This is epic chicken tortilla soup. In fact, my dad called the best chicken tortilla soup he’s ever had. That’s noteworthy because he does not dole out compliments easily!
Let’s start with the chicken. Shredded is classic in tortilla soup so if you prefer it, be my guest. I vastly prefer seasoned grilled chicken. I often grill chicken in the morning when I need it in a recipe for dinner just to have one less thing to do. You can easily grill the chicken and keep it covered in the fridge for a few hours. I’m going to level with you: I never measure my seasonings. I sprinkle on onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, and sea salt and massage with olive oil. If you’re a seasoned cook (see what I did there) feel free to eyeball it. Read more about my Perfect Grilled Chicken here.
This soup only takes about thirty minutes to make and can hang out on low for a while, making it a great choice for entertaining. I don’t love spicy food so if you want to up the heat factor here, add diced jalapeño when you add the garlic. It pairs beautifully with a chilled glass of sauvignon blanc! It should also be noted that this recipe is super healthy if you’re into that sort of thing.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
4-5 large bowls or 6 small bowls
3 chicken breast cutlets seasoned, grilled, cut into cubes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic
2 14-oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
6 tomatillos, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 4-oz cans green chilis
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
Sea salt, pepper to taste (I did 18 grinds of sea salt and 6 grinds pepper)
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped (more for garnish)
1 lime
Avocado, sour cream, Monterrey jack cheese for serving
2-4 tortillas
Butter for frying
- First: prepare your chicken. Rinse chicken breast cutlets and pat dry. Mix together 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, and 1/2 sea salt – lime sea salt is fantastic here! Season both sides of chicken. Drizzle both sides with olive oil and massage. Every bit of the chicken should be covered in seasoning and olive oil. Grill at 400 degrees, flipping once, until internal temperature reads 165 degrees. Start with 5 minutes per side, check the temperature, and keep grilling until your meat thermometer reads 165. Cover and chill until you’re ready to start your soup or set on a plate and start the soup immediately.
- In a large dutch oven, cook onion in 2 Tbsp olive oil over a medium low flame until translucent, about ten minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes and chopped tomatillos (plus jalapeño if you’re so inclined). Cook over a medium flame until tomatillos are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to medium low and add 2 cups chicken stock, 8 oz green chilis, black beans, chopped chicken, oregano, cumin, paprika, sea salt, pepper, cilantro, and the juice of half a lime. (Save the other half for garnish.) Cook until heated through.
- When about ready to serve, cut tortillas into strips and fry in 1 Tbsp butter per tortilla, flipping once. Cook until golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon, and set on a paper towel to dry.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Monterrey jack cheese, sliced avocado, sour cream, fried tortillas, and more cilantro.
This recipe is also fantastic leftover!
Watch me make it:
Stay warm,
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