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    Home » Recipes » Soups

    Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Published: Oct 24, 2016 · Modified: Oct 22, 2018 by Modern Honey · This post may contain affiliate links · 28 Comments

    37855 shares
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    Chicken Tortilla Soup. The Best Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe. Flavorful, easy chicken soup recipe. www.modernhoney.com #chickentortillasoup #tortillasoup #chickentortillasouprecipe

    Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Tender chicken in a spicy tomato broth-based soup topped with homemade tortilla strips, fresh avocado, and cilantro. This soup is always a hit!

    Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup. The BEST Chicken Tortilla Soup made with tender chicken, Mexican spices, and homemade tortilla strips. www.modernhoney.com

    How to make the BEST EVER Chicken Tortilla Soup with homemade tortilla strips. This is perfect for those chilly Fall and Winter nights.  It is hearty, filling, and healthy. This recipe will become a mainstay in your home!

    Chicken Tortilla Soup by Modern Honey. The perfect chicken tortilla soup made from scratch.

    Chicken Tortilla Soup is serious business.

    My kids have been eating it for weeks as I have tested out dozens of variations in search of the PERFECT Chicken Tortilla Soup.

    I am happy to report we have a winner!

    Chicken Tortilla Soup by Modern Honey. The perfect chicken tortilla soup made from scratch.

    As a Mom, who knows that my kids are going to inhale more candy in one Halloween night than they have eaten all year, I make them eat the biggest bowl of soup before they go out Trick or Treating. In our home, we always serve a big pot of homemade chicken soup (classic chicken soup recipe HERE: Mama's Best Chicken Soup), a big bowl of hearty chili (our favorite recipe HERE: BEST Chili Recipe), or this Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I try to fit their bellies with protein so quite possibly they won't devour as much candy.

    *Wishful thinking.*

    Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup. The BEST Chicken Tortilla Soup made with tender chicken, Mexican spices, and homemade tortilla strips. www.modernhoney.com

    Here's the thing. Before my little blog here, I rarely wrote down my recipes. I would just throw in a bunch of ingredients and spices and call it good. Since Modern Honey, I am a changed woman. For the past few weeks, I have been playing around trying to create the perfect chicken tortilla soup recipe.

    I am a ridiculous perfectionist in the kitchen! I keep going until I feel I nailed the recipe. Then I get a lot of taste testers to give me their HONEST feedback. They all gave this a solid 10. Success!

    Chicken Tortilla Soup by Modern Honey. The perfect chicken tortilla soup made from scratch.

    How to make perfect Chicken Tortilla Soup:

    A. Tender Chicken. Instead of poaching chicken in water, which can be hit and miss as to whether or not it will come out tough, we saute it with the onions and garlic. It comes out tender every single time. Plus it alleviates a step in the process which is always a win-win!

    B. Flavorful Broth.  This isn't some one-note broth. It's seasoned with onions, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, green chilies, tomatoes, and cilantro. I think you get the point. It has a serious depth of flavor.

    C. Homemade Tortilla Strips. Fry those babies up! Man alive, they are the difference makers in this soup because who doesn't love crispy fried goodness in your tortilla soup? Click HERE for a perfect strainer for fried foods. I have an option for those who steer away from fried foods. You can bake the corn tortillas instead of frying them.  Yes! Place the strips on a sheet pan and drizzle with a small amount of canola oil and salt.  Bake at 375 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until crispy.

    D. Toppings. Get that avocado in the bowl. Throw in that cheese! Sour cream? Heck yes! Don't underestimate the power of garnish.

    Chicken Tortilla Soup by Modern Honey. The perfect chicken tortilla soup made from scratch.

    Chicken Tortilla Soup. The Best Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe. Flavorful, easy chicken soup recipe. www.modernhoney.com #chickentortillasoup #tortillasoup #chickentortillasouprecipe

    Chicken Tortilla Soup by Modern Honey. The perfect chicken tortilla soup made from scratch.

    Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Melissa Stadler, Modern Honey
    Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup is a warm, spicy, comforting bowl of soup.
    4.85 from 13 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 6
    Calories 283 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1-2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
    • 1 Large Onion (diced)
    • 1 Jalapeno (diced)
    • 3 Garlic Cloves (minced or ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder)
    • 1 lb. Chicken Breasts or Rotisserie Chicken (cooked, cubed or shredded)
    • 2 teaspoons Salt
    • 1 teaspoon Pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Cumin
    • (1) 10-ounce can Rotel Tomatoes + Green Chilies
    • ¼ cup Cilantro
    • 4 cups Chicken Broth

    Corn Tortilla Strips:

    • 6-8 Corn Tortillas cut into strips lengthwise
    • ½- ¾ cup Canola Oil
    • Salt

    Toppings:

    • 1 Avocado cut into bite size pieces
    • 1 cup Mexican Cheese or Cheddar Cheese
    • ½ cup Sour Cream or Mexican Crema
    • Cilantro
    • Lime

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add jalapenos and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken breast. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin. Stir.
    • In a blender or food processor, puree canned tomatoes and cilantro. Add to pot. Stir in chicken broth and cover. Cook for at least 15-20 minutes on low heat. Taste for seasonings.
    • In large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Once it starts to sizzle, add corn tortilla strips. Using tongs, flip and stir to fry evenly. Fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove from oil and place on paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with salt.
    • Ladle soup into bowls. Top with tortilla strips, avocado, and cheese.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 283kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 18gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 1455mgPotassium: 498mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 190IUVitamin C: 16.7mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1.3mg
    Keyword chicken tortilla soup
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Chicken Tortilla Soup by Modern Honey. The perfect chicken tortilla soup made from scratch.

    One more week until Halloween, so let the festivities begin! It always starts with soup in our fam. What is your favorite Halloween tradition? Have a fabulous Monday, my friends!

    Happy Cooking! xo

    More Soups

    • Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
    • Creamy White Chicken Chili
    • Buffalo Chicken Chili
    • Ranch Chicken Chili

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tony Ramon

      October 13, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you Melissa for your recipe of Tortilla Soup. I can't wait to try it out. It looks like the one my mom used to make. Do you have a recipe for an awesome "Lemon Meringue Pie"? It's my favorite and have not been able to fine a delicious pie in San Antonio. Let alone someone who makes a great lemon meringue pie. Can you help?

      Reply
    2. trish gonzales

      November 10, 2020 at 8:30 am

      5 stars
      I made this for my family last night...they all loved it. I did cheat and deboned 2 rotisserie chicken's and shredded them up and added 1 can of corn. I did double recipe so I could have leftovers . This is a keeper!

      Reply
    3. Sylvia Medina

      February 03, 2021 at 5:19 pm

      Made this today. It was delicious. My Mom, husband and myself really enjoyed your soup. Had never before added
      cheese and sour cream on top. I used a chicken already cooked and just chopped it up. Delicious, will make again. Thank you.

      Reply
    4. Paula Brown

      September 02, 2022 at 9:04 am

      Added corn and black beans. Loved it!

      Reply
    5. Rosemary

      November 28, 2022 at 7:25 pm

      Loved this recipe. The soup was delicious. Will make again soon for my family.

      Reply
    6. Eva

      December 18, 2022 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tortilla soup today! Very tasty and delicious. I had to use a 14.5 can of regular diced tomatoes because that’s all I had and only used 1/2 an onion because my husband doesn’t like a lot of onions. Both he and my picky teenager said this recipe is a keeper. Thank you for sharing it!

      Reply
    7. Christy

      December 22, 2022 at 8:30 am

      Made this soup last week? It is so delicious!! Can you make this soup ahead for a crowd and warm up?

      Reply
    8. Kristina

      January 09, 2023 at 5:40 pm

      5 stars
      I have never made chicken tortilla soup but it’s one of my favs to get out and about. Chilly day in Florida, decided to give your recipe a try. Super easy to follow and oh so good!! I did add drained corn and prolly too much chicken… but my family raved over it!!

      Reply
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    Melissa Stadler Modern Honey

    Hi, I'm Melissa Stadler! I am an Award-Winning Recipe Creator. Cover of Food Network Magazine. Two-Time Pillsbury Bake-Off Finalist. I am passionate about sharing the best recipes so you have success in the kitchen!

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