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    Home » Recipes » Soups » Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe – Easy Restaurant Soup at Home!

    LAST UPDATED: February 17, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: September 10, 2020 By Toni Dash 26 Comments

    Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe – Easy Restaurant Soup at Home!

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    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Chicken Tortilla Soup title

    Chicken Tortilla Soup is a classic Mexican restaurant soup that is brimming with soul-warming flavors and loads of wholesome ingredients. It’s SO easy to make at home in less than 30 minutes!

    Chicken Tortilla Soup title

    This soup recipe is a favorite all year round. It’s definitely a perfect fit for the winter months especially.

    The recipe was originally given to me by a friend years ago who loved to make it with leftover holiday turkey after Thanksgiving.

    It’s delicious and too good not to enjoy the rest of the year too.

    It’s a flexible recipe for adding other favorite ingredients you love!

    Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe

    If you haven’t tried this soup you are in for a treat! It’s often served at Mexican restaurants as a spicy first course.

    A light chicken broth full of Mexican flavors, shredded chicken, corn, tomatoes, chilies with tortillas in or on top of the soup. 

    It’s hearty and filling as is and fun to load toppings on for a special finishing touch.

    It’s VERY easy to make at home. Using some canned ingredients speeds the preparation along with great flavor results.

    Recipe Ingredients + Notes

    Olive Oil – used for sauteing the onions.

    Yellow Onion – chopped and sauteed to give the soup great flavor!

    Diced Green Chilies – the recipe used canned diced green chilies. Mild chilies are recommended unless you know you want the soup really spicy. 

    Taco Seasoning – I recommend homemade taco seasoning. It’s easy to make and great for many recipes. I recommend it because it has less salt so the spice flavors really shine.

    Store bought taco seasoning can also be used.

    Canned Diced Tomatoes – the tomatoes and the liquid are both used. I personally prefer ‘petite diced tomatoes’ which have smaller pieces of tomatoes but any diced tomatoes can be used.

    Chicken Broth or Stock – use low sodium Chicken Stock or Broth. Season to taste with salt at the end.

    Cooked Chicken – cubed or shredded chicken can be used. Typically chicken breast is used but any chicken works well.

    This is my favoriteshredded chicken recipe. Using a rotisserie chicken is an easy choice too. You can shred or cube it. 

    Corn Kernels – use fresh, canned (drained) or frozen. I’ve added the kernels frozen and they work great!

    Tortilla Chips – these will be crushed and used on top of the soup.

    fresh Cilantro – for garnish and added flavor!

    Monterey Jack Cheese – another delicious topping! If you love a different type of cheese (Colby for instance) feel free to substitute it!

    chicken tortilla soup ingredients

    Other Variations

    Add some black beans for more flavor, protein and fiber. Use drained, rinsed canned black beans. Add them with the corn and chicken.

    Love bell peppers? Chop some and saute with the onions.

    Want some more smoldering heat? Add an extra 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of chili powder.

    A teaspoon of lime juice will perk up the flavors with some tang!

    Serve with some soft corn tortillas to dip in the soup.

    A dollop of sour cream on top adds a cream touch to the soup. Also if it’s too spicy, the sour cream will tame the heat.

    chicken tortilla soup in ladle

    A Great Turkey Leftovers Recipe!

    This recipe is fantastic with turkey too. It’s a perfect way to use up holiday turkey. 

    Just substitute turkey in for the chicken.

    How to Make it With Turkey

    Want to want to make it with turkey and don’t have leftover turkey to use?

    Ask the deli counter at your grocery store for three slices of turkey cut ½ inch thick. This generally equates to the required amount.

    How to Make it – Step-by-Step

    STEP 1: In a large stock pot or Dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes (photo 1).

    STEP 2: Add the diced chilies and taco seasoning. Cook 1 minutes (photo 2).

    chicken tortilla soup recipes steps 1-4

    STEP 3: Add the diced tomatoes with liquid and chicken stock (photos 3-4). Bring to a boil.

