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Home recipes Dinner

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

40 minutes
avocadoblack beanscorngreen pepperstomato
Posted:12/14/21
Updated:1/25/22
Jump to Recipe

Easy to make, one-pot chicken tortilla soup recipe. Packed with chicken and beans, and covered with cheese on top, this Mexican meal will become your new favorite go-to family meal.

chicken tortilla soup in bowl with avocado, cilantro and cheese on top.

Tortilla soup recipe

This rich, creamy, and tomatoey Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup is easy to make and a treat to eat! Made with shredded chicken, tomatoes, black beans, green chilis, plenty of spices, and my favorite secret ingredient, hominy, this one-pot soup always turns out to be a flavorful family favorite. 

This Mexican chicken tortilla soup recipe is delicious all on its own but pairing it with a few Mexican side dishes never hurts! Serve each bowl with Corn Salad and Tomato Salsa with chips on the side and add avocado, cheese, and roasted tomatillo salsa on top for plenty of flavor.

Not only is this simple tortilla soup delicious, but it’s also extremely versatile. Throw in any protein you love, swap the shredded chicken for oven baked rotisserie chicken, or make it vegan-friendly with a few simple substitutions. The possibilities are truly endless!

tortilla soup in bowl with lots of chicken and beans.

How to make chicken tortilla soup

This easy tortilla soup is easy to make in just one pot. Made with simple and nutritious ingredients, you can always count on this recipe when you need something warm and comforting for dinner. Here’s how it’s done:

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot (sidenote: I love this pot!), add the garlic, and sauté until lightly browned.

Next, pour the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, chili powder, and oregano into the pot and stir everything together. Bring the broth up to a simmer.

Stir in the shredded chicken, hominy, black beans, corn, and chopped green chilis. Simmer the soup until all of the ingredients have been heated through. 

Ladle your finished tortilla soup into bowls. Add any toppings you like, then enjoy!

bowl filled with tortilla soup with avocado slices on top.

Tortilla soup toppings

The bold and zesty flavors in each spoonful of tortilla soup call for all kinds of fresh toppings, such as:

  • Sour cream
  • Guacamole
  • Pico de gallo
  • Lime wedges
  • Chipotle crema
  • Shredded pepper jack cheese
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Tortilla chips
  • Red onion
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Hot sauce

Mexican tortilla soup variations

  • Swap out the protein – I love the mild flavor of shredded chicken, but steak, chorizo, barbacoa, leftover turkey, or Mexican-spiced tofu would all be delicious alternatives.
  • Make it vegan – This soup is naturally dairy free, egg free, and nut free, and you can easily make it vegetarian or vegan by swapping out the chicken broth for veggie broth and omitting the shredded chicken.
  • Use frozen corn instead of canned – In a pinch, you can easily use frozen corn instead of canned.
  • Different add-ins – Jalapenos, red onion, yellow onion, fresh cilantro, cumin, fresh ground black pepper, and bell peppers are all great additions to tortilla soup.
tortilla soup with avocado and cilantro on top.

Frequently asked questions

What is hominy? What if I can’t find it?

Hominy is the secret ingredient in this tortilla chicken soup! It’s a canned corn product made by soaking whole corn kernels in a lime solution until they turn chewy and plump. The flavor is similar to fresh corn but is more earthy and doughy.

You can usually find it with the cans of beans at the supermarket, or specifically it’s usually always with Goya products. If you can’t find hominy, feel free to omit it from the recipe.

can of hominy open.

What goes well with tortilla soup?

Try pairing this tortilla soup with some of your favorite Mexican and Southwestern side dishes. I like to serve each bowl alongside my Mexican arugula salad, jalapeno buttermilk biscuits, leftover cilantro lime rice, or Instant Pot black beans.  You can also just serve it without any sides as it’s plenty filling!

Can chicken tortilla soup be made in the slow cooker?

This recipe is so quick and easy that I didn’t even need to try it in the crockpot! I recommend you save yourself the cleanup and stick to the stovetop method.

How can I thicken my tortilla soup?

