Chicken tortilla soup is a hearty, flavorful dish made with tender chicken, vegetables, beans, and spices, simmered in a delicious tomato lime broth. It’s topped with crispy tortilla strips and garnished with fresh cilantro, creamy avocado, sharp cheddar, and sour cream for a delicious Mexican-inspired meal.
In this recipe, I’m giving you the option to use store-bought broth and rotisserie/leftover cooked chicken to make this soup or to make homemade chicken broth from scratch and use the meat for the soup! It’s mostly hands-off and yields a more delicious and budget-friendly soup!
Make homemade chicken broth (optional)
Below you will find information about the ingredients and how to prepare the recipe. For the measurements and detailed instructions scroll down to the printable recipe card.
Ingredients
- Chicken – you will need bone-in skin-on chicken pieces, leg quarters/thighs/drumsticks/wings, NOT breasts. Chicken breasts are very lean and do not lend enough flavor to the broth. Most flavor comes from the bones and skin. Boiled chicken breasts usually come out dry while dark leg meat comes out tender and juicy.
- Vegetables – onion, carrots, and celery.
- Aromatics – fresh herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, or thyme (I don’t usually add cilantro to chicken broth but in this case, it goes perfectly with the soup), fresh garlic, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns.
How to make it
Peel carrots and cut into large chunks. Peel onion and cut in half. Cut celery ribs in large chunks. Peel garlic cloves.
(3 carrots, 2 celery ribs, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic)
Add the meat, all the vegetables, spices, and herbs to a very large pot. Pour in cold water.
(3 pounds (1.35kg) bone-in skin-on chicken pieces, leg quarters/thighs/drumsticks/wings, NOT breasts, 3 twigs of fresh herbs, such as cilantro, thyme, parsley (optional), 3 bay leaves, 20 black peppercorns, 10 cups cold water (2.4 L))
Bring to a boil, remove the foam that will gather at the the top with a small sieve.
Simmer the broth at low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
Strain the broth. Discard all the vegetables, spices, and herbs (you can leave the carrots for the soup if you wish).
Let the meat cool down a little bit then separate the meat from the bones and skin. Discard the bones and skin. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Now you can use your chicken broth and cooked meat for the soup.
Make chicken tortilla soup
Ingredients
- Chicken meat – you can use boiled meat if you have made homemade chicken broth. Other options are store-bought rotisserie chicken, leftover cooked/baked chicken from another recipe, or you can take 2 raw chicken breasts and gently poach them in the hot soup until cooked through. Take out of the soup and shred into smaller pieces.
- Crushed tomatoes – you could use tomato passata (tomato puree) instead (it comes in tall jars).
- Tomato paste – deepens the tomato flavor but you can omit it.
- Vegetables and beans: bell pepper, corn (canned, fresh kernels in season, or frozen corn), beans (kidney beans or black beans), celery, onion.
- Flour – thickens the soup but it’s optional.
- Spices – fresh garlic, chili powder (you can add more than listed in the recipe, I can’t add much or my kids won’t eat it!), paprika, cumin, oregano, sugar (to balance the acidity from the tomatoes). Instead of the spices listed, you could use Fajita seasoning or Taco seasoning. Please note that chili powder is a spice mix, not just ground chili peppers!
- Lime juice – it’s essential in this soup, don’t omit it! It adds such an amazing flavor and brightens the soup. You may think it’s too much lime juice in this recipe but remember, we are making a really big pot, and I tested this recipe, tasting the soup every 1/2 tablespoon until it tasted right, so that’s really a good amount of the juice.
How to make it
Dice the onion and bell pepper, slice the celery, finely chop garlic (with a knife).
(1 medium onion, 1 red bell pepper, 2 celery ribs, 4 cloves garlic)
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
(2 tablespoons olive oil)
Add bell pepper, onion, and celery. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until softened.
Add garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin, paprika, jalapeno/chili flakes, tomato paste, and flour. Cook, stirring, for about 1-2 minutes.
(2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 deseeded jalapeno or red pepper flakes (optional), 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoons flour)
Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and drained corn.
(8 cups chicken broth, 2 cans (14 oz or 400ml each) crushed tomatoes, 1 can (14 oz or 400ml) corn, drained)
Bring to a boil and simmer at low heat for 15 minutes.
Add shredded chicken and drained beans to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
(1 can (14 oz or 400ml) black or kidney beans, drained, 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (13 ounces/370g))
Season the soup with lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper.
(1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) lime juice, or to taste, 3/4 teaspoon sugar, you can omit it if using store-bought broth)
Ladle into bowls and serve with toppings of your choice.
Enjoy!
Toppings
This soup is all about the toppings!
Use what you like, but I would say that crispy tortilla strips (fried or baked) are really necessary (well the soup is called chicken tortilla soup!). Other than that, I would really recommend adding shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. Creamy diced avocado and fresh cilantro add a nice touch to the soup, but you could omit them.
