Chicken Tortilla Soup

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I’m a bit of an anomaly. I come from a family who isn’t nearly as obsessed with food as me, and growing up my friends didn’t really care much about food as well. Clearly I’m from another planet. The one thing we did care about growing up was chicken tortilla soup. There was one restaurant in Tucson (Café Terra Cotta) that has since shut their doors, that had the most epic tortilla soup in the city.

During the good old days of high school (when we literally didnt have a care in the world) we’d go out for lunch or a girls night out and without fail, each and every one of us would order tortilla soup. God forbid we should ever branch out and order something else. But then again, why would we want to when this place had the best chicken tortilla soup on the planet!!  It was equal parts smoky and spicy and I made sure to add extra cheese once it arrived to the table. #sorryimnotsorry

Chicken Tortilla Soup from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

I’ve been craving a trip to Tucson lately so I whipped up a version of this Tucson inspired Chicken Tortilla Soup and piled it high with all the toppings! It’s  loaded with shredded chicken, cheese, plenty of cilantro, crispy tortilla strips and of course, avocado. (guacamole would totally work too!)

Chicken Tortilla Soup from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

5 from 37 votes
The most perfect chicken tortilla soup you'll ever make! Inspired by Cafe Terra Cotta (who used to make the most perfect tortilla soup in Tucson, AZ), you'll never make another recipe ever again!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Soup, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Mexican, Tex Mex, Southwestern
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 onion roughly chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper stem and seeds removed and roughly chopped
  • kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
  • 1 14- ounce can fire roasted tomatoes and green chiles
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • ¾ cup black beans
  • ¾ cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

Toppings:

  • shredded cheese – colby jack / monterey jack / pepper jack your choice
  • quartered limes
  • cubed avocado
  • cilantro
  • sliced green onions
  • 2 small corn tortillas cut into thin strips
  • sliced jalapenos

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and sauté for until the onion is translucent and the jalapeno softens. Season with the salt, pepper, dried oregano, cumin and chipotle pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices toast.
  • Add the fire roasted tomatoes and the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Using an immersion blender, blend the soup ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Add black beans, corn and shredded chicken.
  • Divide the soup into 4 bowls and top with cheese, avocado, cilantro and crisp tortilla strips. Add extra lime juice if desired and/or jalapeno slices. Serve immediately.
  • To make the tortilla strips: In a small skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add the tortilla strips in a single layer, frying quickly for about 30-45 seconds, flipping them once to ensure both sides get crisp. Remove the tortillas once crisp with a pair of tongs and transfer them to a paper towel lined plate to dry.

103 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is delicious! I used 1 tsp adobo sauce because I had it and didn’t have chipotle powder, a full 320z carton of chicken stock because I knew the last bit would sit un-used in my fridge, and threw the cilantro stems into the onion and garlic sauté instead of tossing them out since the whole thing got puréed anyway. Made as written or with a few tweaks—totally hit the spot and satisfied a craving to have something simmering on the stove on a weeknight.

  2. 5 stars
    This was delish!! I followed the recipe exactly except I added more shredded chicken to make it a bit hardier. It has a little kick, but not too much. My teenage kids and husband gobbled it up. Will add to our regular rotation. Be sure to make the homemade tortilla strips. They are easy and make this especially good.

  3. 5 stars
    One of our go to recipes once the weather starts to turn cool! So, so, so good! A squeeze of lime at the end is everything!

    1. 4 stars
      I made this recipe today. The only modification was I left out the jalapeño because I forgot to buy one. Kind of glad I did though because even though the soup has such good flavor, it was too spicy for me. I will make it again and only use 1/2 of the amount of the ground chipotle pepper the recipe says to use. Hopefully that helps. Any suggestions on how to cut the spiciness of the already made soup? Thank you!!!

  4. Could I use regular tinned tomatoes if I don’t have fire roasted tomatoes & green chilis? Or any better substitute? Can’t wait to make this!

  5. 5 stars
    This recipe is easy and great (from a retired Home Ec teacher!). I did not blend the soup because I used broth with chicken, which I had frozen. I didn’t want to “blend” the chicken! The soup was still wonderful. I am quite particular about recipe sites, but Gaby, you are a “go to” for me. Thank you!

