Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

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This Mexican chicken tortilla soup has the perfect blend of spices and ingredients it will become your next favorite soup.

It’s officially soup season and I love having a good filling soup on those cold days. This Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup is literally one of my favorites. A broth based soup filled with chicken and spices it couldn’t get better.

Why this recipe works

It is a pretty easy recipe to make. You can make it in one pot to make it even easier.
Make it as a meal or as a side to some other great Mexican food such as these Chipotle Corn and Black Bean Quesadillas
This is freezer friendly. Just let it completely cool and then store in a freezer bag and freeze. Just leave out the avocados and tortillas strips.

Can I Make This in a Slow Cooker?

Yep! Just toss all the ingredients in and set it on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Easy peasy!

How Long Does This Soup Keep?

Stored in an airtight container, this soup will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months, just leave out the avocados and tortilla strips.

Is This Soup Spicy?

The recipe has a mild kick, but if you’re a spice lover, feel free to add a chipotle pepper or some chipotle chili powder to turn up the heat.

Ingredients for Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken– of course! I love using shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken, but have also cooked a couple large chicken breast and shred them for this recipe.
Corn Tortillas– you need about 6 or 7 for this recipe
Chicken Broth– Your soup base
Onions and Garlic– using fresh chopped onions and garlic for this recipe really boost the flavor
Spices– coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and salt you will all need for this recipe
Limes– fresh lime juice is best, but bottled lime juice works as well
Butter– for sauteing the onions and garlic
Fresh Cilantro– to top of the soup right at the end
Avocado– this is optional but I think it is mandatory for this recipe

What to Serve with this

Cheesy Quesadillas: Seriously, who can say no to melted cheese sandwiched between crispy tortillas? Pair these with your soup, and you’ve got comfort food heaven.
Mexican Street Corn Salad: This side dish is a flavor bomb that’ll make your taste buds dance. The creamy, zesty flavors are a match made in culinary heaven with your spicy soup.
Guacamole and Chips: Let’s be honest, guacamole is always a crowd-pleaser. Whip up a batch of this classic dip and serve it with crunchy tortilla chips for a side that everyone will love.
Cilantro Lime Rice: If you want to make the meal heartier, this rice is the way to go. It’s fluffy, zesty, and the perfect companion to your soup.
Margaritas: Okay, not technically a side dish, but come on, a chilled margarita is the perfect way to round off a Mexican feast. Cheers to that!

Preparing the Tortilla Strips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take 6 or so corn tortillas and lay them on a cutting board (Photo 1) and cut into thin strips (Photo 2) and cut in half to be more bite sized (Photo 3)

Get a baking dish a spray with cooking oil (Photo 4) Lay out the tortilla strips on the baking dish in an even layer (Photo 5) and then spray them with cooking oil (Photo 6) and cook (Photo 7) for about 12 minutes until golden brown.

Sauteing the Onions and Garlic

Take a pan and put it over medium/high heat and add your butter to the pan (Photo 8) Once the butter is melted add your chopped onions (Photo 9) and fresh minced garlic (Photo 10) to the pan.

Stir the onions and garlic around (Photo 11) for about 10 minutes until the onions have a translucent golden color (Photo 12) and set the pan aside.

Preparing the Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

Take a large pot and set it to high heat and add the chicken broth to it (Photo 13). Add the cumin (Photo 14), coriander (Photo 15), paprika (Photo 16), cayenne pepper (Photo 17), salt (Photo 18), and chili powder (Photo 19) to the pot.

Take your limes (Photo 20) and squeeze the juice out into the pot (Photo 21) Next add your shredded chicken (Photo 22) and then your sauteed onions and garlic (Photo 23) to the pot.

Stir everything together (Photo 24) and bring to boil and reduce heat to a shimmer for about 20 minutes. Right before finish cooking take the chopped cilantro and add it to the pot (Photo 25) and stir for a minute (Photo 26) and then serve (Photo 27)

Top with your tortilla strips and avocado or cheese if you prefer.

Switch it Up

Vegan-Friendly Chicken Tortilla Soup: Hey, ever thought about going meatless? Try using tofu or jackfruit and switch to vegetable broth. Trust me, it’s a game-changer for your vegan pals.
Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup: You know what’s awesome? Adding a bit of sour cream or coconut milk to make your soup creamier. It’s like a hug in a bowl.
Spicy Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup: If you’re a fan of spice like me, throw in a chipotle pepper or some chipotle chili powder. It’s a flavor bomb!
Seafood Tortilla Soup: How about a seafood twist? Swap out the chicken for some shrimp or tilapia. Perfect for Lent or just mixing things up.
Low-Sodium Chicken Tortilla Soup: Watching your salt? Use low-sodium chicken broth and skip the extra salt. Your heart will thank you.
Hearty Veggie Chicken Tortilla Soup: Want something more filling? Toss in black beans, corn, and maybe even some diced sweet potatoes. It’s a meal in itself!
Tropical Chicken Tortilla Soup: Ever tried adding pineapple or mango to your soup? It’s like a tropical vacation in a bowl.
Gluten-Free Chicken Tortilla Soup: Got gluten-free folks in your life? Use gluten-free corn tortillas and double-check that chicken broth. Problem solved.
Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup: If you’re on the keto train, ditch the corn tortillas. Add more avocados and maybe some cheddar cheese, and you’re good to go.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup: Super busy? Just throw all the ingredients in a slow cooker and let it do its magic. Dinner’s ready when you are!

Tips for Chicken Tortilla Soup

I prefer to use shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken but you can cook 3 chicken breasts in the oven and then shred those to go in the soup.
If you are worried about the sodium get the reduce sodium chicken broth and the added salt should still make this recipe taste great.
You can actually use the same pot to saute the onions and garlic that you use for the soup if you rather make as least mess as possible.
I used 3 limes for this recipe, but they were baby limes. If you’re not the biggest lime fan start by adding the juice of one and you can always add more later.
You don’t necessarily have to make your own tortillas strips. Grocery stores sale tortilla strips already premade in the salad dressing aisle if you want to make life a little easier.
If you do make your own tortilla strips, whatever tortillas you don’t use you can freeze for later use. Just put a piece of parchment paper in between each tortilla so they don’t stick together. Then put in a freezer bag and stick in the freezer for later.
If you want to make this meal even more filling add some black beans and corn to it.

Want More Soup Recipes?

Ham and Bean Soup
Tom Kha Gai
Chicken Noodle Soup
Spicy Asian Chicken Noddle Soup

Or wanting more Mexican recipes check out my Cinco de Mayo section!

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