    STEP 4: Add the chicken and corn (photo 5), lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes (photo 6).

    chicken tortilla soup recipes steps 5-6

    Serve topped with shredded Monterey Jack cheese, crushed tortilla chips and torn cilantro.

    chicken tortilla soup in bowls

    Storing Leftovers

    Keep any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

    chicken tortilla soup

    More Soup Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Jalapeno Turkey Noodle Soup
    • Coconut Curry Turkey Rice Soup
    • Homemade Chicken Soup
    • Hearty Instant Pot Chicken Soup
    • French Onion Soup

    Try these Mexican-inspired Recipes too!

    • Mexican Breakfast Chicken Tortilla Lasagna Casserole
    • Pico de Gallo
    • Instant Pot Barbacoa
    • How to Make Pickled Jalapenos
    Did you make it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    Chicken Tortilla Soup title

    Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Chicken Tortilla Soup is a perfect cold weather recipe with robust, spicy flavors, simple and quick to prepare. Using canned ingredients makes the preparation go quickly. If desired you can swap for the fresh equivalent of any of the canned ingredients. Swap leftover turkey for the chicken to make a perfect holiday leftovers recipes!
    5 from 18 votes
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 6 1 1/2 cup servings (total recipe yield: 9 1/2 cups soup)
    Calories: 229kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
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    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
    • 1 cup Yellow Onion chopped
    • 1 4-ounce can Diced Green Chilies mild or hot
    • 1 package Taco Seasoning Mix
    • 1 15-ounce can Diced Tomatoes do not drain
    • 6 cups low sodium Chicken Broth/Stock (turkey broth may be substituted)
    • 2 cups cooked Chicken or Turkey cut into ½ inch cubes (rotisserie chicken works great)
    • 1 1/2 cups Corn Kernels fresh, frozen/thawed or 1 15-ounce can drained
    • 1/3 cup fresh Cilantro chopped
    • ½ cup crushed Tortilla Chips
    • ½ cup Monterey Jack Cheese grated

    Instructions

    • In a large stock pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
    • Add diced green chilies and taco seasoning mix. Stir to combine and cook 1 minute.
    • Add tomatoes and their liquid, and broth or stock. Increase heat to bring to a boil.
    • Add corn kernels and the chicken (or turkey). Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
    • Serve topped with crushed tortilla chips, grated cheese and chopped cilantro.

    Notes

    This soup can be made with either chicken or turkey. It’s a great holiday leftover idea with turkey.

    If Using Turkey

    Cut into ½ inch cubes. Leftover holiday turkey can be used. Or purchase from a deli counter three slices cut ½ inch thick generally equates required amount.

    Grated Cheese topping

    Finely grated Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend, or Mexican cheese blend sold prepared in the dairy section are substitutes that are delicious and save time grating.

    Using Turkey Stock or Broth

    Homemade Turkey Stock can be substituted if making this as a Turkey Tortilla soup.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 1222mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 22.7mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 1.5mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!

    Originally published: January 16, 2013

    « Chicken Adobo (Fillipino recipe) in a Slow Cooker
    Instant Pot Chicken Tacos with Mexican Shredded Chicken »

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sara Welch says

      September 14, 2020 at 3:26 pm

      5 stars
      Love soup season for recipes just like this one! Looking forward to enjoying this all season long!

      Reply
    2. Gervin Khan says

      September 11, 2020 at 9:20 am

      5 stars
      This dish deserves to have a 5 stars ratings. It looks delicious and look so easy to cook. YUM!

      Reply
    3. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

      September 11, 2020 at 2:03 am

      5 stars
      I need to try this Chicken Tortilla Soup immediately, it looks so good!

      Reply
    4. Catalina says

      September 11, 2020 at 1:55 am

      5 stars
      The kind of soup that my family will go crazy over! I must try it in one of these cold evenings!

      Reply
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    About Toni Dash

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    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

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