You can thicken your soup by making a masa or cornstarch and water slurry, then stir it into the finished tortilla soup.

Can you freeze tortilla soup?

Absolutely! Transfer the cooked and cooled soup to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months. 

Looking for more cozy and hearty soup recipes?

  • Stovetop Taco Soup
    Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
  • Homemade Wonton Soup
  • Kielbasa Sausage and Kale Soup
  • Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
  • Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Pin for later:

Easy to make, one-pot chicken tortilla soup recipe.  Packed with chicken and beans, and covered with cheese on top, this Mexican meal will become your new favorite go-to family meal.
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5 from 1 vote

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Easy to make, one-pot chicken tortilla soup recipe. Packed with chicken and beans, and covered with cheese on top, this Mexican meal will become your new favorite go-to family meal.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • (1) 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 pound cooked chicken breast shredded up
  • (1) 15 oz can white hominy
  • (1) 15 oz can can of black beans rinsed/drained
  • (1) 15 oz can can of corn
  • (1) 4 oz can chopped green chilies

Instructions

  • In a large pot, add vegetable oil over medium high heat. Once heated up add minced garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes or until slightly browned.
  • Add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, chili powder and oregano, stirring well. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Add shredded chicken, hominy, black beans, corn and chopped green chilies. Stir again and simmer for 20 more minutes.
  • Serve into bowl with optional toppings such as sliced avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips or fresh cilantro.

Video:

Course:Main Course, Soup
Cuisine:Mexican
Keyword:tortilla soup
Did you make this?I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @BrooklynFarmGirl and don’t forget to leave a comment & rating below.

Similar Recipes

  • Chicken Vegetable Soup
  • Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and White Bean Soup
  • Homemade Chicken and Dumpling Soup
    Shredded Chicken Dumpling Soup
  • Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

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  1. Jersey Girl Cooks says

    March 26, 2015 at 1:56 pm

    I haves soup on the brain today too. Looks delish!

    Reply
  2. Ash-foodfashionparty says

    March 26, 2015 at 12:36 am

    Oh my…love love tortilla soup too. Haven’t made it in a long time. Your version looks absolutely good Pamela.
    Pinning.

    Reply
  3. Anna @ shenANNAgans says

    March 26, 2015 at 12:19 am

    I was talking with a mate last night about Mexican foods, we are thinking of throwing a Mexican Fiesta with traditional foods. Not sure if what we call Mexican in Australia is the real deal or not? Anways, this sounds amaze, gonna throw it into the mix and see how it goes down. Thanks lovely. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Betty says

    March 25, 2015 at 11:10 pm

    I love tortilla soup! This looks so good, especially with all of that avocado on top. There’s still plenty of soup weather left. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Claire @ The Simple, Sweet Life says

    March 25, 2015 at 6:11 pm

    If I said this soup sounded A-MAAAAAZING I would clearly be understating the obvious awesomeness of this dish. It’s still pretty chilly over here in our part of the world (I know, totally surprising that Norway is definitely still nippy this time of year… at least by my warm blooded American standards) so a warm, spicy soup sounds like just the thing we need for dinner tonight!

    Reply
  6. Melanie says

    March 25, 2015 at 1:57 pm

    Yum! This looks incredible!
    Melanie @ meandmr.com

    Reply
  7. [email protected] Riffs says

    March 25, 2015 at 12:56 pm

    Love chicken tortilla soup. And hominy is da bomb, isn’t it? Yours looks great. Congrats!

    Reply
  8. PM @ Simple Beauty Tips says

    March 24, 2015 at 10:56 pm

    I have made tortilla soup many times, but have not used hominy. Will have to use it, next time I make it!

    Reply
  9. mira says

    March 24, 2015 at 2:31 pm

    Love all kinds of soups and this looks so delicious! Need to try it very soon!

    Reply
  10. Susan says

    March 24, 2015 at 10:24 am

    What fabulous flavors in this soup! I’ve never tried making tortilla soup at home and your version sounds delicious. I never knew about the hominy!

