Classic Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable)
Tender chicken simmered with vegetables, black beans, and spices in a rich broth, topped with crispy tortilla strips.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken and Stock
01 - 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
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 diced tomatoes with juices
08 - 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
09 - 1 can 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 Steps:
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 Advice:
01 -
- This soup bridges the gap between light and satisfying, perfect for those nights when you cannot decide what you are hungry for
- Make a big batch on Sunday and you will have lunch sorted for days, it actually tastes better the next day
02 -
- I once rushed the tortilla strips and they turned out chewy instead of crisp, so do not cut corners on this step because the texture contrast is what makes this soup special
- Adding the spices to the hot vegetables for that one minute of cooking transforms them from dusty to deeply flavorful
03 -
- Let everyone build their own bowl with toppings spread out on the table, it turns dinner into an interactive experience
- Squeeze fresh lime over each bowl right before eating to wake up all the flavors