Easy, 30-Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Sometimes the winter months feel never-ending. The cold feels like it drags on and on before Spring finally decides to come! Long winter months mean plenty of opportunities to try a new soup. This chicken tortilla soup is filling and packed with flavor. It’s also a great meal prep option for the busy weeks when you need a quick lunch or dinner. If you have a sick neighbor, friend, or family member, this soup is a quick, crowd-favorite option. Let’s jump in and find out what makes this soup great!

What ingredients do you need?

Olive Oil, Onion, Garlic

This chicken tortilla soup begins with the basics: olive oil, onion, and garlic. These ingredients are a perfect combo for the base of the soup and pack so much delicious flavor.  

For the onion, simply dice one medium yellow onion. For the garlic, you have several options. One option is to purchase garlic from the store and fresh press the cloves. I prefer to take a shortcut and buy frozen minced garlic cubes from the local Trader Joe’s. You could also use the packaged minced garlic from the grocery store.

Spices

For this soup, you will need paprika, chili powder, cumin, and salt. These spices give the soup depth and flavor. Without them, the soup would be bland and taste nothing like the traditional chicken tortilla soup you remember.

Chicken Broth

I recommend purchasing a 32-ounce carton of chicken broth from the store. The cheapest option I have found is the organic brand from Walmart. You could also add additional protein to your soup by using chicken bone broth. Chicken bone broth has a slightly different taste than chicken broth, but is a great option for this recipe as well.

Fire-Roasted Crushed Tomatoes

While there are many varieties of canned tomatoes out there, fire-roasted crushed tomatoes pair best with this soup. If you use diced tomatoes, I recommend pureeing the tomatoes before adding them to the soup to ensure the best consistency for the soup. The crushed tomatoes blend right in with the broth! My favorite brand of canned tomatoes is Muir Glen Organic.

Chicken Breast

For this recipe, you have two options. You can cook raw, boneless skinless chicken breasts or utilize pre-cooked shredded chicken. If you choose to use raw chicken, clean and trim the chicken breasts before adding them to the soup. If you choose to use pre-cooked chicken, a rotisserie chicken is a great option because it has great flavor and shreds easily. 

Black Beans & Corn

What chicken tortilla soup is complete without black beans and corn? You will need one can of black beans and one can of corn for this recipe. If you don’t have black beans on hand, feel free to swap the black beans for another bean variety. Be sure to drain and rinse both the corn and beans before adding them to the soup.

Riced Cauliflower

Riced cauliflower is a unique addition that you won’t find in most chicken tortilla soup recipes. The riced cauliflower adds volume and texture. Not to mention–I love adding vegetables to a dish! If you are not typically a fan of cauliflower, give this a try! The riced cauliflower blends into the soup and is hardly noticeable. You can find bags of riced cauliflower in the freezer section of the grocery store which is so convenient!

Lime & Cilantro

Lime and cilantro are essential to rounding out the soup and completing the flavor. I always have extra on hand to top the individual servings.

Desired toppings (tortilla chips/strips, avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, etc.)

Chicken tortilla soup needs to be topped with tortilla strips–it’s in the name! You can purchase tortilla strips at the store or gently crush tortilla chips. The tortilla chips add the perfect crunch and saltiness to give the soup its finishing touch. There are a lot of other great toppings you can add to the soup, my favorites are tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, and a fresh squeeze of lime.

What equipment do you need?

To make chicken tortilla soup, you will need the following equipment:

• A large pot or Dutch oven for cooking the soup
• A cutting board and a sharp knife for chopping vegetables
• Measuring cups and spoons for measuring ingredients
• A can opener
• A ladle for serving the soup

How is it done?

In a large pot, add the olive oil, diced yellow onion, and garlic over medium heat. Let the mixture cook for 3 minutes. Next, add the spices, chicken broth, and crushed tomatoes to the large pot and mix well. 

If you are using raw chicken:

If you are using raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast, at this point, you will add the chicken breasts to the pot. Continue to let the mixture cook and come to a boil. Let the mixture boil for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside in a bowl. Shred the chicken breasts into small pieces with two forks or a hand mixer.

If you are using pre-cooked chicken: 

You can skip the above step of cooking the chicken and continue on to the step below.

Add the shredded chicken, black beans, cauliflower, and corn to the pot. Allow the mixture to continue to cook for 5 minutes. 

Remove the pot from the stove, add the cilantro and lime juice, and mix well. Allow the soup to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite toppings such as tortilla chips/strips, avocado, sour cream, cheese, and cilantro.

Anything else to consider?

This soup is a great meal-prep or freezer meal option. The soup is best consumed within four days. If you freeze the soup, I would recommend removing the soup from the freezer the night before you plan to use it and placing it in the fridge overnight to begin the thawing process. From that point, you can then reheat the soup in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.

Is it GF/DF?

Yes, this soup is gluten-free and dairy-free! The best part about this recipe is that the individual servings can be topped according to preference. If you have some dairy-eaters and some who choose to avoid dairy, you can individually top the servings with cheese or sour cream. The same logic goes for those looking for a gluten-free option. As always, ensure that each ingredient you use is certified gluten or dairy-free if that is a concern.

If you make this chicken tortilla soup, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!

The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching “BWB Chicken Tortilla Soup.” 

The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.