Chicken Tortilla Soup
Hearty, spicy chicken tortilla soup with crispy tortilla strips, avocado, and cheese. Quick, reheatable, and easy to customize.
I love hot soup on a cold January day. This soup comes together quickly and is easily reheated. I like my food on the spicy side, but you can downscale the heat if you prefer. And, weird or not, I prefer my soup in a large mug instead of a soup bowl, but to each his own, right? Mark is not a big soup lover, especially if beef isn't involved, but he ate two bowls of this! Everyone can customize their own bowl – avocado, cheese, sour cream, green onions and tortilla strips.
Submitted by: Sharyl from 37 Cooks,
- Make a flavorful broth by simmering bone-in chicken, then strain and add canned broth and tomatoes for depth.
- Sauté onion and jalapeño, add spices and cilantro, finish with cream and crispy tortilla strips for texture.
- Customize heat, toppings, and reheating: fry or bake tortilla strips, swap proteins, and add cream after reheating if freezing.
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Preparation Instructions:
In a large pot, add the chicken and water to cover – about 8 cups. This is the base broth for the soup. Add the salt and pepper and 1/2 of the sliced onion. Cook on low to medium heat until cooked and tender, about 45 minutes. Remove chicken and strain the broth into a bowl to use a little later in the process.
Add 2 Tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil to the chicken pot. Dice the other onion half and the seeded jalapeno peppers and saute until tender. Add can of Ro-Tel Tomato, New Mexican Green Chile Powder, Aleppo Pepper, 2 cans of chicken broth and the chicken broth made from the chicken breasts. Simmer about 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the soup pot. Add the cilantro and heavy cream and simmer until soup is hot. Salt to taste before serving.
While the soup is simmering, add 2 Tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil to a small fry pan. Slice the tortillas into strips and when the oil is hot, fry the strips until crispy. Use these as a crunchy topping.
Serve with shredded cheese, crispy tortilla strips and avocado slices, sour cream and green onions.
thespicehouse.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use boneless chicken instead of bone-in?
Yes. Boneless cooks faster but will yield a lighter broth. If you use boneless, add a cup of store-bought chicken stock or a bouillon cube for more flavor, or simmer longer with bones when possible.
How do I make the soup less spicy?
Remove jalapeño seeds and use fewer jalapeños. Cut back on Aleppo pepper and New Mexican chili powder. Add extra cream, avocado, or a dollop of sour cream to mellow heat.
Can I make this in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. Slow cooker: cook chicken, water, half the onion, salt and pepper on low 4 to 6 hours. Instant Pot: pressure cook bone-in chicken with water 10 to 12 minutes, then quick release. Finish by sautéing the remaining onion and jalapeño, add other ingredients, then shredded chicken and cream.
Can I freeze the soup?
Yes. Freeze the soup before adding the heavy cream. Store in airtight containers up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir in cream while gently reheating to avoid separation.
How can I make crispy tortilla strips without frying?
Toss cut tortilla strips with a little oil and salt, then bake at 400 F for 8 to 12 minutes until crisp. You can also use an air fryer at 375 F for 5 to 8 minutes.
Can I use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken?
Yes. Skip the initial simmer step and use store broth or water. Add shredded rotisserie chicken near the end so it warms through without overcooking, then finish with cream and cilantro.
How do I make the soup dairy-free or lighter?
For dairy-free, swap heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk or a cashew cream. For a lighter version, use half-and-half or unsweetened almond milk and skip or reduce the cream. Add it at the end to avoid curdling.
How can I thicken the soup if it feels too thin?
Blend a cup of the soup and stir it back in for natural thickness. You can also dissolve 1 to 2 tablespoons of masa harina in a little cold water and whisk it into the simmering soup until it thickens.
Can I use boneless chicken instead of bone-in?
Yes. Boneless cooks faster but will yield a lighter broth. If you use boneless, add a cup of store-bought chicken stock or a bouillon cube for more flavor, or simmer longer with bones when possible.
How do I make the soup less spicy?
Remove jalapeño seeds and use fewer jalapeños. Cut back on Aleppo pepper and New Mexican chili powder. Add extra cream, avocado, or a dollop of sour cream to mellow heat.
Can I make this in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. Slow cooker: cook chicken, water, half the onion, salt and pepper on low 4 to 6 hours. Instant Pot: pressure cook bone-in chicken with water 10 to 12 minutes, then quick release. Finish by sautéing the remaining onion and jalapeño, add other ingredients, then shredded chicken and cream.
Can I freeze the soup?
Yes. Freeze the soup before adding the heavy cream. Store in airtight containers up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir in cream while gently reheating to avoid separation.
How can I make crispy tortilla strips without frying?
Toss cut tortilla strips with a little oil and salt, then bake at 400 F for 8 to 12 minutes until crisp. You can also use an air fryer at 375 F for 5 to 8 minutes.
Can I use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken?
Yes. Skip the initial simmer step and use store broth or water. Add shredded rotisserie chicken near the end so it warms through without overcooking, then finish with cream and cilantro.
How do I make the soup dairy-free or lighter?
For dairy-free, swap heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk or a cashew cream. For a lighter version, use half-and-half or unsweetened almond milk and skip or reduce the cream. Add it at the end to avoid curdling.
How can I thicken the soup if it feels too thin?
Blend a cup of the soup and stir it back in for natural thickness. You can also dissolve 1 to 2 tablespoons of masa harina in a little cold water and whisk it into the simmering soup until it thickens.
Bernee, the 10 oz size of Ro-Tel.
I haven’t made this yet, but I plan to soon — however, I know that Ro-Tel tomatoes, which I love, come in at least two widely disparate sizes. Can you please clarify which size to use — the 10 oz or 28 oz size?