Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is a simple, dump-and-forget meal! With shredded chicken, black beans, crisp corn, tomatoes, and a flavorful broth, it’s unforgettable.

If you’re looking for a quick 20-minute stovetop version of this recipe, check out this Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Overhead image of the Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Table of Contents

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

This chicken tortilla soup stands out thanks to a “secret ingredient” that adds flavor, thickness, and is as easy as opening a can. Instead of using just vegetable or chicken broth, I combine chicken broth with red enchilada sauce for an unforgettable base.

Just one can of enchilada sauce transforms the soup, adding layers of flavor, seasoning, and a touch of heat—all with minimal effort. Just open the can and dump it in!

Process shots-- images of the oil, onion, garlic, seasonings, and tomato paste added to the instant pot

Chicken Tortilla Soup Ingredients

  • Chicken: While chicken breasts work, boneless chicken thighs are highly recommended.
  • Red Enchilada Sauce: Enchilada sauces can vary in heat. I love Old El Paso® mild red enchilada sauce.
  • Chicken Stock: A high-quality stock adds great flavor and reduces the need for extra spices.
  • Chili Powder: I prefer McCormick®, which is very mild.
Process shots-- images of the diced tomatoes, chicken, chicken stock, and remaining ingredients being added to the instant pot

How To Make Chicken Tortilla Soup

  1. Sauté: Use the Instant Pot’s sauté function to cook the onion, garlic, spices, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes in stages.
  2. Add Everything: Once the base is ready, add the remaining ingredients.
  3. Pressure Cook: Cook for just 7 mins, followed by 15 minutes of natural release.
  4. Finishing Touches: After releasing the pressure, shred chicken, add cilantro and lime juice, and serve the soup with your favorite toppings!

Quick Tip

When making this soup in the Instant Pot, don’t hurry the pressure release. A quick change in temperature and pressure can make the chicken tough. Let the pressure release on its own for at least 10 (preferably 15) minutes before opening the valve fully.

Process shots of instant pot chicken tortilla soup-- images of the chicken being pulled out and shredded

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Toppings

  • Tortilla strips: I use pre-packaged tortilla strips found near croutons and salad toppings.
  • Cheese: I love adding a Mexican blend of sharp Cheddar or Monterey-Colby Jack cheese.
  • Fresh lime: A squeeze of fresh lime in each bowl adds a refreshing touch.
  • Fresh cilantro: If you’re a cilantro lover, I recommend adding some extra on top.
  • Avocado: A perfectly ripe avocado adds creaminess and freshness. I also love using guacamole.
  • Sour cream: This is another favorite for creaminess! I opt for fat-free or low-fat for a lighter option that still adds richness.

Variations

To make your own baked tortilla strips: Stack 2-3 corn or flour tortillas and slice in half. Cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips and place on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Spread into an even layer and bake until golden brown and crisp (turn halfway through), about 7-10 minutes.

Process shots-- images of the chicken, lime juice, and cilantro being added to the instant pot and mixed together

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Spice

With not hot enchilada sauce (Old El Paso) and McCormick chili powder, we consider this soup medium spicy. Putting on add-ons like cheese, sour cream, and avocado will significantly reduce the heat.

If you don’t like spicy soup, we suggest reducing or leaving out the chili powder, though this may lessen the flavor.

Overhead image of the Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla soup in a bowl

Storage

Leftovers?

Store the instant pot chicken tortilla soup (without toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-6 days.

Reheat in a pot over low heat or in the microwave (cover to prevent splatter).

Freeze the soup (without toppings) can be frozen for up to 3 months. Here are some thawing methods.

More Instant Pot Favorites:

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4.91 from 33 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

By Chelsea Lords
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is the easiest, dump-it-all-in-and-forget-about-it kind of meal! Tender shredded chicken, savory black beans, crisp corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a rich well-seasoned broth come together to deliver an unforgettable soup! Top your bowl with plenty of tortilla strips, a handful of cheese, a scoop of sour cream, and anything else you like atop your tortilla soup.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 -8 servings

Ingredients  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (~1-1/2 cups)
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (~3 cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, paprika
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder Note 1
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can (14.5 oz.; 411g) diced tomatoes fire-roasted (or plain) or whole canned tomatoes
  • 1 pound (16 oz.; 470g) uncooked boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts) Note 2
  • 1 can (10 oz.; 283g) red enchilada sauce Note 3
  • 1 can (4 oz.; 113g) fire-roasted diced green chiles
  • 1 can (15.25 oz; 432g) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15.25 oz.; 432g) corn undrained, fire-roasted (or plain)
  • 1 container (32 oz.; 907g) chicken stock (broth works) Note 4
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Fine sea salt and cracked pepper
  • Finishing touches: 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, optional but recommended!
  • Toppings: Tortilla strips, Freshly squeezed lime juice, freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese, ripe avocados, fresh cilantro Note 5

