Chicken Tortilla Soup
This tortilla soup is savory, satiny, and delivers the perfect balance of textures. Smoky broth, shredded chicken, tomatoes, corn, black beans, loads of cilantro, cheese, and crunchy tortilla strips. Ready in minutes, and can be made mild or spicy.
What is tortilla soup?
Tortilla soup is a Mexican-inspired dish that features a chili- and cumin-scented broth, tomatoes, sweet corn, black beans, jalapeños, and cilantro. It’s commonly made with chicken, but beef, seafood, and lamb are no stranger to this soup-pot party. Just before serving, the chunky potage is topped with crunchy, salty, corn tortilla strips. Hence: “tortilla soup”.
Adjust the heat level with fresh jalapeño
This recipe calls for one jalapeño, which might be enough heat for you and your clan. Or it might be too fiery. Or not spicy enough. If you want a mild soup, use half the jalapeño, or leave it out entirely. You can always adjust the heat at the end with hot sauce. If you have a mixed crowd – some like it hot and others not – leave the jalapeño out and serve the soup with hot sauce and fresh sliced jalapeños on the side.
Warm your tortilla strips!
One of the best features of tortilla soup is the warm crispy corn strips nestled on top. To ensure they deliver the crunch you desire, warm them before garnishing the soup. Spread your tortilla strips out on a baking sheet and warm in a 325-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes.
Consider adding a toppings station. Cotija cheese, green onions, and sour cream make great additions. Offering a toppings “bar” allows each person to customize his/her soup. Check out the full list of topping ideas below.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion, any color
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced, or more/less to taste, see note above
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken or turkey
- 15- ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 11- ounce can corn, white or yellow, or a combination, drained
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped and divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup corn tortilla strips
- 2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges for garnish
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp or mild cheddar cheese
- 1 avocado, pitted and sliced, for garnish
Optional Toppings
- Black olives
- Chopped green onions
- Chopped red onions
- Sour cream
- Cotija cheese
- Fresh sliced jalapeños
- Pickled jalapeños
- Minced green chilies
- Hot sauce
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the cumin and chili powder and stir to coat. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, chicken, black beans, corn, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- Bring to a simmer, partially cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Ten minutes before serving, spread your tortilla strips out on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the strips are warm and crisp.
- Add the juice of one lime to the soup and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with cheddar cheese, avocado, warm tortilla strips, and remaining cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.