This chicken tortilla soup is simple to prepare using pre-cooked chicken — a rotisserie bird works great. It’s packed with vegetables, bold flavors, and a pleasant kick of spice.
Soup is one of the easiest meals to throw together when you need something comforting without a lot of fuss. Whether you’ve had a long day, don’t feel like turning on the oven, or want a quick meal while you relax, a pot of soup can simmer away with minimal attention and fill your home with irresistible aromas.
This chicken tortilla soup is a reliable go-to for those moments. Using cooked chicken saves time and helps you use leftovers — or pick up a rotisserie chicken for even less effort. The combination of vegetables, spices, and a squeeze of lime creates a bright, satisfying bowl that works any time of year: warming on cool evenings and still delicious on warmer days.
Looking for more soup ideas? Try a selection of fall soup recipes for inspiration.
This version of chicken tortilla soup draws on several classic approaches to build depth and balance. The base is a savory chicken stock brightened with lime, then layered with diced tomatoes, mild green chiles, fresh cilantro, and a variety of vegetables for texture and color. Corn, carrots, and bell peppers add sweetness while onion and garlic form the aromatic backbone. A mix of spices — cumin, paprika, and oregano — rounds out the savory profile, and fresh jalapeño or serrano peppers add adjustable heat.
Because the chicken is already cooked, you add it near the end, just long enough to warm through. Serve each bowl with crunchy tortilla chips and optional toppings like shredded cheese and sour cream for a satisfying contrast of textures and flavors.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
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Ingredients
Soup
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 lime juiced
- 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes with juice
- 4 ounce can mild green chilies
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 diced carrot
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 2 smashed garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 jalapeno finely chopped
- 1 serrano pepper finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- salt/black pepper to taste
- 1 pound chicken breast cooked and chopped
Toppings
- tortilla chips
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
Instructions
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Combine the chicken stock, lime juice, diced tomatoes with their juice, and mild green chilies in a large soup pot. Add chopped cilantro, diced carrot, frozen corn, diced onion, red and yellow bell peppers, smashed garlic, taco seasoning, chopped jalapeño and serrano (if using), cumin, paprika, oregano, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
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Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 1 hour to develop the flavors.
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Add the cooked, chopped chicken and simmer just until the chicken is warmed through and the soup reaches serving temperature.
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Serve hot, topping individual bowls with tortilla chips and, if desired, shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.
Nutrition
