• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Lemon Tree Dwelling
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Work With Me
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
go to homepage
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Soups » Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Published: Nov 12, 2019 · Modified: Jan 19, 2021 by Cathy Trochelman · 18 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Chicken Tortilla Soup is one of our family's favorites... and this recipe is the BEST! Made with simple ingredients and packed with the most amazing flavor, it's a quick and easy dinner recipe you're sure to come back to time and time again.

    Chicken Tortilla Soup with toppings

    As anyone with kids knows, there are few meals the whole family can agree upon. And for us, this Chicken Tortilla Soup is one of them. Not only is it incredibly flavorful and reminiscent of another favorite (tacos!)... but who doesn't love a meal you can load up with all your favorite toppings!?

    My kids literally beg me to make tortilla soup for dinner, and I never say no. Because in addition to being complaint-free, it's also super easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes. 

    We love loading it up with fresh cilantro, avocado, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, and even fresh jalapeños for an extra spicy kick. And since it's so customizable, it's the perfect dish to serve for game days, parties, or any type of get togethers! Just be prepared for everyone to ask you for the recipe, because I can almost guarantee they will. It's THAT good.

    Chicken Tortilla Soup in a bowl with a spoon

    What is Tortilla Soup?

    Tortilla Soup is a classic Mexican soup consisting of a tomato base, Mexican seasonings, and shredded chicken. It may include other ingredients such as onions, black beans, corn, or other vegetables, and is often topped with a variety of ingredients like shredded cheese, avocado, fresh cilantro, and tortilla chips.

    Ingredients:

    • 8 c. chicken broth
    • 4 c. shredded chicken
    • 1 large (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
    • 1 large onion
    • 4 cloves minced garlic
    • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
    • 2 Tbsp. chili powder
    • 1 Tbsp. cumin
    • ½ tsp. salt
    • Juice of 1 lime
    • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
    • Toppings (fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado, jalapeños)

    Instructions:

    1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add garlic and onions and cook, stirring, until onions begin to brown.
    2. Add crushed tomatoes, seasonings, and lime juice.
    3. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
    4. Add chicken broth, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes.
    5. Add chicken.
    6. Serve with toppings of your choice.

    Chicken Tortilla Soup with tortilla strips, sour cream, and cilantro

    What to serve with Chicken Tortilla Soup:

    • Quesadillas
    • Chips & guacamole
    • Nachos
    • Fajitas
    • Enchiladas
    • Burritos
    • Tacos
    • Side salad

    Recipe variations:

    This is the perfect recipe to add to or alter depending on your tastes. Some delicious additions would be black beans, rice, corn, diced tomatoes, coriander, minced jalapenos, or your favorite salsa. You can also adjust the spice level by adding more or less cayenne pepper, stirring in some hot sauce, or topping it with fresh sliced jalapeños.

    Can you freeze it?

    Yes! Soup freezes and reheats extremely well. To freeze this recipe, let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container before adding toppings. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. To reheat, either defrost it in the refrigerator overnight or just transfer it frozen into a large pot and heat over medium heat.

    Chicken Tortilla Soup with fresh cilantro and shredded cheese

    Side dish ideas:

    • Mexican Coleslaw
    • Mexican Street Corn Quinoa
    • Easy Guacamole
    • Southwest Quinoa Salad

    More Mexican-inspired dishes:

    • Chicken Fajita Salad
    • Loaded Chicken Quesadillas
    • Baja Fish Tacos
    • Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos
    • Quinoa Taco Bowls
    Continue to Content
    Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Yield: 8
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes

    Chicken Tortilla Soup is one of our family's favorites... and this recipe is the BEST! Made with simple ingredients and packed with the most amazing flavor, it's a quick and easy dinner recipe you're sure to come back to time and time again.

    Ingredients

    • 8 c. chicken broth
    • 4 c. shredded chicken
    • 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
    • 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 c.)
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
    • 2 Tbsp. chili powder
    • 1 Tbsp. cumin
    • ½ tsp. salt
    • 1 lime
    • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, more to taste
    • avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, cilantro

    Instructions

    1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions and cook, stirring, until onions begin to brown.
    2. Add crushed tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and juice of ½ lime.
    3. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
    4. Add chicken broth; reduce heat to low and simmer 10-15 minutes.
    5. Stir in chicken.
    6. Serve, topped with your choice of fixings!

    Notes

    To freeze this recipe, let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container before adding toppings. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. To reheat, either defrost it in the refrigerator overnight or just transfer it frozen into a large pot and heat over medium heat.

