Our easy Chicken Tortilla Soup brings this Mexican classic to the table in under an hour. Gather avocados, crisp tortilla strips, jack cheese, cilantro, and lime—the garnishes make this soup unforgettable.
The aroma of onions, garlic, tomatoes, chicken and warm Mexican spices will tell you this soup is worth the effort. While tortilla soup can be simmered all day, this version delivers deep flavor in less than an hour.
What makes this soup so satisfying is its combination of everything I love about Mexican cooking.
Bold seasonings, savory beans and smoky chiles—abundant and balanced.
Moist chicken, corn tortillas, fresh jalapeños and creamy avocado—check, check and check.
If you haven’t tried tortilla soup before, think of it as the flavors of chicken enchiladas in a hearty, tomato-and-chicken broth. It’s pure Mexican comfort food.
This recipe yields a generous pot of soup. I didn’t scale it down for two reasons:
- You’ll eat more than you expect. Trust me—having extra is a good problem to have. You may regret making just one meal’s worth.
- Leftovers freeze beautifully. Portion into family or individual containers and freeze for quick meals later. When craving strikes, simply reheat and add garnishes.
Tortilla Soup
Adapted from Melissa Ortiz
Scroll to the bottom for an easy-print version of this recipe.
Ingredients:
- 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 (drained and rinsed if using canned)
- 4–5 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (about 5 chicken breast halves roasted and picked)
- 10 cups chicken stock (homemade garlic-chile stock recommended; if using store-bought, add 3 more cloves garlic)
- 6 ounces tomato paste (optional—for a thicker soup)
- 1–2 fresh jalapeños, minced (or 1–4 tablespoons candied or jarred jalapeños), to taste
- 4–8 corn tortillas, minced (these thicken the soup—start with less and add more to reach desired thickness)
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 3 tablespoons oregano
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnishes:
- Hot cooked rice
- Avocado slices
- Sour cream
- Grated cheese
- Corn tortillas cut into strips, fried and salted (thick or thin)
- Corn chips
- Extra fresh cilantro
- Chopped green onions
- Lime wedges
- Candied jalapeños (optional)
Instructions:
- In a large heavy pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Sweat until the onion is soft and semi-translucent.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, chili powder and oregano. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the beans, cooked chicken, jalapeño and the minced corn tortillas. Return to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Check the thickness and seasoning. Add more minced tortillas if you prefer a thicker texture. Season with salt and pepper, adding salt gradually—it’s easier to add than remove. Continue simmering about 25 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Serve hot with your choice of garnishes.
- *Ungarnished leftovers can be portioned into containers and frozen for future meals.
- **To make fried tortilla strips: Pour about 1 inch of canola or peanut oil into a heavy-bottomed pan and heat over medium-high. Slice corn tortillas into strips. Test the oil by dropping one strip in—if bubbles form immediately, the oil is ready. Fry strips in batches for 1–2 minutes until crisp, then transfer with tongs to a paper towel–lined plate. Sprinkle with salt and seasonings if desired.
Preparation notes:
If you have time, use a homemade stock. I used a garlic-chile chicken stock based on my basic chicken stock, simmered with extra garlic and dried arbol chiles for depth. Store-bought stock works fine—just taste and adjust spices and garlic as needed.
I simmered my black beans with a smoked pork neck bone for a subtle smoky layer, but canned drained beans are an easy substitute.
If you prefer a thicker soup, add the optional tomato paste and use more minced tortillas. For a brothier soup, use the smaller amount of tortillas and omit the tomato paste.
Tortilla Soup
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 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 drained and rinsed if using canned
- 4–5 cups cooked chicken shredded or cubed
- 10 cups chicken stock
- 6 ounces tomato paste optional
- 1–2 fresh jalapeños or candied/jarred jalapeños, minced, to taste
- 4–8 corn tortillas, minced use more for a thicker soup
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 3 tablespoons oregano
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and a pinch of salt and sweat until semi-translucent. Add crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, chili powder and oregano. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes.
- Add beans, chicken, jalapeño and minced tortillas. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Taste and adjust thickness by adding more minced tortillas if desired. Season with salt and pepper in small increments. Continue simmering about 25 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Serve with desired garnishes.
- *Portion ungarnished leftovers into containers and freeze for future meals.
- **For fried tortilla strips: Heat about 1 inch of canola or peanut oil in a heavy pan over medium-high. Slice tortillas into strips. Test the oil with one strip—if it bubbles immediately, the oil is ready. Fry strips in batches 1–2 minutes until crisp. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.