Instructions 

  • PREP: Trim fat from the chicken. If using breasts, cut each one into 2-3 larger pieces. Turn instant pot on by pressing the "sauté" button to begin warming it up.
  • SOUP BASE: Once the instant pot is on the sauté function, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the diced onion for 4-6 minutes or until the onion starts to soften and turn golden. Add in minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds to a minute or until fragrant. Add in the seasonings and tomato paste. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or until slightly darkened and very fragrant (but nothing should be burning!) Add in the diced tomatoes and continue to sauté, scraping the bottom to release any browned bits (this is important to avoid a burn warning).
  • COOK: Add prepared chicken to the instant pot along with all of the other ingredients up until the finishing touches (Don't add these yet!). Season to taste with salt and pepper; we add 1 teaspoon fine sea salt & 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Secure the lid, making sure to seal and cook on high pressure (manually select) for 7 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10-15 minutes (10 minutes for breasts, 15 for thighs) before using quick release to release the remaining pressure. Remove the chicken and transfer to a separate bowl. Using two forks, shred chicken, and then return to the pot along with the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust any seasonings (salt + pepper) to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
  • SERVE: Serve bowls of soup with your favorite toppings. We love freshly grated cheese, a large spoonful of sour cream, additional cilantro, chopped avocado or guac, fresh lime, and lots of tortilla strips!
  • SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS: Follow steps 1-2. Sauté ingredients in slow cooker base if your slow cooker has that function; otherwise, sauté in a separate pot and then add everything to the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 3-5 hours on high or 5-7 hours on low or until the chicken is cooked through, tender, and easily shreds. Remove the chicken and transfer to a separate bowl. Using two forks, shred chicken, and then return to the pot along with the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust any seasonings (salt + pepper) to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Follow step 4 for serving. Enjoy!
  • STORAGE: This soup (without any toppings) stores nicely in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-6 days. To reheat, add the soup to a small pot and heat over low heat until warmed to desired preference. Or reheat in the microwave. (Make sure to cover it so it doesn’t splatter!) Freezing: This soup (without any toppings) will freeze well for up to 3 months. Here are some best methods for thawing frozen soup.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Chili Powder: not to be confused with chilli powder which is very hot. We’re using American chili powder (I use McCormick which is much milder).
Note 2: Chicken: While chicken breasts will work, we highly recommend chicken thighs. The thigh meat becomes exceptionally tender in the pressure cooker and shreds quickly and easily. It’s also more forgiving if it is cooked for longer; chicken breasts tend to dry out if they’re cooked too long.
Note 3: Enchilada sauce: This can vary greatly in heat from brand to brand. Personally, I love and recommend Old El Paso® mild red enchilada sauce (not sponsored). If you aren’t able to find this specific brand, I’d recommend tasting the enchilada sauce first and making sure it isn’t too spicy for your taste.
Note 4: Chicken stock: A high-quality, flavorful stock adds loads of flavor and allows us to cut down on spices or other additions. We highly recommend Swanson’s® chicken stock — it’s our favorite in this recipe.
Note 5: Toppings: While this soup is tasty out of the pot, the toppings truly seal the deal, delivering an unforgettable meal so don’t skimp on these! Nutrition information is calculated without toppings.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 816mg | Potassium: 847mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1235IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

 

Meet Chelsea

Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

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4.91 from 33 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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70 Comments

  1. Noreen Rueckert says:

    5 stars
    Amazing! I added a chopped red pepper with the onion and garlic, and then decided to cube and saute the chicken. Best soup ever. Perfection in the instant pot.

    Reply
    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      So happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for the comment Noreen! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Extra Virgin says:

    Very delicious and my favourite soup when mom made for me <3

    Reply
    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Yay! I’m so happy to hear!:)

      Reply
  3. Kim says:

    5 stars
    Wow! The flavor of this is DELICIOUS! I didn’t know if it would be as good as the reviews but it definitely was. I may add an extra can of black beans next time to make it a little thicker (since I like my soups rather hearty) but that is only change I will make.

    Reply
    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      So happy to hear you loved this soup Kim! 🙂 Thanks for the comment!

      Reply
  4. Kaz Gachingu says:

    Wow it Look to yummy and i will definitely try this soup. thank you for sharing the recipe with us.

    Reply
  5. Snegolenka says:

    5 stars
    This is a very satisfying soup! Even a grown man can dine like this! Thank you for the recipe! and for incredibly tasty photos! And for the site as a whole – you are a wizard in the kitchen! I admire you!

    Reply
  6. Linda says:

    Oh my gosh! I have to stop looking at all of your yummy soup recipes. It’s making me CRAVE fall…and fall foods!

    Reply
  7. Cindy says:

    5 stars
    OMG!I like tamato!Very delicious!

    Reply
    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      So glad you enjoyed! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Kimberly says:

    Gosh! This looks soooo good and delicious. So many wonderful flavor going in there. Can’t wait to give this one a try.

    Reply
  9. Chelsea says:

    That looks great! I’ve always wanted to try making a Mexican tortilla soup but never found a recipe I really loved but this one sounds super tasty!

    Reply
  10. Amy Estes says:

    Wow this looks good! Minus the chicken for me of course but I bet it would still be delicious! Absolutely going to try this for our next soup night.

    Reply
    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      I hope you love it 🙂

      Reply