Best Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable)

Flavorful Mexican-inspired soup with tender chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, corn, and crispy tortilla strips.

# Ingredient List:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 oz)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
06 - 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
07 - 1 lime, juiced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Canned Goods

09 - 1 can (14 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
10 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
16 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Tortilla Strips

17 - 4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
18 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning once halfway through, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeño. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until vegetables soften.
03 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds to release spice flavors.
04 - Add chicken breasts, fire-roasted tomatoes with juice, corn, bay leaf, and chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
05 - Remove chicken breasts from the pot and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the simmering broth.
06 - Add lime juice and chopped cilantro. Discard bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and top generously with crispy tortilla strips and desired garnishes.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent all day simmering it.
  • The crispy tortilla strips add texture that keeps things interesting in every spoonful.
  • You can build your own bowl with toppings, so everyone gets exactly what they want.
02 -
  • Bake those tortilla strips until they're truly crispy; a soggy strip ruins the whole textural magic.
  • Bloom your spices in the hot oil for those crucial 30 seconds, or they'll taste dusty and flat instead of vibrant.
03 -
  • If you're short on time, use rotisserie chicken instead of poaching your own—shred it and add it near the end so you skip 20 minutes of simmering.
  • For a spicier version, leave the seeds in the jalapeño or dust in a pinch of cayenne pepper right before serving.
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