Description
This Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup is a quick, comforting weeknight dinner that combines shredded rotisserie chicken with a creamy, flavorful tomato base loaded with beans, corn, and spices. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a hearty one-pot meal perfect for customization with your favorite toppings like avocado, cheese, sour cream, and tortilla strips. Ideal for families looking for a filling yet simple dish with a spicy Tex-Mex flair.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (10 oz) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 can (12 oz) corn, drained
- 1 can (14 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped (preferably rotisserie)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- Tortilla strips
- Avocado slices
- Sour cream
- Tex-Mex style shredded cheese
Instructions
- Sauté the Onion: In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned and translucent, developing a sweet and savory base flavor.
- Build the Soup Base: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, undrained Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, and chicken broth. Add garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, drained corn, and rinsed black beans. Stir well to combine, then increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil to meld the flavors.
- Simmer the Soup: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar, and let the soup simmer gently for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop fully.
- Prep the Toppings: While the soup simmers, prepare toppings by slicing avocado, portioning sour cream, shredding cheese if needed, and setting out tortilla strips. Optionally, add fresh cilantro or a squeeze of lime juice to brighten flavors.
- Finish the Soup with Cream and Chicken: Stir in heavy cream and the shredded cooked chicken. Warm gently over low heat for 3-5 minutes until heated through and creamy. Taste, then season generously with salt and pepper to balance the flavors.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each serving with tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream, and Tex-Mex shredded cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy the hearty Tex-Mex chicken soup.
Notes
- Add cream at the end and keep heat low to avoid curdling the dairy.
- Rinse and drain black beans well to prevent a starchy, muddy texture.
- Use fully cooked shredded chicken, preferably rotisserie, to save time and keep chicken tender.
- Simmer soup at least 15-20 minutes for optimal flavor melding before adding cream and chicken.
- Customize toppings and spice level to taste—omit jalapeños for mild or add hot sauce for heat.
- Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days; soup flavors improve overnight.
- Freeze for up to 3 months, note cream may separate but will re-incorporate when reheated and stirred.
- Reheat gently to maintain texture and flavor, stirring frequently.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Keywords: chicken tortilla soup, easy chicken soup, Tex-Mex soup, rotisserie chicken recipe, quick weeknight dinner, creamy chicken soup, tortilla strips soup
