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Chicken Tortilla Soup

This Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe has been crafted to perfection. It’s easy to make using a slow cooker Crockpot or an Instant Pot and pressure cooker. This soul-warming dish combines tender chicken, vibrant vegetables, the best homemade spice blend, and crispy tortilla strips into a bowl of comfort. This soup offers convenience without compromising on taste.

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup in a white bowl
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This post was originally published in 2017. It has since been updated. 

Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • Convenience: This recipe offers convenience by allowing for hands-off cooking. Once you’ve added the ingredients, you can set it and forget it, freeing up time for other tasks or activities.
  • Time-Saving: If you make the soup using an Instant Pot or slow cooker you can significantly reduce the cooking time compared to traditional stovetop methods.
  • Tender Meat: This dish results in tender chicken as the prolonged cooking time allows the flavors to meld together while keeping the meat moist and juicy.
  • Enhanced Flavor: Slow cooking or pressure cooking allows the flavors of the ingredients to develop and intensify over time, resulting in a richer and more flavorful soup.
  • One-Pot Meal: Who doesn’t love a one pot meal? This method minimizes cleanup and simplifies the cooking process.
  • Perfect for Batch Cooking and Meal Prep: Soup is awesome for meal prep and when made in large batches it can be stored and reheated for future meals.
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

What Type of Chicken to Use

Here are some options.

  • Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: This is a popular choice because it’s lean and easy to shred once cooked. Chicken breasts cook relatively quickly and are readily available at most grocery stores.
  • Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs have a bit more fat and flavor compared to chicken breasts. They also tend to be more forgiving when cooked for longer periods, making them a great option for slow cooking methods like the Crockpot.
  • Rotisserie Chicken: Using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken is a convenient option if you’re short on time or looking to add extra flavor to your soup. Simply shred the meat and add it to the soup during the last few minutes of cooking to heat through.
  • Leftover Chicken: Leftover cooked chicken from a previous meal, such as grilled, roasted, or baked chicken, can be shredded and added to the soup. This is a great way to repurpose leftovers and reduce food waste.
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup

Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  1. Saute onions and garlic in the pot.
  2. Add the chicken breasts, broth, Better than Bouillon, taco seasoning, and tomato paste to the pot.
  3. Close and seal.
  4. Pressure cook.
  5. Remove the chicken and shred. Return the chicken to the pot.
  6. Stir and serve.
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cook Time and How Long to Cook

If you are making the dish in a Crockpot slow cooker you will need to cook it on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

If you’re using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot you will cook the dish for 10 minutes.

Chicken Tortilla soup in Instant Pot

Substitutions and Add-Ins Ideas

  • Corn: Add fresh or frozen corn kernels for sweetness and texture.
  • Avocado: Top each bowl with diced avocado for creaminess and a boost of healthy fats.
  • Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds a burst of freshness and flavor. Garnish each serving with chopped cilantro leaves.
  • Lime: A squeeze of fresh lime juice right before serving brightens up the flavors of the soup.
  • Cheese: Sprinkle shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or crumbled queso fresco on top for added richness.
  • Sour Cream: A dollop of sour cream adds creaminess and balances out the spices.
  • Hot Sauce: For an extra kick of heat, serve with your favorite hot sauce or salsa on the side.
  • Tortilla Strips: Serve with extra crispy tortilla strips on top for added crunch.
  • Rice or Quinoa: Add cooked rice or quinoa to make the soup more hearty and filling.
  • Bell peppers
  • Zucchini
  • Spinach
  • Broccoli
Chicken Tortilla soup in Instant Pot

How to Store

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge tightly covered and sealed for 3-4 days.

How to Reheat

  • Stovetop: Transfer the desired amount of soup to a saucepan or pot. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup reaches a gentle simmer. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes until heated through. Be careful not to boil the soup vigorously, as this can cause the ingredients to break down and lose texture.
  • Microwave: Pour the desired amount of soup into a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl loosely with a microwave-safe lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap, leaving a small vent for steam to escape. Microwave on high in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each interval, until the soup is heated through. Be cautious when handling hot soup from the microwave.
  • Instant Pot: If you initially cooked the soup in an Instant Pot, you can use the “Saute” function to reheat it. Simply pour the soup back into the Instant Pot insert and select the “Saute” function. Stir occasionally until the soup reaches your desired temperature.
  • Crockpot: For soup that was originally cooked in a Crockpot, you can reheat it directly in the Crockpot insert. Place the insert back into the Crockpot base and set it to the “Low” or “Warm” setting. Allow the soup to heat gradually, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the desired temperature.
wooden spoon of Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Freezer Tips

You can freeze the soup tightly covered and sealed for 3-4 months. After that some quality may fade. Defrost in the fridge overnight.

