Description
This easy 30-minute homemade chicken tortilla soup is a comforting and flavorful meal packed with tender shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and a fragrant blend of spices, topped with crispy homemade tortilla strips. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, this soup combines savory and spicy notes with fresh cilantro and optional garnishes like avocado, cheese, and sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Tortilla Strips
- 10 small corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Soup
- 1 cup sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, peeled and diced small (about 1 medium onion)
- 1 large jalapeno pepper, about 4 to 5 inches long, diced very small (include seeds for heat or discard to preference)
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
- 32 ounces (4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
- Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes and juice (use petite diced, no-salt-added)
- One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie or leftover chicken)
- 1 ½ cups corn (frozen, canned drained, or fresh)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika may be substituted)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely minced, or to taste
- Diced avocado for serving, optional
- Shredded cheese, optional for serving
- Sour cream, optional for serving
Instructions
- Make the Tortilla Strips: Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or foil to save cleanup time.
- Prepare Tortilla Strips: Loosely scatter the tortilla strips on the baking sheet, evenly drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, and toss with hands to coat evenly. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes until crisp and lightly golden brown. Set aside.
- Start Soup Preparation: While tortilla strips bake, begin making the soup.
- Heat Oil and Sauté Vegetables: In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium-high heat until warm. Add onion and jalapeno, sauté for about 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften, stirring intermittently.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring intermittently to avoid burning.
- Add Liquids and Main Ingredients: Pour in chicken broth, diced tomatoes with juice, black beans, shredded chicken, and corn. Stir in lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and optional cayenne pepper.
- Boil Soup: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a gentle boil and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1 to 2 cups of water if the soup looks too thick or you prefer more broth. Adjust seasoning later.
- Add Cilantro: Stir in fresh cilantro and boil for 1 minute to blend flavors.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the soup and add additional salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, or cayenne as desired according to preference and ingredient saltiness.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls, top with crispy tortilla strips, and optionally garnish with diced avocado, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Storage: Soup keeps airtight in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or freezes well for 3 to 4 months. Reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds or until hot.
- Extra tortilla strips will stay crisp stored airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Adjust jalapeno seed quantity to control spice level.
- For thicker soup, reduce added water; add more broth or water for thinner consistency.
- Use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Optional toppings like avocado, cheese, and sour cream add creaminess and flavor contrast.
