Chicken tortilla soup
A tomato-based chicken soup with beans, corn and toasted tortilla strips for a weeknight bowl.
Serving illustration.
A tomato-based chicken soup with beans, corn and toasted tortilla strips for a weeknight bowl. This version is written for two people, with ingredient quantities that you can scale using the recipe card. Read the whole method before heating your pan so you can prepare the ingredients in the order they are used. Cooking times are estimates and should be checked against the doneness cues in the instructions.
What makes this dinner work
A gentle simmer keeps the chicken from being knocked around in a rapidly boiling pot. Check its center temperature before shredding; the time changes with breast thickness.
Add the toasted tortilla strips at the table. Leaving them in the pot softens them, which is fine for texture but different from the crisp topping shown in the concept image.
Before you start
Use a saucepan that leaves room for stirring the broth without spilling. If you want a thinner soup, add a small amount of water and retaste.
Measure the sauce ingredients and prepare the vegetables before handling any raw meat or seafood. Keep the ingredient list beside you: changes in thickness, pan size and stove output can affect the cooking time. When multiplying servings, a second pan or separate batches may work better than crowding everything into the original pan.
Cooking and handling notes
Check the thickest pieces with a food thermometer: chicken must reach 165°F (74°C). Check more than one piece when sizes differ; timing alone does not confirm doneness.
The CDC guidance linked below covers keeping hands and surfaces clean, separating raw foods and refrigerating perishable food promptly. Check ingredient labels for allergies, including wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts and seafood where relevant.
Chicken tortilla soup
Prep and cooking times are estimates.
Ingredients
How to make it
- Prepare the baseHeat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion for about 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cumin and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Add the liquidPour in tomatoes and broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the raw chicken using clean utensils, making sure the broth covers it; add a little water if necessary.
- Cook and shredSimmer gently until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove with clean tongs to a clean board, shred with forks and return it to the soup.
- Finish the soupAdd beans and corn. Simmer until the corn is cooked according to its package and the soup is hot throughout. Taste before adding any extra salt.
- Toast and serveMeanwhile, toast tortilla strips in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, turning often, until crisp. Divide soup between bowls and add tortilla strips and lime just before eating.
Make it work for you
A gentle simmer keeps the chicken from being knocked around in a rapidly boiling pot. Check its center temperature before shredding; the time changes with breast thickness. Add the toasted tortilla strips at the table. Leaving them in the pot softens them, which is fine for texture but different from the crisp topping shown in the concept image.
Sources & editorial notes
Follow ingredient labels and the cooking guidance below. Food-safety references are listed for further reading.
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