I've lived in Wisconsin my entire life, and sometimes it gets SO cold in winter (I'm talking -25 degrees, for real) that you need the perfect soup to warm your bones. This easy chicken tortilla soup recipe is exactly that. The gentle spice, warmth, and heartiness is the epitome of cozy, plus it's easy to whip up on a weeknight in about 40 minutes.
But the part of this soup that you should be really excited about? It's easily the salted pan-fried corn tortilla strips, which taste like having house-made fresh tortilla chips at home and are crazy easy to make! Not to mention whoever's cooking gets to snack on them... 😉 Let's make this soup recipe and get nourished, my friend.
Key Ingredients
- Kale - In winter in Wisconsin (and generally throughout the United States), brassica vegetables (such as kale, collards, etc.) are in season because they can withstand cooler growing temperatures. We'll toss a few handfuls of kale into this soup as a finisher, which is actually a great strategy for incorporating more veggies into any soup! Try it in ginger lime chicken noodle soup or this harissa tomato and red lentil soup!
- Canned tomatoes - The best times to buy fresh tomatoes are during their growing seasons, and the best alternative in the off-season is canned tomatoes. Not only are the canned at peak ripeness, they're also budget-friendly and perfect for soups and stews! For the diced tomatoes, I prefer using fire-roasted whenever possible.
Please see the recipe for full ingredient amounts.
Black bean lovers: If you're loving the black bean and chili powder vibes, you're definitely going to want to check out these hearty veggie black bean tacos next!
Swaps & Variations
- Make it vegan or veggie. This soup can easily be made vegan or vegetarian by swapping veggie broth in for chicken broth, and adding an extra can of black beans or pinto beans for more plant protein!
- Adjust with seasonal produce. If you're trying to eat seasonally, feel free to swap out the greens for what's in season where you are! In winter in the United States, hardier greens and brassica veggies are generally in season -- think kale and collard greens. Once spring rolls around, spinach is an excellent alternative.
Let's Make This Chicken Tortilla Soup!
- Step 1: Sauté aromatics. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot (such as a Dutch oven). Add the diced onion and jalapeño, and sauté until softened - about 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin, and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Step 2: Simmer chicken. Add diced green chiles, broth, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer over low heat, and add chicken. Cover and simmer until cooked through (12-15 minutes).
- Step 3: While chicken is simmering, fry corn tortillas. Heat olive in a pan over medium heat, add corn tortilla strips, and sauté over medium for about 7-8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, turn off heat, and let them finish crisping up in the pan. PLEASE eat some.
- Step 4: Once chicken is done, carefully remove it from the soup and transfer to a cutting board or plate. Once cool enough, shred and chop the chicken into smaller pieces. Return shredded chicken to soup with black beans. Cover and simmer on low for 5-10 more minutes, then stir in kale (submerge to wilt). Finish with a shower of cilantro and squeezes of lime. Divide into serving bowls and top individually with fried tortilla strips and other toppings. Yum!
Topping suggestions: The toppings are the best part! More cilantro and lime is always a yes, plus Greek yogurt (whole milk preferred) or sour cream, cheese (cotija, feta, cheddar, or pepper jack are top choices), fresh sliced jalapeño, diced avocado, and pepitas all add texture and flavor. When I'm feeling ambitious, I might also whip up a batch of this loaded guacamole to serve on the side.
Tera's Sustainability Tips
- Can you get local ingredients for this recipe? Eating locally when possible helps save on carbon emissions because it shortens food delivery! Also, it helps us get veggies when they're closer to harvest and at their most nutrient-dense. Kale is a brassica vegetable (also known as cruciferous), which can withstand cooler weather growing seasons. So if you're trying to grab some local produce in winter, look for some kale at your next farmers market, co-op, or local grocery store trip.
- Using up kale. If you're new to kale or not in love with it for salads, you're in luck! This crustless kale pie (reminiscent of quiche) and potato and kale frittata are both delish ways to enjoy kale in a cooked state (aka less bitter), so you can use it up before it goes bad.
Recipes to Use Up That Kale
Do you have leftover kale from making this soup? You can use it in one of our other kale recipes!
📖 Recipe
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
This easy chicken tortilla soup recipe is the perfect nourishing, warming, delicious soup for winter! Using canned pantry staples and winter-hardy kale helps include seasonal produce, while freshly pan-fried corn tortilla strips add the best flavor and keep this soup gluten free. Yum!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, deseeded and diced (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 14-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 14-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
- 3-4 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups chopped kale
- 6-8 corn tortillas, halved and cut into strips
- Chopped cilantro, lime, and salt for finishing
- Toppings: Cilantro, lime, Greek yogurt, sour cream, cheese, pepitas, fresh jalapeño slices, avocado
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat (reserve 2 tablespoons for frying corn tortillas). Add onion, garlic, and jalapeño, and sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Sauté for 1-2 more minutes to allow flavors to bloom.
- Simmer chicken thighs. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chiles, broth, chicken thighs, and salt. Stir and make sure the chicken is submerged in the liquid, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer over low heat, cover, and cook for 12-15 minutes until chicken thighs are cooked through.
- Fry corn tortillas. While chicken is simmering, fry the corn tortilla strips. Preheat a medium-large sauté pan over medium heat with the 2 tablespoons remaining olive oil. Add corn tortilla strips to the pan and reduce heat to low-medium. Sauté strips, stirring occasionally for about 9-10 minutes until mostly crisped. Add a pinch of salt, turn off heat, and let the strips sit in the hot pan while you finish the soup. They'll crisp up more as they cool!
- Shred chicken & finish. Remove cooked chicken from the soup and transfer to a cutting board to shred using two forks once cool enough. Return to pot with black beans. Cover and simmer on low for 5 more minutes (10 if you have time!). Remove lid and stir in kale, shower with chopped cilantro and squeeze in fresh lime juice. Spoon into bowls and top with tortilla strips and other delicious toppings (more cilantro and lime, Greek yogurt, cheese, pepitas, avocado, and fresh jalapeño are all super tasty!).
Notes
- Spice level. If you're looking for a very mild spice level, keep as many jalapeño seeds out as possible. Our 9-year-old loves this soup even though he would normally shy away from jalapeños or super spicy meals. If you like a spicier soup, keep more of the jalapeño seeds in. Take care to rinse hands very thoroughly after handling the seeds!
- Thicker soup. You can reduce the amount of broth to 2-3 cups if you want a thicker soup or more stew-like consistency.
- Tortilla strips. I love using a tongs to sauté these! It makes it super easy to flip large groups of the tortilla strips.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 361
- Sugar: 8.4 g
- Sodium: 1411.7 mg
- Fat: 14.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.1 g
- Fiber: 10.2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 74.3 mg
Chicken Tortilla Soup FAQs
After soup is completely cool, transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Yep! If you can't finish leftovers or simply want to save some for an easy dinner at a later date, transfer leftover soup (after completely cool) to an airtight, freezer-safe container and keep it in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat the next day on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Kiley says
Love this recipe! 10/10