This Easy 20 Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe is a comforting, flavorful, and filling. Topped with crunchy tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, and creamy avocado, it makes for a delicious and fast weeknight dinner. Great for meal-prepping and make-ahead meals, too!
Love easy and delicious soup recipes? Then you’ve got to try my White Chicken Chili and my Lasagna Soup!
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Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup
We are in the midst of soup season, and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve been eating soup almost every other night. From my Lasagna Soup and Stuffed Pepper Soup to my Turkey Meatball Vegetable Soup and Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, I just can’t get enough of it.
This quick and easy chicken tortilla soup is loaded with all of my favorite Mexican-inspired ingredients — cilantro, lime juice, avocado, tortilla chips, and, of course, the ultra-flavorful tomatoey broth. It’s slightly spicy and full of flavor!
There is very little prep time for this recipe. With pre-shredded cooked chicken, it takes less than 10 minutes to put together and only 10 minutes to cook.
Ingredients
- Enchilada sauce: Homemade Enchilada Sauce or store bought enchilada sauce will work! Here is our favorite brand!
- Crushed tomatoes: Along with the enchilada and broth crushed tomatoes are the base of this soup!
- Chicken broth: I like to use low sodium chicken broth to be able to control the saltiness of the soup.
- Black beans: Canned black beans are added however you can use pinto beans or great northern beans instead! I usually rinse my beans to control the salt level! Rinsing your beans cuts the sodium amount in half!
- Sweet corn: I use frozen sweet corn to the soup although summer fresh corn would be amazing in this!
- Onion and Garlic: Add so much flavor to this soup!! I like to add 4 whole garlic cloves!
- Lime juice: Brightens up the soup and adds a nice acidity to it.
Optional toppings for the soup
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Crispy tortilla strips or crushed up tortilla chips
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream or crema
How to make Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Add oil to a large saucepan. Add in onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in chicken broth, enchilada sauce, crushed tomatoes, black beans, corn, cumin, paprika and pepper.Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in precooked shredded chicken and warm through.
- Take off of the heat and add in lime juice and cilantro. Serve immediately and garnish with avocado, tortilla strips or cilantro if desired.
Kelley’s tips
- Cooking the chicken ahead of time saves a lot of time on prep. Cook and shred the chicken the night before. You could also use leftover rotisserie chicken or turkey for a quick substitute.
- Additionally, I like to double this recipe and freeze any extra to have on hand for busy weeknight meals. It will keep in the freezer for 6 months and in the fridge for 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove over medium heat before serving.
Variations
- Add more veggies to make this homemade tortilla soup even more filling! Sliced peppers, squash, or carrots would be delicious!
- Swap the shredded chicken for shredded turkey, shredded beef, shredded pork, ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef.
- Make it vegetarian by using tofu or omitting the meat entirely.
- Take it a step further and make it vegan by using veggie broth.
- Add some freshly grated mozzarella cheese to the bottom of your bowl before ladling the hot soup on top to make it melted and creamy.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
- Store cooled, leftover chicken tortilla soup in an airtight container or plastic bag in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze cooled soup in a freezer-safe airtight container or plastic bag for up to 6 months.
- Reheat frozen or thawed soup in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop until warmed through and simmering.
More Soup Recipes To Try!
- Italian Ham and White Bean Orzo Soup
- Thai Coconut Soup
- Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup with Greek Yogurt
- Italian Meatball Soup
- Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
- Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
Easy 20 Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 10 ounce can enchilada sauce (medium)
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 15.5 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded chicken breasts, cooked
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, about half of a lime
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
- avocado for garnish, if desired
- tortilla strips for garnish, if desired
- cilantro for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Add oil to a large saucepan. Add in onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in chicken broth, enchilada sauce, crushed tomatoes, black beans, corn, cumin, paprika and pepper.Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in precooked shredded chicken and warm through.
- Take off of the heat and add in lime juice and cilantro. Serve immediately and garnish with avocado, tortilla strips or cilantro if desired.
Nutrition Information
Did You Make This?
I’d love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don’t forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Mousey
Made this for my husband tonight and he absolutely loved it. 😋😋😋
Meredith
One of my go to soups! So easy and so yummy!
Kelley Simmons
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!! Thanks so much for sharing!
TC
Excellent and delicious chicken tortilla soup. My 12 year old son made this with a little help from me. Due to our limited pandemic pantry, we followed the directions except we added one can of enchilada sauce (instead of 2), one 15 oz. can of Hunt’s tomato sauce (instead of crushed tomatoes) and added 1.5 teaspoons of cumin (instead of just 1 teaspoon). We served with multi-grain tortilla scoops. Yum!
Every Chef Savvy recipe we have made (10+) has been excellent. My family and I are turning into huge fans. I’m not a cooking video fan, but your videos make your recipes look so easy. Thank you so very much for creating delicious recipes while also inspiring me to expand my cooking abilities!
Kelley Simmons
Thank you so much for trying so many of my recipes and commenting! It means so much to me and is greatly appreciated! I am so happy that you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
Jacqueline Bagwell
Made this yesterday and it was wonderful! Easy to make with lots of flavor.
Dawn
I can’t wait to try this recipe on my husband. We make a version of this soup, also made in 20 minutes with jar salsa south western style as the soup base with the chicken broth, add extra corn ( I like white sweet corn) in mine and black beans. I like the idea of adding enchilada sauce. I’m going to try to use green sauce since I have to eat mild spicy, anything more than that doesn’t agree with us. I can’t wait to try this. Thank you for your recipe and the photos make your mouth water. They are great.
Kelley
Thank you so much Dawn! I hope you and your husband enjoyed this recipe!