownies. I might even chop them to use in Spanish rice. That is, if I don’t eat them all right out of the jar first.
Karen D. says
Eat them with cream cheese on toasted baguette! Perhaps with smoked salmon. Not sure, but I would have fun experimenting.
Michelle says
I’d put them in a recipe my sister in law recommended for “Texas caviar”
Nutrition Mama says
I would love to win a jar of the Cowboy Candy! Dinner on Friday was smoked turkey sausage hoggies on homemade buns with a casear salad. I think a jar of Cowboy Candy would have taken the hoggies over the top! Haven’t commented before, but I am a regular reader of your blog. I love your writing, humor and recipes, of which I have made many!
MaryAnne says
I would hide them and hoard them and only eat them when the husband and the son are out of the house! Candied jalapenos sound absolutely divine and I would be thrilled to receive a jar.
MollyBee says
We have 2 little love “munchins” puppies. (a Silky and a Yorkie) both about 8 lbs and give puppy kisses all day. So loving.
Would love your cowboy candies. Never had candied jalapenos but they would have to be good. I would probably fill them with cream cheese and snack on them or maybe put them in cookies. Who knows, but we love jalapenos.
Laura says
I had Chili last Friday that my husband made..win win in my book! I love Chicken Tortilla Soup and i think if I were to win the jalapenos I would have to try them with the soup!
Christi says
I would like to have a jar of your Cowboy Candy as a memento, a keepsake, a collectible if you will…to be able to say that I have a jar of something “SHE” made! And I would cherish it and place it in a prominent place in the center of the table, on a pedestal and admire it for a time, maybe weeks or months, to savor the “having” of it. Then, upon proper reflection and with much anticipation, we would open the jar at a huge celebratory dinner, with only very important people invited who could truly understand the significance of the moment. I would give a lengthy speech about how your blog has changed my life and the lives of my family, how your recipes are works of art, snippets of history in the making, and how this jar of Cowboy Candy is probably worth millions on eBay but regardless, I’m sharing it with my closest friends. ……..or……… I might just open it and eat them straight up, day 1. ; )