Description
This Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup is a flavorful and hearty Mexican-inspired dish featuring tender chicken, black beans, and a medley of spices simmered in a rich tomato broth. Topped with crispy baked tortilla strips for added crunch, this soup is perfect for a comforting weeknight meal or a casual gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Tortilla Strips
- 8 small corn tortillas, sliced into 6 mm wide strips
- 15 ml olive oil
- 5 g kosher salt
Soup Base
- 30 ml olive oil
- 2 jalapenos, finely diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 10 g minced garlic
- 950 ml chicken broth
- 800 g crushed tomatoes
- 2 cans (425 g each) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 300 g cooked chicken breast, cut into chunks
- 8 g chili powder
- 15 ml lime juice
- 4 g ground cumin
- 10 g salt
- 2 g ground black pepper
- 2 g smoked paprika
- 0.5 g cayenne pepper
- 10 g fresh cilantro, finely minced
Optional Toppings
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
Instructions
- Bake Tortilla Strips: Preheat the oven to 190°C and line a baking tray with foil. Toss the corn tortilla strips with 15 ml olive oil and spread them evenly on the tray. Sprinkle 5 g kosher salt over the strips. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden and crisp.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat 30 ml olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and jalapenos. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute to release its aroma.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Pour in the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Add the black beans and cooked chicken chunks to the pot. Season with chili powder, lime juice, ground cumin, salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer the Soup: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a medium-high simmer. Let the soup cook gently for 5 to 7 minutes so the flavors can meld together well.
- Finish with Fresh Cilantro: Stir in the finely minced fresh cilantro. Allow the soup to boil for 1 more minute, then remove the pot from the heat.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each serving with crispy baked tortilla strips. Add optional toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, or guacamole as desired for extra flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a spicier soup, add more jalapenos or cayenne pepper to taste.
- The tortilla strips bring a nice crunch but can be omitted for a gluten-free version.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Use cooked rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Adjust seasoning as needed before serving.