In a Mexican version of this soup, corn tortillas are added to the soup to thicken it, this is an Americanized version of this soup, with crispy tortilla as a topping.
How to make crispy tortilla strips:
- Fried: cut tortillas into strips then fry in a 350°F (180°C) oil until golden. Salt immediately.
- Baked: cut tortillas into strips, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss with vegetable oil and salt, spread flat on the baking sheet (strips should not overlap). Bake for about 7 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
For detailed instructions, see this post: tortilla strips recipe.
Storage
This recipe yields 6-8 servings and makes a really big pot of soup. Don’t worry, if this is too much for your family, this soup freezes beautifully and it doesn’t cost you any more time to make a larger amount of the soup!
Keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days and freeze for up to 6 months. I would recommend freezing separate servings flat in zip-lock bags. Thaw and warm up directly in a pot.
More delicious soup recipes you may like
- Tuscan Chicken Soup
- Tomato Tortellini Soup
- Stuffed Cabbage Soup (stove or pressure cooker)
- French Onion Soup
- Cheeseburger Chowder
- Kidney Bean Soup
- Chicken Fajita Soup
- Turkey Tortilla Soup
- Potsticker Soup
Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!
Chicken Tortilla Soup (from scratch!)
Ingredients
for the chicken broth (or use 8 cups store-bought chicken broth and 3 cups (13 oz/370g) rotisserie/cooked chicken)
- 3 pounds (1.35kg) bone-in skin-on chicken pieces leg quarters/thighs/drumsticks/wings, NOT breasts
- 3 carrots
- 2 celery ribs
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 twigs fresh herbs such as cilantro, thyme, parsley, optional
- 3 bay leaves
- 20 black peppercorns
- 10 cups cold water 2.4 L
for the chicken tortilla soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 celery ribs
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder or more, to taste, this is a spice mix, not just ground chili peppers
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 deseeded jalapeno or red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 8 cups chicken broth the whole amount from the recipe above or store-bought
- 2 cans (14 oz or 400ml each) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (14 oz or 400ml) corn drained
- 1 can (14 oz or 400ml) black or kidney beans drained
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (13 ounces/370g) the whole amount from the recipe above or rotisserie chicken/leftover cooked chicken
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) lime juice or to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar you can omit it if using store-bought broth
- salt and pepper to taste
toppings:
- fried/baked tortilla strips
- diced avocado
- shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- cilantro leaves
- sour cream
Instructions
make homemade chicken broth:
- Peel carrots and cut into large chunks. Peel onion and cut in half. Cut celery ribs in large chunks. Peel garlic cloves.3 carrots, 2 celery ribs, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the meat, all the vegetables, spices, and herbs to a very large pot. Pour in cold water.3 pounds (1.35kg) bone-in skin-on chicken pieces, 3 twigs fresh herbs, 3 bay leaves, 20 black peppercorns, 10 cups cold water
- Bring to a boil, remove the foam that will gather at the the top with a small sieve.
- Simmer the broth at low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
- Strain the broth. Discard all the vegetables, spices, and herbs (you can leave the carrots for the soup, if you wish).
- Let the meat cool down a little bit then separate the meat from the bones and skin. Discard the bones and skin. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Now you can use your chicken broth and cooked meat for the soup.
make the soup:
- Dice the onion and bell pepper, slice the celery, finely chop garlic (with a knife).1 medium onion, 1 red bell pepper, 2 celery ribs, 4 cloves garlic
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add bell pepper, onion, and celery. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until softened.
- Add garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin, paprika, jalapeno/chili flakes, tomato paste, and flour. Cook, stirring, for about 1-2 minutes.2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 deseeded jalapeno or red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoons flour
- Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and drained corn.8 cups chicken broth, 2 cans (14 oz or 400ml each) crushed tomatoes, 1 can (14 oz or 400ml) corn
- Bring to a boil and simmer at low heat for 15 minutes.
- Add shredded chicken and drained beans to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through.1 can (14 oz or 400ml) black or kidney beans, 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (13 ounces/370g)
- Season the soup with lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper.1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) lime juice, 3/4 teaspoon sugar, salt and pepper
- Ladle into bowls and serve with toppings of your choice.fried/baked tortilla strips, diced avocado, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, cilantro leaves, sour cream
- Enjoy!
Notes
- How to make crispy tortilla strips:
- Fried: cut tortillas into strips then fry in a 350°F (180°C) oil until golden. Salt immediately.
- Baked: cut tortillas into strips, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss with vegetable oil and salt, spread flat on the baking sheet (strips should not overlap). Bake for about 7 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
- For detailed instructions, see this post: tortilla strips recipe.
- If you don’t have cooked/rotisserie chicken you can use 1 pound (450g) = 2 large raw breasts that you can cook directly in the soup. Gently poach the meat in the soup until cooked through, take out to a plate, shred into smaller pieces using 2 forks, then add back to the soup.
- Calories = 1 serving (1/8 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
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