Soups
How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup (With Baked Tortilla Strips)
Chicken tortilla soup with fire-roasted tomatoes, cumin and chili, finished with lime and baked tortilla strips. Serves 6 in about 55 minutes.
By the Forkful editorial team · Published
Quick answer
Soften onion, garlic and a jalapeño, stir in 2 tsp cumin and 1 tbsp chili powder, then add one 28-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, 6 cups broth and 1½ lb chicken breast. Simmer 20 minutes until the chicken hits 165°F (74°C), shred it, add corn and lime juice, and serve over tortilla strips baked at 400°F for 10–12 minutes.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Makes
- 6 bowls
Chicken tortilla soup is one of the fast-rising recipe searches of the US autumn: Google Trends shows "chicken tortilla soup recipe" up about 120% over the past 90 days. It is a tomato-and-chili broth with shredded chicken, topped with crunchy tortilla strips, avocado and lime.
The recipes we checked use fire-roasted tomatoes, about 4 to 6 cups of broth and either chicken breast cooked in the pot or leftover rotisserie chicken. The one oven temperature they give for the tortilla strips is 400°F, for 10 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway through. We bake the strips rather than fry them, which keeps the recipe light and the kitchen clean.
Ingredients
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- For the soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 28 oz canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes (800 g)
- 6 cups chicken broth (1.4 liters)
- 1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (680 g)
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen (150 g)
- 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp lime juice (1 lime)
- Baked tortilla strips and toppings
- 6 corn tortillas
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- diced avocado, shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream and lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the tortillas in half, then into thin strips. Toss with the oil and a pinch of salt on a baking sheet and bake 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway, until crisp and golden.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and jalapeño 5 minutes, add the garlic, cumin and chili powder and stir 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, broth, chicken and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Move the chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks. Return it to the pot with the corn and simmer 5 minutes.
- Stir in the lime juice and taste for salt. Serve in bowls over a handful of tortilla strips and top with avocado, cheese, cilantro and sour cream.
Tips for the best result
- 1Put the tortilla strips in the bowl at the last second so they stay crisp; leftover soup keeps better without them.
- 2Fire-roasted tomatoes add a smoky depth. If you only have regular canned tomatoes, add a pinch of smoked paprika.
- 3Check the chicken with a thermometer: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part is the safe temperature.
- 4Seed the jalapeño for mild heat or keep the seeds for more.
Storage
Refrigerate the soup, strips and toppings separately; the soup keeps 4 days. Freeze the soup (without toppings) for up to 3 months. Re-crisp leftover strips in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–4 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Simmer the broth, tomatoes and spices 15 minutes, then add about 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken and the corn for the last 5 minutes.
Can I fry the tortilla strips instead?
Yes. Fry them in ½ inch of oil at 350°F (175°C) for 1–2 minutes until golden, then drain on paper towels. Baking uses much less oil.
How do I make chicken tortilla soup spicier?
Keep the jalapeño seeds, add a chopped chipotle in adobo, or finish with a pinch of cayenne.