    Reply
  11. Monica says

    March 24, 2015 at 9:34 am

    It’s awesome that you created your own better version of the soup. It looks wonderful, perfect “transition” weather soup. I really want to cook with some hominy now.

    Reply
  12. Melanie says

    March 23, 2015 at 10:16 pm

    Yum, this looks amazing!
    Melanie @ meandmr.com

    Reply
  13. Carol at Wild Goose Tea says

    March 23, 2015 at 10:04 pm

    I love tortilla soup. Boy Howdy I think you did a bang up job with this version.
    Looks luscious!!!

    Reply
  14. Mary // chattavore says

    March 23, 2015 at 9:48 pm

    I’m making a vegetarian tortilla soup for dinner tomorrow! 🙂 This looks delicious. I love eating lighter soups when the weather starts to turn warmer.

    Reply
  15. marcie says

    March 23, 2015 at 8:59 pm

    Tortilla soup is one of my favorites, and I totally agree about adding San Marzano tomatoes — they’re the best! I never think to add hominy, and I really need to try that! 🙂

    Reply
  16. Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says

    March 23, 2015 at 8:50 pm

    Love tortilla soup! I feel like a lot of recipes don’t include hominy which is sad, because I LOVE it! Looks so good Pamela!

    Reply
  17. Dee @ The Kitchen Snob says

    March 23, 2015 at 5:16 pm

    I’m definitely going to make this – looks delicious! I’ve never tried hominy (to my knowledge). Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  18. Ashley says

    March 23, 2015 at 4:18 pm

    I LOVE that you included hominy! It’s a must for me in tortilla soup! This looks absolutely wonderful!

    Reply
  19. Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

    March 23, 2015 at 3:49 pm

    YUM. I am pinning this to my soup board!

    Reply
  20. Brett says

    March 23, 2015 at 2:16 pm

    YUM! This is one of my favorite soups and looks so easy to make. Pinning 🙂

    Reply
  21. Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti says

    March 23, 2015 at 2:04 pm

    This looks fabulous! I’m pinning this to my soup and Mexican food Pinterest board. Visiting form your link on BlogHer facebook!

    Reply
  22. Anna says

    March 23, 2015 at 1:00 pm

    Delicious, I’m a vegetarian and you still caught my attention with this recipe! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  23. Kelly says

    March 23, 2015 at 12:07 pm

    Oh man, I can just imagine the disappointment. I love that you you set out to recreate your own. It looks absolutely amazing and probably way better than that local restaurant!

    Reply
  24. Suzanne says

    March 23, 2015 at 12:02 pm

    Oooohh, really love this soup. Outside of Pozole I haven’t used hominy, this is a great idea. That soup, every component looks amazing.

    Reply
  25. Melanie @ Carmel Moments says

    March 23, 2015 at 11:50 am

    I love chicken tortilla soup! Your version looks so scrumptious!
    pinned
    Have a great week!

    Reply
  26. Shashi at RunninSrilankan says

    March 23, 2015 at 11:29 am

    Thanks so much for posting this Tortilla soup recipe, Pamela! I love love love Chicken Tortilla soup too – but have had a hard time getting it to taste as good as some of the restaurant ones I have had – looks like I skipped quite a few steps -AND ingredients!

    Reply
  27. Jen @ Baked by an Introvert says

    March 23, 2015 at 9:58 am

    This soup looks delicious! This would be a great alternative to the packaged soups I eat for lunch!

    Reply
  28. Sues says

    March 23, 2015 at 8:02 am

    What a delicious-looking soup! I’ve never cooked with hominy before, but might have to change that!

    Reply
  29. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says

    March 23, 2015 at 7:20 am

    This is hands down one of my favourite soups to make. Obviously, because it’s Mexican, but it’s really filling too.

    Reply
  30. Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says

    March 23, 2015 at 7:19 am

    i have been eating soups on a weekly basis…and chicken noodle is getting a little boring. I will definitely have to try this one out.

    Reply
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Hi! I'm Pamela, an artist Mom who shares family recipes. My farm is a 1,000 sq ft apartment in NYC. Let's make dinner together.

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