  6. 5 stars
    Hands-down best homemade tortilla soup I have made. Plus, it came together so easily. I added a bit more corn and beans, purely due to personal taste, but you can’t go wrong following this recipe exactly as is. As many people have commented, wish I had doubled it—it disappeared quickly.

  7. 5 stars
    Made this soup for the first time!! It was absolutely was i was looking for on this cold December night!!

    I ate all the tortilla strips before the soup was ready!!! LOL had to make another batch!!!

    Always great, easy to follow recipes !! Thanks Gaby

  8. 5 stars
    This soup is one of VERY few that everyone eats. I have a husband and girls age 3 and 5 who are all pretty picky in their own way () They gobble up this soup! And they each get to “dress it up” however they want. Avocado, cheese, chips, etc etc.

  9. 5 stars
    This soup is SO good! I threw in a chipotle chili in adobo sauce because I happened to have an open can and all of the shredded chicken from the rotisserie because I wasn’t sure what else I’d do with it. Topped it with tortilla chips made in my air fryer, avocado, cilantro, scallions, and avocado!

  10. 4 stars
    I made this recipe today. The only modification was I left out the jalapeño because I forgot to buy one. Kind of glad I did though because even though the soup has such good flavor, it was too spicy for me. I will make it again and only use 1/2 of the amount of the ground chipotle pepper the recipe says to use. Hopefully that helps. Any suggestions on how to cut the spiciness of the already made soup? Thank you!!!

  11. 5 stars
    I crave this soup! This is my second time making and I stumbled upon the fire roasted tomatoes and green chiles at Trader Joe’s this time (14 oz perfectly combined and ready to go!). It’s decidedly spicier this go-round which I am loving! What I also appreciate about this recipe is that it’s not a huge batch – good for me to eat over 3 days or so. Amazing flavors, so easy to prepare, best-on-earth topping options – what’s not to love. Thank you Gaby!!

  12. I just made this and it’s INCREDIBLE Gaby! I love it. I toasted the tortillas in the air fryer amd I used two raw chicken breasts to make the broth so it was very flavorful! It’s the Chipotle that really made it smoky and delicious though! This will become my go to recipe

  13. 5 stars
    Cafe terra-cotta was always one of our favorite restaurants. Nothing I miss more that the Tortilla soup this really is pretty darn close to how we remember it.
    Thank you

  14. 5 stars
    I’m on my third recipe of Gabys. Today is her chicken tortilla soup. Probably one of the best I’ve had. My goal to make all her delicious recipes. Loving cooking her recipes

  15. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious. Simple but has layers of flavor. Definitely make your own tortilla strips, they are great!

  16. Hello Gaby! When our family relocated to TUC as a job transfer, I stayed in the St. Phillips hotel for a couple of months. LOVED eating at the Terra Cotta…and yes, the BEST Tortilla Soup EVER!!! Our offices were across Campbell Road. The TC also had a dynamite Prickly Pear Margarita!!! Would enjoy a Sunday evening meal with the Tortilla Soup and PP Margarita , then go to my room and watch 60 Minutes

  17. 5 stars
    Really good! I added zucchini for some
    Extra veg and doubles the spices. Total hit will make again! Thank you for posting

  18. 5 stars
    This is my favorite soup to make! Super easy and so good. I use veggie broth and leave the chicken out to make it vegetarian and it’s delicious.

  19. 5 stars
    This is my favorite soup to make! I have committed it to memory at this point. Super easy and so good. I use veggie broth and leave the chicken out to make it vegetarian and it’s delicious.

  20. 5 stars
    This soup is so delicious. So many layers of flavor and easy to prepare. Will be making it on a regular basis.

  21. Gaby can you use chicken thighs and sear them then let them simmer with the broth like you do in chicken chili verde?

  22. 5 stars
    I served this soup for dinner tonight and my husband said it was one of the best soups I’ve ever made. The only change I made was to eliminate the jalapeno pepper because I don’t like things too spicy. But it still had plenty of kick for my taste.

  23. 5 stars
    This was amazing. Just like my local restaurant, maybe a touch thicker but super tasty! A new favorite for sure. great flavor! adjusted the heat to my taste. added lots of Avacado

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