Classic Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable)

Warm, spiced chicken soup with black beans, corn, and crispy tortilla garnish

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken and Stock

01 - 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 14 ounces)
02 - 6 cups (1.5 quarts) chicken broth preferably low sodium

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium yellow onion diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic minced
05 - 1 medium red bell pepper diced
06 - 1 medium jalapeño seeded and diced
07 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices
08 - 1 cup (5 ounces) frozen or fresh corn kernels
09 - 1 can (14 ounces) black beans drained and rinsed
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Spices and Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Tortilla Strips

17 - 4 corn tortillas sliced into thin strips
18 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Garnishes

19 - 1 avocado diced
20 - 1/4 cup (1 ounce) fresh cilantro chopped
21 - 1 lime cut into wedges
22 - 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
23 - Sour cream for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss tortilla strips with vegetable oil and spread on a baking sheet. Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden and crisp, tossing halfway through. Set aside.
02 - In a large pot, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add chicken breasts, reduce heat, and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken, shred with two forks, and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened.
04 - Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add diced tomatoes with juices, tomato paste, corn, black beans, and shredded chicken back to the pot. Simmer for 10–15 minutes to blend flavors.
06 - Check seasoning and adjust salt or spice as desired. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with crispy tortilla strips and optional garnishes such as avocado, cilantro, lime, cheese, and sour cream.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The homemade tortilla strips change everything, they stay crispy longer than anything from a bag
  • Its one of those rare soups that actually gets better overnight, like it knows youre planning for leftovers
02 -
  • If the soup feels too thin, mash some beans against the side of the pot, it thickens everything naturally
  • The tortilla strips will soften if they sit in the broth too long, serve them on the side for build it yourself bowls
03 -
  • Let the soup rest for ten minutes off the heat before serving, the flavors settle into something more cohesive
  • Squeeze fresh lime right before eating, it wakes up every single ingredient in the bowl

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