My all-time favorite soup is Chicken Tortilla Soup. The best I’ve ever had is in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico at a small restaurant which, unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of. After I had this heaven in my mouth, I was hooked! I wanted to find a simple and easy recipe to make for my family. I have cooked multiple versions and through the years tweaked a little here and there and am super happy with this recipe! It is hearty, filling, and is packed with protein. The toppings are what complete this soup, so don’t leave them out! Definitely try the crispy cumin strips, which give a nice crunch and added flavor! To me, this soup is even better the next day and can be made year-round. In Texas, (with the exception of summer) one day it’s 80° and the next day it’s 30°, so we never know what season we are in, which to me means any day can be soup day!
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This soup is my favorite of all the soups I cook for my family. I make it year-round! Enjoy!
Ingredients
~2 TB Olive Oil
1 cup diced onion (1/2 medium onion)
1 cup diced celery (about 3 stalks)
1 cup diced carrots (about 3-4)
1 cup diced poblano pepper (about 1 medium pepper)
2-3 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp salt/pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp Mexican Oregano (or Regular)
1/2 tsp Mexican Chile Powder (Or Regular) *optional if you want less heat!
1 TB of chopped Chipotle pepper and adobo sauce (I don’t use seeds. They are very hot!)
4 cups (32oz.) Chicken Broth (I use reduced Sodium) or homemade
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
28 oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes or just plain crushed tomatoes
1 15.5oz can (drained and rinsed) pinto beans (I use Goya-Low Sodium)
1 15.5oz can(drained and rinsed) black beans (I use Goya-Low Sodium)
3-4 cups shredded or cubed cooked Chicken Breasts or thighs (See Notes*)
3-4 yellow or white corn tortillas shredded into very small pieces or strips
Toppings: Crispy Cumin Tortilla Strips or tortilla chips Sour Cream or Mexican Crema (SOO Good!), Avocado, Cilantro, Mexican Cheese (I use queso fresco, cotija, or any white crumble cheese) Sliced Jalapenos, Lime Wedges
Instructions
- Heat Olive Oil on medium heat in a large stock-pot
- Saute´the onions, celery, carrots, poblano until soft (about 10-15 min). While the vegetables are cooking, in a small bowl mix the salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, oregano, and chili powder and set aside.
- Add garlic to pan and stir for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the spice mixture from the bowl and stir for 1 minute or until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the chipotle peppers/sauce, cilantro, broth, and crushed roasted tomatoes. If you prefer a less chunky soup, you can puree the mixture using an immersion blender or regular blender. If not pureeing, continue by adding pinto beans and black beans to the pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, add corn tortillas and simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Make Crispy Cumin Tortilla Strips while the soup is simmering.
- Add the cooked chicken to the pot and season to taste.
- Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!!
Notes
For the chicken I have used breasts and/or thighs that are grilled, store-bought rotisserie, sauteed, and oven-baked. I season it with the same seasonings in the soup
I have not used my Instant Pot with this recipe, but I think it would work great!
This soup was AWESOME!! I’ve made homemade tortilla soup for years and used pretty much the same recipe. This recipe called for a bit more than what I usually put in and definitely gave it a much more hearty and flavorful boost. I cooked the chicken as I normally do for this type of soup and cooked thighs in a pot with a bottle of Mexican beer, lime and seasonings and then shredded in its own broth. This was so yummy and will definitely be my new go-to chicken tortilla soup recipe!
★★★★★
Thank you for your feedback!!!!! I love the idea of cooking the thighs in Mexican beer! YUM!
This soup was AWESOME! Much more hearty than the recipe I’ve used for years. I cooked my chicken thighs with a can of Mexican beer, lime and seasonings and then shredded in its own broth and added it all to the soup. This will definitely be my new go-to tortilla soup recipe, pretty sure I’ll never use the old one again. 🙂
★★★★★
This is a new family favorite! I used the beer cooking method noted by your other commenter. I have a picky kid who won’t eat beans, so I made extra shredded chicken and he used all the extras to make street tacos. Everything was a winner, and my husband says I definitely have to make it again — tomorrow! Thanks for this delicious recipe!
★★★★★
Thank you for your feedback! I am so glad your family likes it!!!