Chicken Tortilla Soup

Weeknight-friendly, weekend-worthy, showcasing chicken alongside bright tomato. A reliable answer to 'what's for dinner?'

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• A complete meal in one bowl.
• Loaded with vegetables and lean protein.
• Family-friendly with toppings everyone customizes themselves.
• Freezer-friendly meal prep.
• Naturally gluten-free.

Ingredient Notes

• Fire-roasted tomatoes are the upgrade that makes this taste restaurant-level.
• Cotija is a salty, crumbly Mexican cheese — feta is a reasonable swap.
• Fresh lime juice is required; bottled doesn't have the same bright zip.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Rotisserie chicken (3 cups shredded) to skip the poaching step.
• Pinto or kidney beans in place of black beans.
• Add a chipotle in adobo for smoky heat.

Equipment Needed

• Large pot or Dutch oven
• Tongs
• Two forks for shredding
• Sheet pan or small skillet for tortilla strips

Prep Tips

• Bake the tortilla strips while the soup simmers — perfect timing.
• Have all the toppings set out in small bowls for a build-your-own-bowl dinner.

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather and prep: 1 lb chicken, 1 medium tomato, diced, 1 medium onion, diced, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 cup chicken broth, 8 small flour tortillas, 1 tsp cumin, 1 chili powder. mince the garlic, and dice the onion before you start cooking.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt; cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, jalapeño, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika; cook 60 seconds until fragrant — toasting the spices is what gives the soup its deep flavor.

3. 3

   Add the diced tomatoes and broth, then nestle in the chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently for 18–20 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F (avoid a hard boil, which toughens the meat).

4. 4

   Transfer the chicken to a plate, shred with two forks, and return to the pot along with the black beans, corn, and salt. Simmer 5 more minutes until everything's heated through.

5. 5

   While the soup simmers, toss the tortilla strips with a teaspoon of oil and bake on a sheet pan at 400°F for 8–10 minutes until crisp and golden, or fry briefly in a small skillet.

6. 6

   Off the heat, stir in the lime juice. Ladle into bowls and top with crispy tortilla strips, avocado, cotija, cilantro, and an extra squeeze of lime.

Artsi Pro Tips

• Fire-roasted tomatoes add smoky depth — a regular can works but is noticeably flatter.
• Bake or fry the tortilla strips fresh. Tortilla chips from a bag turn instantly soggy.
• Add the lime juice off the heat to preserve its brightness.

Common Mistakes

• Hard-boiling the chicken, which makes it stringy. Keep at a gentle simmer.
• Soggy tortilla chips from the bag. Crisp them yourself.
• Forgetting the acid (lime). Without it, the soup tastes muddy.

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