Chicken tortilla soup pairs crispy home-cooked tortilla strips with a hearty, filling soup. It comes together in under 45 minutes and is absolutely loaded with flavor! Recipe includes a how-to video!
The Coziest Tortilla Soup
My chicken tortilla soup deserves a spot in your dinner rotation this season. It’s hearty, super filling, and has just a touch of cream cheese to make it slightly creamy but not too rich. Crispy homemade tortilla strips (they’re so easy to make, I promise!) add the perfect crunch and make this a complete meal in a bowl!
This soup is loaded with protein from shredded chicken and black beans. It’s a (mostly) wholesome, yet still indulgent meal that is comforting and perfect as a weeknight dinner or cold weather comfort food (like my creamy chicken noodle soup).
What’s to Love About This Recipe
- Fast: just 35 minutes to make. And that includes making the homemade tortilla strips!
- Incredible flavor from a bacon base, fire roasted tomatoes, ancho chili powder, and a few more special ingredients.
- Uses pre-cooked chicken, so it’s great for using up leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the store.
- Easy: the ingredient list on this recipe might be long, but the actual process is so simple. We’re really just tossing everything into the pot!
- You can customize your spice level depending on your tastes. As is, this soup is mild. But it’s very easy to spice up; scroll down to the FAQ section for more info.
What You Need
Let’s go over a few of the key ingredients that give this soup its flavor. You can find the full list of ingredients further down into the post in the recipe card.
- Bacon. While it may be an unlikely suspect, this secret ingredient creates an amazingly flavorful base, just like in my potato soup recipe. If you don’t want to use bacon, that’s fine! I provide instructions on how to make this soup without bacon in the recipe notes below.
- Chicken. As in my chicken tortilla soup and white chicken chili, I opt to start with pre-shredded chicken (a rotisserie chicken works great here!)
- Chili powder. Like in my award-winning chili recipe, we are using a combination of regular and ancho chili powder for the most depth of flavor. If you don’t have ancho chili powder, you can just use all regular chili powder instead. The ancho adds a nice smoky element though, which I love!
- Fire roasted tomatoes. If you can’t find fire roasted, plain diced tomatoes work just fine, but I prefer the smoky depth of flavor the fire roasted version offers.
- Sugar. I know, I know–we typically save the sugar for the desserts, but just a teaspoon here really rounds out the flavors. I also use sugar in my sloppy joes recipe and tomato soup recipe, so this shouldn’t surprise you too much!
- Cream cheese. This thickens the soup and adds lots of flavor. You can always skip it for a thinner soup with a more tomato-y base, but I love the creaminess it adds.
SAM’S TIP: I prefer to use rotisserie chicken for this recipe; it’s easy and inexpensive to buy one from the grocery store, shred it, and toss it into the soup. You could also make my easy crockpot shredded chicken and use that instead.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Cook the bacon until crisp, then remove to a paper towel lined plate.
- Cook the onion, pepper, and jalapeno in the bacon grease and until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Stir in the stock, diced tomatoes, beans, enchilada sauce, corn, chilis, spices, and chicken.
- Let the soup simmer while you prepare your tortilla strips (demonstrated below).
- Add cream cheese and lime juice and stir until the cream cheese is melted.
- Serve topped with tortilla strips and other toppings (suggestions below!)
SAM’S TIP: Preheat your oven before you start the soup, that way it has time to get nice and hot for your tortilla strips!
How to Make the Tortilla Strips
The crispy corn tortilla strips are possibly my favorite part of this soup. While you could just buy pre-made strips, it takes only minutes to make them at home using corn tortillas.
- Cut 10 corn tortillas into ¼” strips (mine usually end up thicker than this, but I always aim for ¼”) and then cut strips to be about 2″ in length. Place on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss until all strips are lightly coated and spread evenly over the pan.
- Bake until crisp (about 10 minutes) and allow to cool before serving with the soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
This soup is still mild enough for my kids to enjoy despite using a jalapeno, chiles, and enchilada sauce, since we remove the jalapeno seeds and use mild versions of the potentially spicy items.
If you want to make it spicer, toss in a few of the jalapeno seeds and use hot green chiles and hot enchilada sauce.
Toppings-wise, we love avocado, cotija cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and lime juice. A splash of hot sauce doesn’t hurt either!
As for sides, we love serving with my famous cornbread or jalapeno cornbread, though biscuits are always a good option, too.
I haven’t tried freezing this soup, but I would be worried that the cream cheese wouldn’t thaw properly and could make the end result seem “piecey” and separated (though I suspect the taste would still be fine). You could try freezing the soup before adding the cream cheese and stir it in once thawed.
If you try freezing this recipe, I’d love to know how it goes for you!
This soup makes the perfect cold weather meal. I hope you give it a try this season!
Enjoy!
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Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 strips (uncooked) bacon cut into small pieces¹
- 1 cup (115 g) chopped onion about one medium onion
- 1 cup (115 g) diced red pepper about one red pepper
- 1 finely chopped jalapeno seeds removed
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic about 4-5 cloves for me
- 3 ½ cups (830 ml) low sodium chicken stock
- 14 oz (396 g) can fire roasted diced tomatoes undrained
- 14 oz (396 g) can black beans rinsed and drained
- 10 oz (283 g) mild enchilada sauce
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn
- 7 oz (200 g) can diced green chilis
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder I like use ½ Tbsp ancho chili powder and ½ Tbsp regular chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3-4 cups (450 g) shredded or diced cooked chicken I use shredded rotisserie chicken
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese² cut into cubes
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Optional toppings: avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro, sour cream, etc.
