Classic Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable View)

A comforting Mexican-style soup with tender chicken, vegetables, and spices, topped with crispy tortilla strips.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken and Stock

01 - 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 14 ounces
02 - 6 cups chicken broth preferably low sodium

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium yellow onion diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic minced
05 - 1 medium red bell pepper diced
06 - 1 medium jalapeño seeded and diced
07 - 1 can 14 ounces diced tomatoes with juices
08 - 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
09 - 1 can 14 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Spices and Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Tortilla Strips

17 - 4 corn tortillas sliced into thin strips
18 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Garnishes

19 - 1 avocado diced
20 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
21 - 1 lime cut into wedges
22 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
23 - Sour cream

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss tortilla strips with vegetable oil and spread on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and crisp, tossing halfway through. Set aside.
02 - In a large pot, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add chicken breasts, reduce heat, and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken, shred with two forks, and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened.
04 - Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add diced tomatoes with juices, tomato paste, corn, black beans, and shredded chicken back to the pot. Simmer for 10-15 minutes to blend flavors.
06 - Check seasoning and adjust salt or spice as desired.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with crispy tortilla strips and optional garnishes such as avocado, cilantro, lime, cheese, and sour cream.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Its the kind of soup that somehow tastes even better the next day, like all the ingredients had a proper chance to get acquainted in the pot
  • The combination of crispy tortilla strips against the velvety broth creates this incredible texture that makes every spoonful exciting
  • Its incredibly forgiving and adaptable, so you can make it work with whatever you have in the pantry
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that adding the spices directly to the liquid without toasting them first leaves you with a soup that never quite develops that deep, layered flavor profile
  • The tortilla strips lose their crunch shockingly fast, so bake them right before serving and keep them separate until the very last moment
03 -
  • If the soup feels too thin, mash about a cup of the black beans before adding them to naturally thicken the broth without changing the flavor
  • The soup develops exponentially better flavors if made a day ahead, so consider doubling the batch for easy leftovers

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