    Nutrition Information:
    Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 grams
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 284Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 1391mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 5gSugar: 7gProtein: 22g
    © Cathy Trochelman
    Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Soups
    Collage image of Chicken Tortilla Soup

     

    Previous Post: « Chicken Noodle Casserole
    Next Post: Roasted Butternut Squash »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Happy Valley Chow

      January 21, 2014 at 9:26 am

      I love Chicken Tortilla Soup and your recipe looks and sounds awesome! It would be perfect for a day like today, after driving through the snow!

      Happy Blogging!
      Happy Valley Chow

      Reply
    2. Betty Daniels

      January 21, 2014 at 9:41 am

      Yum! Add a couple of your amazing appetizers, and you'll be set for the game (IF you choose to watch it. Or not). ☺

      Reply
    3. Jessica

      January 21, 2014 at 11:56 am

      This soup looks perfect for game day - or anyday really! Always love your recipes Cathy! Thanks for this one! YUM!

      Reply
    4. Bailey

      January 23, 2014 at 10:03 pm

      Mmmmm I wish i was watching the game at YOUR house!!! This soup looks incredible, and so do all the other recipes you linked beneath it. I just pinned this, can't wait to try it out soon!

      Reply
      • Cathy Trochelman

        January 25, 2014 at 10:04 pm

        Thanks, Bailey! We just decided to host a Superbowl party....you're more than welcome to drop in, my friend! 😉

        Reply
    5. Deb@ Cooking on the Front Burner

      January 29, 2014 at 9:53 pm

      Thanks for sharing this with us at our Marvelous Monday Party! Pinning and hope to see you again next week! I just love soup and especially this time of year when it is so cold out!

      Reply
    6. Kim

      January 29, 2014 at 10:32 pm

      Your recipe looks delicious. I love chicken tortilla soup . I'm pinning this. I'm coming over from wonderful Wednesday blog hop.
      Kim ~ This Ole Mom

      Reply
    7. Sara Welch

      November 12, 2019 at 3:51 pm

      5 stars
      What an amazing dinner recipe! Has easily become a new family favorite; it was delicious!

      Reply
    8. jade manning

      November 13, 2019 at 7:29 am

      5 stars
      This soup is the perfect comfort food with the spice to warm up my evening!

      Reply
    9. Beth

      November 13, 2019 at 10:53 pm

      5 stars
      This came out so tasty! It's the perfect comfort food! The whole family loved it!

      Reply
    10. Katerina @ diethood .com

      November 14, 2019 at 10:08 am

      mmmm...such a warm, hearty and delicious soup!! I can't wait to try this recipe!

      Reply
    11. Jacque Hastert

      November 14, 2019 at 11:57 am

      5 stars
      I am loving this recipe and wishing I had a huge bowl of this right now! Love how simply this comes together.

      Reply
    12. Jessica | The Novice Chef

      November 17, 2019 at 2:00 pm

      One of our favorite fall soups! It's perfect for this weekend!

      Reply
    13. Sandra

      November 22, 2019 at 3:33 pm

      I love it! Such a satisfying meal for weeknights!

      Reply
      • Abby

        January 16, 2021 at 8:17 pm

        5 stars
        Absolutely delicious and super easy! Now one of our go-to meals!
        Question though- how many ounces is a large can of crushed tomatoes?

        Reply
        • Cathy Trochelman

          January 19, 2021 at 3:09 pm

          Sorry... 28 ounces!

          Reply
    14. Rob

      December 03, 2019 at 6:42 pm

      5 stars
      Finally made this tonight-delicious. Love the toppings as well!

      Reply
    15. Pooja

      March 11, 2021 at 1:22 am

      Since i love chicken and love to try new recipes of chicken this is definitely going to be my next chicken experiment. Btw this i found super easy and yet so yum, cant wait to try this out. thanks for sharing.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi there, I'm Cathy!

    Welcome to Lemon Tree Dwelling, where I create easy, fresh recipes for everyday life. I believe that good food is meant to be shared, and I can't wait to share all my favorites with you!
    More about me →

    GET WEEKLY RECIPES STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX!

    Popular Recipes

    • Creamy Cucumber Salad
    • Greek Pasta Salad
    • How to Make the Perfect Cheese Board
    • Baja Fish Tacos
    • Fruit Smoothie Popsicles
    • Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
    • Cheesy Zucchini Bake
    • Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Tools

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with me

    Copyright © 2020 LemonTreeDwelling