TORTILLA Strips:
- 10 corn tortillas
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Kosher salt for sprinkling
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 415F/215C (this is to cook your tortillas, you want the oven preheating and it can take some time for it to reach this temperature so preheat it now).
- Place bacon pieces in a large heavy bottomed pot (I like to use my Dutch Oven) and cook over medium heat until browned, crisp, and cooked through. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.5 strips (uncooked) bacon
- Add onion, pepper, and jalapeno to pan and cook until translucent (about 3-5 minutes).1 cup (115 g) chopped onion, 1 cup (115 g) diced red pepper, 1 finely chopped jalapeno
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds)1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- Add chicken stock, tomatoes, beans, enchilada sauce, corn, chilis, chili powder, sugar, cumin, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, paprika, black pepper, and chicken. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile prepare your tortillas.3 ½ cups (830 ml) low sodium chicken stock, 14 oz (396 g) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, 14 oz (396 g) can black beans, 10 oz (283 g) mild enchilada sauce, 1 cup frozen sweet corn, 7 oz (200 g) can diced green chilis, 1 Tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, ¾ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 3-4 cups (450 g) shredded or diced cooked chicken
TORTILLA STRIPS
- Cut tortillas into strips that are ¼” thick by 2” long. Scatter evenly over parchment paper lined baking sheet, drizzle lightly with olive oil (about 1 Tbsp), sprinkle with kosher salt and use a spatula to evenly coat with olive oil.10 corn tortillas, Olive oil, Kosher salt
- Transfer to 415F (215C) and cook until crisp, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet.
- Meanwhile, once soup has finished simmering, add cream cheese and lime juice and stir well until cream cheese is melted. Return bacon to the pot and stir well.4 oz (113 g) cream cheese², 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Serve topped with your crisp tortilla strips and other toppings, as desired.Optional toppings: avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro, sour cream, etc.
Notes
¹Bacon
If you don’t care to use bacon, you can substitute 2 Tablespoons of butter (or even olive oil, but each substitution will result in less flavor) instead. Melt over medium/high heat then proceed with recipe as written.²Cream cheese
If you don’t like a creamier soup you can leave out the cream cheese.Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
I originally published this recipe in March of 2019. Post has been updated to be more helpful, but the recipe remains unchanged.
Aly
This is the best soup for those cooler days! My whole family loves this and I always have to double it to share with my mom and grandma!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoys it so much, Aly! 🙂
Flora Gonzales
Can I use restaurant strip chips instead of making my own?
Sam
Absolutely! Enjoy 🙂
Sandy
Your recipe looks delicious and beyond! I am anxious to make it, and have all ingredients ready to go.
However I wonder if this soup Can this be made in a crockpot rather than a stock pot (which I don’t own!)?
Sam
Hi Sandy! There are many different steps here so I’m not sure how it would work in a crock pot. If you do try it I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Charlotte Blackburn
soup recipe looks delicious. but to answer Sandy that asked about cooking this in a crock pot. because you need to fry the bacon, veges and garlic you will need a frying pan.
but good news, you can do all of the needed steps in a Instant Pot. It will allow you to fry the bacon. sautee the veges and garlic and add all of the other ingredients in the same pot!!! They are a wonderful addition to your kitchen.
Melissa
One of my all-time favorite soups! I make this multiple times a year during “soup season,” it never disappoints. It’s a family favorite!
Jeannie
I’ve been making this soup for about a year now. Every time I share it, folks beg for the recipe. I love how easy it is, but mostly how delicious!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for the review, Jeannie! We’re so happy it’s such a hit for you 🥰
Kate
This was so good!!! Followed the recipe exactly how written and it turned out great! I had a bunch of family randomly show up and I was very worried because they are pretty picky, turns out even my nieces love it! Some of the family added sour cream to cool it down but I didn’t think it was necessary. I just discovered Sugar Spun Run recipes less than a week ago and this is the third recipe I have made; cinnamon rolls and pizza crust were both hits! I am so impressed, I’m already trying to figure out what I’m making next.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That’s great, Kate! We’re so happy you found our site and are enjoying our recipes so much 🥰
AntNita
I cook for sweet niece’s family every week, I’m making this for the second time today, they loved it last month! They also love your Ultimate Potato soup. ❤️💕 I find cooking to be such a stress reliever/ relaxation tool, the chopping and shredding in this recipe is bliss, and it’s so delicious. Thank you!
Gina
This is the best Chicken Tortilla Soup!! This is a keeper and is so delicious. Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you like it, Gina! Thanks for leaving a review. Enjoy 😊
Bob
Miss Sam, this was another BIG winner with my family. I made it especially for my wife who loves the one made by Chic Filet. It is spicy but I toned my bowl down with some sour cream.
Only negative was the amount of prep work. All the chopping and shredding really wore this 75 year old man out!
No doubt I will have to make it again, especially during these cold winter days. I may do prep work in advance stages.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you liked the soup, Bob! Yes, the chopping does take some time, but its totally worth it 😊 Thanks for coming back to leave a review; we really appreciate it. Enjoy!
Kate
Bob, there are pull string vegetable choppers on Amazon that really make veggie prep a lot easier!
Jodi
Made several of your recipes and all have been amazing! Planning my next bowl of yum. The chicken tortilla soup…. Is it on the spicier side? If it is what could I adjust to keep it milder if possible?
Sam
Hi Jodi! The only real heat here would come from the jalapeno. You could omit it if you’d like. 🙂