Chicken Tortilla Soup is simple, delicious, and ready in 20 minutes. It has black beans, chicken, crispy corn, cheese, and crunchy tortilla strips—perfect for a quick weeknight meal!
Try some of our other favorite soups with similar flavor profiles like this Salsa Verde Chicken Soup, Crockpot White Chicken Chili, or Chicken Taco Chili.
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Believe it or not, this soup is ready in just 20 minutes without compromising flavor. It’s not just a quick fix; it’s a rich, flavor-packed meal you’d be proud to share. Even as someone who often spends hours cooking, there are times we crave a speedy yet wholesome dish, like during flu season, which inspired this soup. It’s a cheesier twist on my site’s popular Chicken Chili and Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup, using rotisserie chicken and altered spices, delivering a homemade feel in a fraction of the time.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: Used to sauté the onion and garlic, providing a base flavor.
- Diced Yellow Onion & Minced Garlic: These add aromatic depth to the soup.
- Red Enchilada Sauce & Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes: These contribute a spicy, tangy base to the soup, enhancing its character.
- Chili Beans, Black Beans & Corn: Add texture and heartiness to the soup, making it more filling.
- Chicken Stock: This is the liquid base of the soup that brings all the flavors together.
- Paprika, Ground Cumin, & Chili Powder: These seasonings give the soup its signature Mexican flavor profile.
- Cream Cheese: Adds creaminess to the soup and balances the spicy ingredients.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Gives the soup a cheesy flavor and makes it richer.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Adds protein and makes the soup hearty.
Shortcuts
Still skeptical about 20-minutes? Let’s break it down!
- Pre-chopped Produce: Use store-bought pre-diced onions or frozen diced onions along with jarred minced garlic to eliminate chopping.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Opt for pre-shredded rotisserie chicken or prep and shred chicken in advance for quick addition.
- Chicken Stock: Use quality chicken stock, like Swanson’s®, to enhance flavor and reduce added seasonings. Chicken broth is an alternative but might require extra salt. Read more about chicken stock vs. chicken broth here.
How To Make Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Sauté: In heated olive oil, sauté diced onion. As it cooks, open cans and rinse black beans. Then, sauté garlic briefly.
- Add Ingredients: Pour in enchilada sauce, beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and chicken stock directly from their cans.
- Heat: Bring the soup to a boil, adding seasonings as it heats. Meanwhile, melt cream cheese and grate the other cheese.
- Finish: Whisk the melted cream cheese into the boiling soup. Remove from heat, stir in the grated cheese until melted, add rotisserie chicken, and serve!
What To Serve With Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup pairs well with a variety of sides and accompaniments. Here are some suggestions:
- Tortilla Chips: These can be crumbled on top or served on the side for added crunch.
- Avocado Slices or Guacamole: Adds creaminess and a refreshing contrast to the warm soup.
- Sour Cream: Provides a creamy tanginess that complements the spiciness of the soup.
- Lime Wedges: A squeeze of lime enhances the soup’s flavors.
- Fresh Cilantro: Can be sprinkled on top for a burst of fresh flavor.
- Black Bean Quesadillas or Bean Tostadas: Perfect for dipping into the soup.
- Italian Salad: A light salad with a tangy vinaigrette balances the richness of the soup.
- Spanish or Mexican Rice Recipe: Served on the side or even added to the soup for added heartiness.
- Cornbread or Drop Biscuits: A warm side to dip into the soup.
- Pinto Beans: Can be served on the side for additional protein and flavor.
Quick Tip
To make your own baked tortilla strips: Slice 2-3 stacked tortillas into 1/2-inch strips. Place on a parchment-lined sheet, toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Bake until golden, turning once, about 7-10 minutes.
Chicken Tortilla Soup FAQs
As the soup cools, it thickens a lot. For a chili-like consistency, use just 2 cups of chicken stock.
Chicken Tortilla Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Cool, then transfer to airtight containers or freezer bags. Thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stove before serving.
Add all ingredients except cream cheese and cheddar to the Crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Stir in cream cheese 30 minutes before serving, then add cheddar until melted. Check seasoning and ensure chicken is cooked through. Serve hot.
More Quick and Easy Soup Recipes
- Easy Zuppa Toscana ready in 20 minutes!
- Chicken Parmesan Soup ready in 20 minutes!
