Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup is a fantastic dinner for busy weeknights. Make it on the stovetop or in the crock pot for a hearty and delicious meal that the whole family will love. Along with the chicken it’s filled with hearty black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, corn, peppers and onions in a flavorful broth that is near impossible to resist.
White Chicken Chili and Smoked Chicken and Black Bean Chili are a couple of our favorites to make with leftover smoked chicken and my kids just can’t get enough of this easy Chicken Tortilla Soup. Serve it up with Skillet Cornbread for a delicious family pleasing dinner.
Chicken Tortilla Soup ~ Healthy Dinner Recipe
Every couple of weeks we will grill a couple of whole chickens to meal prep for the week ahead. Smoked chicken adds incredible flavor to the soup and makes it a really quick weeknight dinner. A rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken will work too.
Ingredients Needed:
- Bacon + the drippings
- Diced Onion
- Diced Red Bell Pepper
- Minced Garlic
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- Canned or Frozen Corn
- Canned Black Beans
- Chicken Broth
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Steak Rub or Taco Seasoning
- Smoked Chicken or Rotisserie Chicken
Toppings:
- Homemade tortilla strips: Tortillas (flour or corn) + Vegetable Oil for Frying
- Tortilla chips or Fritos
- Shredded Cheese: Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack
- Sour Cream
- Avocado Slices
- Jalapeños
- Hot Sauce
- Cilantro
- Fresh Limes
How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup:
- In a dutch oven or large pan, fry bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon to a paper towel line plate and set aside.
- Cook diced onions, bell peppers and garlic in bacon drippings over medium heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened.
- Rinse and drain black beans and corn add to the vegetables.
- Next, add undrained tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce.
- Stir in the chicken broth, cooked chicken and seasonings.
- Bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring often, cooking about 20 minutes. Lower to simmer and keep warm until ready to serve. Crumble the bacon and add just before serving.
How To Make Fried Tortilla Strips:
- Stack tortillas and cut into 1/2 inch strips using a pizza cutter.
- Add 1/2 inch of vegetable oil to a skillet or heavy bottom pan and place over medium-high heat until oil reaches 350°. Fry tortilla strips in batches until well browned, turning to brown both sides. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with crispy tortilla strips and your favorite toppings.
Slow Cooker Directions:
Add sautéed vegetables, corn, black beans, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, chicken and seasonings to a crock pot. Cook on low for 5- 6 hours or on high for 3- 4 hours. Stir in crumbled bacon before serving.
How to Store and Reheat:
This easy chicken tortilla soup just gets better the next day and it’s easy to double the batch if you would like to have leftovers for easy lunches or to feed a crowd.
Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Chicken Tortilla Soup freezes well. Place in a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months. Be sure to label the container with the contents and the date.
Reheat in a pan over medium heat, adding additional chicken broth or water if it needs thinned a little. Cook until heated through.
How to Make Spicy Tortilla Soup:
Add diced jalapeño peppers to the onions, bell peppers and garlic or add hot sauce along with the Worcestershire sauce.
More of our Favorite Soup Recipes to Try:
If you are looking for a quick and easy dinner idea to use up leftover chicken this is the very best Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe. It’s a tried and true family favorite and can be made spicy or mild and customized with everyone’s favorite toppings. A great addition to your meal plan this week.
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Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 3 slices thick cut bacon
- 2 cups diced onions
- 1 cup diced red bell peppers
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 can 15 ounces black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 can 15 ounces corn rinsed and drained (or frozen)
- 1 can 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes undrained
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons Steak Rub OR
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
- 1 burrito size flour tortilla or 3 corn tortillas
- vegetable oil for frying the tortillas
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or large pan, fry bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon to a paper towel line plate and set aside.
- Cook diced onions, bell peppers and garlic in bacon drippings over medium heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened.
- Rinse and drain black beans and corn add to the vegetables.
- Next, add undrained tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce.
- Stir in the chicken broth, cooked chicken and seasonings.
- Bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring often, cooking about 20 minutes. Lower to simmer and keep warm until ready to serve. Crumble the bacon and add just before serving.
To Make the Fried Tortilla Strips:
- Stack tortillas and cut into 1/2 inch strips using a pizza cutter.
- Add 1/2 inch of vegetable oil to a skillet or heavy bottom pan and place over medium-high heat until oil reaches 350°. Fry tortilla strips in batches until well browned, turning to brown both sides. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with crispy tortilla strips. Garnish with cilantro and your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
- Chicken Tortilla Soup freezes well. Place in a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months. Be sure to label the container with the contents and the date.
- Reheat in a pan over medium heat, adding additional chicken broth or water if it needs thinned a little. Cook until heated through.
Nutrition
