Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Print version)
Comforting Mexican chicken soup with crispy tortillas, tender chicken, and a hint of lime for zest.
# What you'll need:
→ Protein
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 12 oz)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (optional)
06 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
07 - 1 cup (5.3 oz) frozen or canned corn kernels, drained
08 - 1 can (14 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
→ Broth & Base
09 - 4 cups chicken broth
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
16 - 4 corn tortillas, cut into strips
17 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying tortillas)
18 - 1 avocado, diced
19 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - 2 limes, cut into wedges
# How to make it:
01 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, diced red bell pepper, and jalapeño; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add chicken breasts, diced tomatoes with juice, corn, black beans, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine.
04 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
05 - Remove chicken breasts from pot and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the soup.
06 - While soup simmers, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry tortilla strips in batches for 1 to 2 minutes each until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
07 - Taste soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with crispy tortilla strips, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, and a generous squeeze of lime.
# Expert suggestions:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
- The crispy tortilla strips add a textural surprise that keeps every spoonful interesting.
- That lime juice at the end brightens everything in a way that feels almost magical.
02 -
- Don't skip the step of shredding the chicken—even though it takes an extra minute or two, it distributes the chicken throughout the soup instead of leaving it in large chunks that disappear too quickly.
- The tortilla strips need to be fried just before serving or they'll lose their crispness and absorb too much soup liquid, turning soggy and defeating their entire purpose.
03 -
- Invest in fresh limes—bottled lime juice tastes flat by comparison and completely misses the point of the final flourish.
- Don't skip toasting your spices mentally; if you have time, you can bloom the cumin and chili powder in the hot oil for 30 seconds before adding the vegetables to deepen their flavor.