- Easy Tomato Soup with canned tomatoes
- Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup made in the slow cooker
- Potato Corn Chowder with fresh pesto
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment
- 5.5 quart pot (cast iron will heat quicker)
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3/4 cup diced yellow onion, optional — See Note 1
- 1 teaspoon minced (jarred) garlic
- 1 can (10 oz.) red enchilada sauce (we use mild Old El Paso)
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles added in, undrained
- 1 can (16 oz.) chili beans in mild sauce
- 1 can (15.25 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1-1/2 cups frozen corn (or 1 can drained corn)
- 3 and 1/4 cups chicken stock (or broth) Note 2
- 3/4 teaspoon each: paprika, ground cumin
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- Fine sea salt and pepper
- 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 package (8 oz.) sharp Cheddar cheese, freshly grated — Note 3
- 2 cups pre-shredded rotisserie chicken Note 4
- Toppings of choice: tortilla strips, sour cream, avocado, fresh lime, pico de gallo, and fresh cilantro Note 5
Instructions
- ONION AND GARLIC: In a large pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Sauté onion for 3-4 minutes. While sautéing, prepare cans and rinse black beans. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- EVERYTHING ELSE IN: Turn the heat to high. Add the enchilada sauce, undrained tomatoes, chili beans, rinsed black beans, corn, and chicken stock. As it heats to a boil, mix in the cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt (about 1 teaspoon), and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon). Stir well.
- CHEESES AND CHICKEN:Warm the cream cheese in the microwave until very soft. Once the soup is boiling, mix in the cream cheese until fully incorporated. Off the heat, stir in the grated Cheddar until melted, then stir in the rotisserie chicken.
- SERVE: Ladle soup into bowls, top with favorites like tortilla strips, sour cream, avocado, or cilantro, and enjoy!
- STORAGE/LEFTOVERS: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on low heat. Avoid boiling or high temperatures to prevent curdling. For freezing, cool the soup fully, then transfer to freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat on low.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is my go to taco soup recipe.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Sarah! 🙂
still super tasty in 2022! I cut an onion and the garlic, used chicken breasts I cooked up in the crockpot cause they were frozen this morning. This still only took 30 minutes. It was a yummy dinner for me and my husband and lunches this week.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Kelly! 🙂
wanted to try this recipe but could not get it to print. when i click on print it jumped back to top of page would love to have a copy. thanks
Hey Dave! Thanks so much for letting me know; is there anyway you could tell me what browser you’re experiencing the problem in? I can’t replicate it and neither can my developer 🙁 Any details you could provide would be so helpful! Thank you!
I accidently added my comment to the wrong recipe. I added my comments for chicken tortilla soup to the corn chowder soup. I dont know if you can change that on your end. It would make more sense for sure! 🙂
Spot on with the fresh shredded cheese.
A tip for extra flavor and kick- use mild spicy chicken broth. This will add rich flavor and compliments the ingredients.
So happy to hear this! Thanks Adam! 🙂
This soup was so easy and delicious! I followed the recipe exactly except I didn’t use canned enchilada sauce, I make my own from my homemade veggie broth. The flavors just really blended well and the cilantro and lime toppings are a must! Thanks for such and easy and delicious recipe
Oh homemade enchilada sauce sounds amazing! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Lori!
Just found this recipe and love it. Thank you so much. I did leave out the chili beans and it still was perfect!!
So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
a delicious soup that can be made in 20 minutes
Hi Chelsea, I LOVE your site, but today I was trying to figure out the calories in this soup without any cheese, and it definitely didn’t come out right. Without the cheeses, I got 30 calories per serving. 8 oz. sharp cheddar has 900 calories and 4 oz. cream cheese has almost 400. 8 times 185 = 1480 – 1300 = 180 calories in the whole pot.
Thanks Joan! Thanks for your kind comment! 🙂 We try to be as accurate as possible on nutrition facts, but we do use a 3rd party software that may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, specific brands used, and ingredient sizes.
This soup is easy to make and so so good! When I cooked the chicken beforehand, I used smoked paprika and the other spices for even more flavor. I also split the soup at the very end and added half a can of chopped jalapeños to spice it up for my husband and me (the other non-spicy soup for my kiddo). We all really enjoyed this delicious meal.
The chicken sounds delicious! So glad it was a hit, thanks Renee 🙂