Quick Chicken Tortilla Soup (20 Minutes)

Chicken tortilla soup is the fall soup that never feels heavy: a smoky tomato broth with shredded chicken, black beans and corn, finished with lime and a pile of crispy tortilla strips. This quick chicken tortilla soup recipe gets it on the table in 20 minutes.

US searches for chicken tortilla soup recipes have jumped this month as soup season arrives, and this one is built for weeknights. Using fire-roasted canned tomatoes and cooked chicken means you get a soup that tastes slow-simmered without the wait.

Why it is so fast

Most of the flavor comes from three things that take almost no time: spices toasted in oil for 30 seconds, fire-roasted tomatoes that bring smokiness straight from the can, and a squeeze of lime at the end. Cooked chicken just needs to warm through.

Ingredient notes

Chicken. Halal rotisserie chicken is the easiest. Leftover grilled or poached chicken works too.

Tomatoes. Fire-roasted diced tomatoes are worth seeking out. A spoon of tomato paste adds extra richness if you have it.

Broth. A good halal chicken broth matters here because it is most of the soup.

Toppings. These are not optional extras; they make the dish. Tortilla strips for crunch, avocado for creaminess, sour cream for tang.

Step by step

Bloom the spices. Soften onion and jalapeno, then toast garlic and spices briefly.

Simmer. Add tomatoes and broth and simmer 5 minutes to marry the flavors.

Add the hearty stuff. Beans, corn and chicken go in for a few minutes.

Finish and top. Lime and cilantro brighten it; toppings go on at the table.

Variations

• Creamy: Stir in 2 oz cream cheese or 1/4 cup heavy cream at the end.
• Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth, skip the chicken and add a second can of beans.
• Spicier: Add a chopped chipotle in adobo with the tomatoes.
• Rice: Stir in a cup of cooked rice for a heartier bowl.

Common mistakes

Boiling the chicken. The chicken is already cooked. Add it in the last few minutes and keep the soup at a gentle simmer, or rotisserie meat turns stringy.

Skipping the spice bloom. Stir the chili powder, cumin and paprika into the hot oil with the onions for 30 seconds before the liquid goes in. Raw spices added to broth taste dusty; toasted spices taste deep and smoky.

Adding the tortilla strips too early. They go soggy in minutes. Put them on each bowl at the table so they stay crunchy.

Too much salt too soon. Broths, canned tomatoes and chips all bring salt. Add the lime first, taste, then salt.

Substitutions and halal swaps

• Chicken: many supermarkets sell halal rotisserie chickens. Otherwise, poach two halal chicken breasts in the broth for 12 to 14 minutes, shred them, and return them to the pot (this adds a few minutes, so cook the base while they poach).
• Broth: check that the chicken broth or bouillon is halal-certified. Many cubes contain non-halal chicken fat. Vegetable broth is a safe swap.
• Beans: pinto beans or a second can of black beans work.
• Spice level: keep the jalapeno seeds in for heat, or swap the jalapeno for a mild green pepper for kids.
• Homemade strips: cut corn tortillas into thin strips, toss them with a little oil, and bake at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes, or crisp them in a dry skillet.

Freezing

The soup base (without toppings or avocado) freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat it to a simmer, adding fresh lime and cilantro just before serving.

What to serve with it

Quesadillas are perfect for dipping. For another cozy bowl, try the 20-minute white chicken chili or the black bean soup. If you like Tex-Mex flavors, the chicken fajita skillet is a great next dinner. Find more in our easy soup recipes and Tex-Mex dinners.

Storing leftovers

Store the soup (without toppings) in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat on the stove. Keep tortilla strips in a sealed bag at room temperature so they stay crisp.