Description
This Chicken Tortilla Soup is a flavorful, comforting Mexican-inspired dish featuring shredded rotisserie chicken simmered in a spiced broth with fire roasted tomatoes, green chilies, and black beans. It’s topped with crispy homemade fried tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, lime, and optional garnishes like avocado, cheese, and sour cream. The soup is both hearty and easy to make, perfect for a family meal or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper (or to taste)
- 4 cups chicken bone broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
- 1 (7-ounce) can fire roasted green chilies
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (14-ounce) can seasoned black beans (or regular black beans)
Chicken
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (about 1 and 1/2 to 2 pounds)
- Drippings from rotisserie chicken (added to soup)
- Bones from rotisserie chicken (optional, for extra flavor)
Tortilla Strips
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
- 8 corn tortillas
Additional Ingredients
- 1 lime, juiced
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons masa harina (Maseca Instant Corn Masa Flour)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Optional Garnishes
- Diced avocado
- Lime slices
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Sliced jalapeno
Instructions
- Sauté onions: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add diced onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes until translucent, stirring occasionally.
- Prep garlic and jalapeno: Smash and mince 4 cloves garlic. Seed and finely chop 1 jalapeno. Set aside.
- Mix spices: In a small bowl, combine 4 teaspoons cumin, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons oregano, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper.
- Sauté aromatics and spices: Add minced garlic, chopped jalapeno, and the spice mix to the onions. Stir and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add liquids and canned ingredients: Pour in 4 cups chicken bone broth, 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base, and add the cans of fire roasted green chilies, fire roasted diced tomatoes, and seasoned black beans (undrained).
- Add rotisserie chicken drippings: Pour all drippings from the rotisserie chicken into the pot for added flavor.
- Prepare chicken: Cut the rotisserie chicken in half along the backbone; remove breast, leg, and thigh from one side. Shred or chop the meat to yield about 4 cups of shredded chicken.
- Add chicken bones (optional): Add several chicken bones to the soup pot to deepen flavor, but do not add shredded chicken yet.
- Simmer soup: Bring soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low. Cover with a vented lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add shredded chicken: Stir in 4 cups shredded chicken and simmer gently for another 10 minutes.
- Heat oil for frying tortillas: While soup simmers, heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a 12-inch heavy bottom pan over medium heat until shimmering.
- Slice tortillas: Cut tortillas into thin strips about 1/4 inch wide by halving a stack of 4 tortillas and slicing each half.
- Fry tortilla strips: Fry tortilla strips in batches in hot oil without crowding, turning to cook evenly. Remove when golden (about 30-60 seconds) and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Add more oil if needed between batches.
- Finish soup simmer: After adding chicken, simmer soup on low until ready to serve.
- Prepare masa slurry: Mix lime juice, 3 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons masa harina, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk this slurry into the soup.
- Add cilantro and rest: Stir in 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, cover the pot, and let the soup rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Remove bones: Just before serving, remove and discard any chicken bones from the soup.
- Serve: Ladle hot soup into bowls, top generously with fried tortilla strips, and garnish with diced avocado, lime slices, shredded cheese, sour cream, and sliced jalapeno if desired.
- Crock Pot option: Add all ingredients except shredded chicken, lime juice, water, masa harina, and cilantro to a slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Add shredded chicken, lime slurry, and simmer 30 minutes before stirring in cilantro and serving.
- Storage: Refrigerate covered for up to one week; soup deepens in flavor over time.
- Freezing: Cool the soup, then transfer to freezer-safe bags leaving room for expansion. Freeze for 4-6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Notes
- Using rotisserie chicken drippings adds extra richness to the soup.
- Chicken bones are optional but boost the broth’s depth of flavor significantly.
- Frying homemade tortilla strips is key for authentic texture, but store-bought tortilla strips can be used in a pinch.
- Masa harina slurry thickens the soup and adds authentic corn flavor; do not skip.
- Adjust jalapeno quantity and seeds based on preferred spice level.
- This soup freezes well and tastes even better the next day.
- Crock Pot method is available for hands-off cooking but the stovetop method provides the best flavor.
