Best Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable)

Mexican-inspired soup with tender chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, corn, lime, and crispy tortilla strips.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 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 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Optional Toppings

19 - Sliced avocado
20 - Shredded cheese
21 - Sour cream
22 - Extra lime wedges

# Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means dinner when you actually need it, not three hours from now.
  • The balance of zesty lime, smoky spices, and those crispy tortilla strips hits every flavor note your mouth craves.
  • Naturally gluten-free and endlessly customizable depending on what's in your fridge and what your guests actually want to eat.
02 -
  • If you skip crisping the tortilla strips beforehand and just throw them on top raw, they'll absorb the broth and turn into sad mushy bits within minutes—do yourself the small favor of baking them first.
  • The lime juice needs to go in at the very end because heat breaks down its bright acidity, and that's literally the flavor that makes people say wow instead of good.
03 -
  • If your soup tastes a little flat even after seasoning, you're probably missing salt—add it pinch by pinch and taste between additions because salt is the amplifier that makes every other flavor pop into focus.
  • For extra heat, leave the seeds in the jalapeño or add a tiny pinch of cayenne, but remember it's easier to add spice than to cool it down.
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