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The BEST slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is filled with chunks of chicken, beans & corn. It is easy to make and full of flavor!
CAROL: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I was never one who liked Chicken Tortilla Soup, but, was willing to try again. This recipe is delicious and the family loves it. Thank you for the recipe – I am now a Chicken Tortilla Soup lover!!!”
The Best & Easiest Soup!
We are always in soup mode when the cool fall weather approaches!
One of our all-time favorite chicken soup recipes is our Chicken Tortilla Soup. My grandma Luna has been making this for my mom and then her for us for decades making it a long-time family favorite.
Why We love Tortilla Soup!
- So easy – so yummy! This is one of the easiest soup recipes out there! Prep time only takes 15 minutes and the flavor is incredible.
- Made on stove or in slow cooker. Whether you have a little more time or not, this soup can be made any way.
- Toppings galore. With all the fixings that go on top, like tortilla strips, sour cream, tomatoes, avocado, fresh cilantro, lime wedges and more – this recipe is hard NOT to love.
- PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
- COOK TIME: 4 HOURS
Tortilla Soup Ingredients
- Chicken Stock or Chicken Broth – Both work great!
- Shredded Cooked Chicken – Cook the chicken breasts and shred (or cube) them – for tips on shredded chicken GO HERE. You can also buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it or even used cooked chicken thighs.
- Diced Tomatoes – You can also use canned fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Corn – It’s the perfect addition to this soup.
- Black Beans – Use pinto beans or kidney beans too.
- Diced Green Chiles – Mild or hot work, but we typically do mild.
- Onion (optional) – Instead, you can add minced onions or onion powder. For other veggies, try chopped bell peppers.
- Seasonings + Spices: We use minced garlic, salt, black pepper, ground cumin, chili powder.
- Toppings: more shredded cheese, sour cream, queso fresco, diced avocado, chopped green onions, cilantro and limes
How to Make Tortilla Soup
This chicken tortilla soup recipe is a dump-and-go favorite!
- COMBINE. In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except the toppings.
- COOK. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours.
- GARNISH. Add cheese, tortilla strips, and other favorite toppings right before serving.
Stovetop Instructions
- BOIL. Simply put all the ingredients (minus the cheese and toppings) into a large pot, and cook on medium-high heat to bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- GARNISH + SERVE. Dish into bowls. Add cheese just before serving, and top with your favorite toppings!
For More REcipes:
Serve this soup with:
And for more favorite soups:
Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
The BEST slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is filled with chunks of chicken, beans & corn. It is easy to make and full of flavor!
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1-2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes drained
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can corn drained
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can black beans drained
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- ½ cup chopped onion optional
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Toppings (Optional)
- corn tortilla strips (store-bought or homemade), sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, chopped avocado, cilantro
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except the toppings.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours.
- Add cheese, tortilla strips and other favorite toppings right before serving.
Video
Notes
Stove top directions. In a large pot, combine all ingredients except the toppings over medium-low heat. Simmer for 20–30 minutes, or until soup is heated through. Ladle into bowls and add cheese, tortilla strips, and other favorite toppings.
Variations. This slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is more on the brothy side. For a different texture, during the last 30 minutes of cooking in the slow cooker, just add ⅔ cup heavy cream and ⅓ cup sour cream to make the soup nice and creamy!
CORN TORTILLA STRIPS: To make homemade corn tortilla strips, slice corn tortillas with a pizza cutter into thin strips. Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat and flash fry strips in the oil until golden and crispy, 30–60 seconds. Or, toss strips in a bowl with 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 425°F for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 95kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 927mg, Potassium: 285mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 37IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!
Recipe FAQ
Can I Make it Creamy?
- In the last 30 minutes of cooking in the crock pot, just add ⅔ cup heavy cream and ⅓ cup sour cream, and it will be nice and creamy!
How to make homemade Tortilla Strips?
- Simply cut corn tortillas into strips with a pizza cutter. You can either flash fry in hot oil or bake at 425°F for 8-10 minutes turning halfway through. You can also crush tortilla chips as well.
How to Store Tortilla Soup?
- STORE. To store, place tortilla soup in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- FREEZE. To freeze, let the tortilla soup recipe cool first, then freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag, making sure you omit the toppings.
- REHEAT. Let the recipe for chicken tortilla soup thaw overnight in the fridge (if frozen) and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Instant Pot Instructions
To make this chicken tortilla soup recipe in an Instant Pot, follow these steps:
- Select the sauté function on the Instant Pot and heat a small amount of oil.
- Add chopped onions and minced garlic to the pot and sauté until they become fragrant and softened.
- Next, add the shredded cooked chicken, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, diced green chiles, chicken stock, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder to the pot. Stir well to combine.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and set the vent to sealing.
- Select the manual or pressure cook function and set the timer for 10 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the cooking time is complete, allow for a natural pressure release for about 5 minutes. Then, carefully perform a quick release for the remaining pressure.
Note: The cooking time may vary slightly depending on the specific model of your Instant Pot.
Hi, I’m excited to try this recipe. I just wonder since the chicken is already cooked why does it need to cook for 3-4 hours (on high) still. Could you put the chicken in there raw and then just pull it out to shred at the end? Clearly I’m not a cook. Thanks for your help!
Amber
I’ve done that each time I cooked my soups. Just pop in two defrosted chicken breasts (large ones, and if they are frozen then when they defrost in soup they will add additional water which you don’t want) and if you cook it on low for 8 hours, check the chicken after 6 hrs and if done, pull it out, shred it with a fork (should pull apart easily) and toss it back into the soup.
Made this tonight and it was super yummy! I changed a few things, like pinto beans instead of black beans, 1/4 cup of tomato paste instead of tomatoes and I had precooked chicken on hand. I also made this in about 45 minutes, so no need for the slow cooker. I browned the onions with the green chilies and spices, added the broth, paste, beans, corn and chicken. Cooked until heated through.
I also added a 1/3 cup of masa mixed with water at the very end. This made the soup have a wonderful flavor and added to the thickness of it, since my hubby and son do not care for “brothy” soups
Adding masa is a GREAT idea – I will definitely give it a try next time I make it. 😉