Description
This creamy chicken tortilla soup is rich, comforting, and packed with bold flavors. Made with tender shredded chicken, black beans, sweet corn, and a blend of spices, this easy one-pot meal is perfect for weeknights. The addition of cheddar and cream cheese makes it irresistibly creamy, while crispy tortilla strips add the perfect crunch on top.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
- 1 can (10 oz.) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 2 cups shredded cooked chicken)
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1–2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 oz. packet taco seasoning (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup cream cheese, softened
- Corn or flour tortillas, for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics: Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions and jalapeño, sautéing for about 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the base ingredients: Mix in the tomato paste, corn, Rotel diced tomatoes, and black beans. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning, cumin, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce. Stir well to coat the ingredients in the spices, allowing them to develop their flavors.
- Simmer the soup: Pour in the chicken broth and add the whole chicken breasts. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, partially covering the pot. Let it cook for about 20–25 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the soup and stir to combine.
- Melt the cheeses: Reduce the heat to low and gradually sprinkle in the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir constantly until melted and smooth. Add the softened cream cheese in small chunks, stirring until fully incorporated and creamy.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the soup and adjust with more taco seasoning, hot sauce, or salt as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with crispy tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, sour cream, or extra cheese.
Notes
- For a smoother soup, blend half of the soup before adding the cheese, then mix it back in.
- If using rotisserie chicken, add it after the broth to warm through for 10–15 minutes before adding the cheeses.
- To make crispy tortilla strips, slice corn or flour tortillas into thin strips, fry in oil until golden, and drain on paper towels.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 204 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 785 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 41 mg