More Soup Recipes

Chicken Florentine Soup
Lasagna Soup
Slow Cooker Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie
Autumn Butternut Squash Soup

Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
Slow Cooker Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup
Slow Cooker Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup
Creamy Chicken Alfredo Soup
Roasted Poblano Soup
Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup in a white bowl
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup in a white bowl
Print Pin
5 from 26 votes

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe has been crafted to perfection. It's easy to make using a slow cooker Crockpot or an Instant Pot and pressure cooker. This soul-warming dish combines tender chicken, vibrant vegetables, the best homemade spice blend, and crispy tortilla strips into a bowl of comfort. This soup offers convenience without compromising on taste.
Save this recipe here.
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword chicken tortilla soup in Instant Pot
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 339kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 pound skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 32 oz chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Flavor Optional for additional flavor.
  • 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn You can also use fresh or canned.
  • 1 14.5oz canned black beans Drained.
  • 1 14.5oz canned diced tomatoes and chilis Drained; I used Rotel
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Adjust to suit your taste.
  • tortilla strips

Homemade Taco Seasoning (You can use a store-bought package if you wish.)

Instructions

Slow Cooker/Crockpot

  • Add all of the ingredients (except for the tortilla strips) to the slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 10 hours.
  • Open the pot and shred the chicken using 2 forks. Return the chicken to the pot.
  • Serve with tortilla strips.

Instant Pot

  • Place the Instant Pot on the saute function. Add the onions and garlic to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
  • Add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, Better than Bouillon, taco seasoning, and tomato paste to the Instant Pot.
  • Close the pot and seal. Place the Instant Pot on Manual > High Pressure Cooking for 10 minutes.
  • Allow the steam to naturally release for 10 minutes instead of performing a quick release.
  • Remove the lid. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred using a knife and fork.
  • Return the chicken to the pot. Place the Instant Pot on the saute function.
  • Add the corn, beans, Rotel, and lime juice. Stir to combine. Allow the soup to cook for 3-4 minutes until the corn and beans have softened some.
  • Serve with tortilla strips.

Video

Notes

  • Additional topping ideas: sliced avocado, reduced-fat sour cream, plain, non-fat Greek yogurt (protein sour cream replacement), guacamole, jalapenos.
Recipe Tools Used in this RecipeAs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 339kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 8g
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Nutrition DataMacros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
5 from 26 votes
Recipe Rating




John

Wednesday 11th of January 2023

I first tried this at the outback on s acadian been wanting to make it. Glad i can make it myself now

staysnatched

Saturday 14th of January 2023

Yay! So glad to hear it!

LMack

Sunday 6th of November 2022

Thoroughly enjoyed making this recipe. We donโ€™t eat corn, so I doubled the beans. I have a question about the amount of taco seasoning. Is your intention for all of the ingredients to be in the pot OR to mix them and use a portion. In my case I mixed them and added 2 tablespoons of the mix.

I also added an arrowroot slurry to help thicken it a bit.

I topped it with grain-free tortilla chips, avocado and diced red onion.

staysnatched

Sunday 6th of November 2022

I don't understand your question. What mix are you adding? If you're referring to the spices, it doesn't matter how you add them, as long as you add them to the soup. I use every serving noted in the recipe. The ingredients listed are for this recipe specifically.

Ashley

Sunday 9th of October 2022

Such a delicious yet easy recipe! Perfect for busy nights and meal prep!

staysnatched

Tuesday 11th of October 2022

Yes! Love to hear it!

Jen

Monday 20th of June 2022

This soup was delicious. Perfect for a chilly summer evening at the beach. Recipe was easy to follow and create!

staysnatched

Tuesday 21st of June 2022

I'm glad to hear it was easy.

Angela Crawford

Thursday 17th of February 2022

Another banger!!! This soup is perfectly delicious. I added cauliflower and pureed it to give it creamy feel. The soup was so good I didn't even need to add additional toppings. Don't play yourself. Make this soup.

staysnatched

Sunday 27th of February 2022

I'm so glad to hear it was a banger!