This slow cooker chicken tortilla soup recipe is filled with chicken, beans and veggies, all finished off with tortilla strips and a variety of toppings. The perfect hearty meal for a cold night!
You can never go wrong with soup, my family enjoys cheeseburger soup, hot and sour soup and this simple yet satisfying chicken tortilla soup.
My whole family loves soup, in fact, I have a slow cooker full of soup simmering away as I write this post! It’s finally starting to cool down a bit around here, which means soup is on the menu at least once a week. This slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is one of our favorites, all you need is 10 minutes to load up the slow cooker, then turn it on, go about your day, and dinner will be waiting for you when you get home.
How Do You Make Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup?
Let’s talk about the ingredients for this slow cooker chicken tortilla soup. We’ve got chicken breasts (throw ’em in whole!), onion, red bell pepper, corn, black beans, mild green chilies, chicken broth, tomatoes and spices. All you have to do is put everything in the slow cooker and walk away! When it’s time to eat, remove the chicken breasts from the soup and shred them, then return them to the pot. Add your favorite toppings such as tortilla strips, avocado, cheese and olives, then serve and enjoy.
Tips for slow cooker chicken tortilla soup
- To save time in the morning, you can chop your vegetables the night before, that way it takes just minutes to get everything in the crock pot in the morning.
- I typically use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but thighs also work well. I’ve also made this soup with cooked, crumbled ground beef.
- You can substitute pinto beans for black beans if you prefer.
- If you like things on the spicy side, use a can of hot green chilies instead of mild green chilies.
- I often use frozen corn because I always have it on hand, but fresh or canned corn will also work.
How long is chicken tortilla soup good for?
This soup will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Tortilla soup is also a great candidate for the freezer. To freeze your soup, place it in freezer safe containers or resealable gallon sized freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw the soup in the fridge overnight, then reheat it on medium heat on the stove top. Add your toppings, then serve.
How do you thicken tortilla soup?
I find that with all the chicken and vegetables, this soup comes out plenty thick for my liking. If you prefer a thicker soup, you can mix 3 tablespoons of soup broth with 2 tablespoons of flour, then add the paste to the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes until soup is thickened. If you’re looking for a creamy soup, you can add some sour cream or cream cheese to the broth which will thicken it, as well as make the soup creamy.
Tortilla soup toppings
You can top this soup with a variety of your favorite Mexican ingredients. Tortilla strips are a must have, and I also like to put out an assortment of toppings so that everyone can customize their own bowl of soup.
- Pickled Jalapenos
- Shredded Cheese
- Diced Tomatoes
- Shredded Lettuce
- Sour Cream
- Sliced Olives
Once you try this tortilla soup, you’ll find yourself making it on repeat. It’s so simple, yet filled with plenty of bold flavors and textures. Your family is sure to love this one!
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Farro Soup with Meatballs
- Tortellini Soup with Sausage
- Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Cabbage Roll Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup Video
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white onion diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 15 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 4 ounce can mild green chilies
- 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves chopped
- 1 cup tortilla strips or more if desired
- Toppings such as sour cream, avocado, olives and shredded cheese
Instructions
- Place the onion, bell pepper, corn, black beans, chicken, chilies, tomato sauce, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, chicken broth and salt into a slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and shred with two forks. Return the chicken to the pot.
- Stir in the chopped cilantro and ladle into bowls. Top with tortilla strips and any other toppings you desire. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on September 19, 2017 and was updated on December 18, 2019 with new content.
Kally says
Would it taste the same without the diced tomatoes do you think? My husband is beyond weird about tomato chunks
Sara says
I think it would probably be ok but I haven’t tested it this way, you could also add another 8 ounce can of tomato sauce as a substitute!
jim Vincent says
Greater flavor with far less time comes to those who choose to toss in chopped chicken thighs which have been grilled with some charred edges. Let it steep on low with the ingredients offered in the recipe above. Two hours on low is enough time to allow the flavors. I jump start the process with a skillet on medium with all the veggies and beans added…..takes 15 minutes and put it in the pot and toss in the charred chicken……Great results
Diane says
I made this last night and then we ate it again tonight and it was amazing!
Sue says
Made this soup today and boy did we love it! Luckily it’s not overly spicey!
Jacqueline says
I absolutely love this recipe!!! It is so delicious! I leave out the green pepper and chili’s so my son will eat it and it’s still amazing.
I always make it in my crock pot but I am wondering if this would work and how in the instapot?
Sammii says
I make this all the time, I add a little extra garlic powder, and chili powder. Turns out AMAZING every time. Great recipe!
Megan says
I used this as a guide for the chicken tortilla soup I made the other night, and it turned out great! I changed/added quite a bit based on what I had on hand, but found your recipe really helpful for measurements and an idea on flavors and whatnot. The only thing that was drastically different from your recipe was the amount of broth that I used. I doubled your recipe (made for 8), as I wanted plenty leftover. The recipe called for 12 cups of chicken broth, but my slow cooker was only big enough to hold 4 cups – and I have a pretty big slow cooker. 4 cups was plenty, though. Any more and it would have been way too brothy. I’m not sure why there was such a big difference on the amount of broth, but for anyone making this I’d say that you might not need as much chicken broth as the recipe calls for? Either way, it was delicious!
DJ says
I did this exact same thing. Doubled the recipe and had to leave out 8 cups of chicken broth. I can’t imagine it having more broth. It was fine without it. I also think it serves more than 8 when doubled even without the extra broth.
Marla Allen says
Made this tonight and everyone loved it! Just the right amount of spice. Not to spicy for my midwestern hubby! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Haley Blackinton says
Can I add rice to this? If so when?
Sara says
I’d add during the last 30 minutes!
Dani says
Hi! Do you put the chicken in raw? Thank you!
Sara says
Yes the chicken goes in raw!
Ellen McCormick says
Delicious! I will definitely be making this again!
Deb says
My house smelled so good while this was cooking! It was delicious and enough for lunch the next day.
Alexis says
Can this recipe fit in a 4 quart crock pot ?
Sara says
Yes that works!