Best Chicken Tortilla Soup (Print View)

A comforting bowl loaded with tender chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, corn, and zesty lime, finished with crunchy tortilla strips.

# Components:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (14 oz)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
06 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
07 - 1 lime, juiced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Canned Goods

09 - 1 can (14 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
10 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
16 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Tortilla Strips

17 - 4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
18 - 2 tablespoons olive oil divided

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread on baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeño. Sauté 4-5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook 30 seconds.
04 - Add chicken breasts, fire-roasted tomatoes with juice, corn, bay leaf, and chicken broth. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
05 - Remove chicken breasts from pot and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to pot.
06 - Add lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove and discard bay leaf.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with crispy tortilla strips and desired garnishes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, especially if you've got rotisserie chicken hiding in your fridge.
  • The lime and cilantro keep it bright even on the heaviest days, which is the whole point of comfort food done right.
  • Those crispy tortilla strips are the secret weapon that turns a simple bowl into something people actually look forward to eating.
02 -
  • Don't skip simmering the chicken—rushing it means dry chicken, and dry chicken ruins everything; those twenty minutes matter more than you think.
  • Lime juice at the end is not a garnish, it's the whole thing; taste the soup before you add it and you'll understand why it's a required step, not optional flavor.
03 -
  • Make a big batch and freeze it in portions; it reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day when flavors have gotten friendlier with each other.
  • Add the tortilla strips right before serving so they stay crispy; serve them on the side if you're making soup ahead and don't want them to get soggy.
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