The best chicken tortilla soup recipe cooks slowly all day so every bite is full of flavor. That is exactly what happens in this recipe. The spices and sauce help flavor the vegetables and infuse into the shredded chicken for full flavor in every bite. Spoon it over broken tortilla chips and top with avocado, cilantro, and lime and you have the perfect bowl of soup.
There are so many toppings you can have with this soup. The possible combinations are almost endless. If you were to make this recipe every month, what would result in a different bowl of soup throughout the year and beyond?
Chicken Tortilla Soup Toppings
- Diced Avocado or Guacamole
- Cilantro
- Sour Cream
- Shredded or Crumbled Cheese
- Fresh Lime juice
- Diced onion
- Sliced Olives
- Green Chiles
- Hot Sauce - bring on more heat!
- Pickles Jalapenos, Carrots, and/or Onions (one of my favorites)
What You Need for Chicken Tortilla Soup
The photo may make you think this recipe has a lot of ingredients but do not be intimidated. Many of these items you likely already have. The bonus is that it also uses up some ingredients that you may only have a bit of leftover of, like the chips and enchilada sauce.
Have you ever had a bunch of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of a bag?
This is your answer to what to do with those chips. I promise that now every time you see these sad little guys at the bottom of the bag, you will keep them and make this so you can still enjoy them.
What to do with the last bit of a can/jarred enchilada sauce or taco seasoning?
Answer: this soup! Yes, this soup not only uses broken tortilla chips but needs a flavor punch from a few store-bought Mexican ingredients. This is a "half scratch" recipe where some ready-made items pair up with fresh ingredients for one great recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup ingredients
How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup in a Slow Cooker
I start off by dissolving 2 chicken bouillon cubes in 4 cups of water. I add that to the slow cooker plus the chicken breasts. I usually cut each chicken breast in half so they cook faster and fit better in the slow cooker. This cooks for 2 hours on high.
slow cooking the chicken
After 2 hours, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and let cool to the side. Put the remaining ingredients into the slow cooker. Set to low and 6 hours.
Add remaining ingredients to the slow cooker
Once the chicken is cooled, shred with 2 forks or your hands. Add the chicken back into the slow cooker with the other ingredients. Stir and close the lid. Set to low for 6 hours.
Shred cooked chicken and add back into the slow cooker
After 6 hours on low, the soup will look like this.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup ready to serve
Prepare your serving bowls by filling ⅓ of the way with crushed tortilla chips. Have all your toppings also ready, see a great list above for topping ideas.
Crushed tortilla chips on the bottom of the bowl
Spoon the hot chicken soup over the tortilla chips. Then add your toppings and enjoy immediately.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup ready
What Goes Great with Chicken Tortilla Soup?
Nothing better than soup and salad together. For a crave-worthy pairing, serve this soup with Doritos Taco Salad. Your taco Tuesday will never be the same!
- Make it a party with my twist on the TEQUILA SUNRISE
- Add a side dish like my EASY RESTAURANT-STYLE MEXICAN RICE
PIN FOR SAFEKEEPING & SHARING!
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup PIN
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Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1.5 LBs chicken breasts or thighs boneless & skinless
- 2 cubes chicken bouillon
- 6 C water
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 orange or yellow bell pepper seeded & diced
- ½ medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled & minced
- 1 C prepared red enchilada sauce
- 3 TB taco seasoning
- 1 TB ground cumin
Chips & Soup Toppings
- 3 C tortilla chips crushed
- 1 avocado
- 1 lime cut in wedges
- fresh cilantro
- shredded cheese
- hot sauce
- sour cream
Instructions
- Set the slow cooker to high for 2 hours. Add in bouillon cubes dissolved in 6 cups of water.
- Cut the chicken in large pieces and then put it into the broth in the slow cooker. Cover and let cook 2 hours on high.
- Once 2 hours are done, remove the chicken and set aside to cool for a bit while you prep the other ingredients.
- To the broth in the slow cooker, add the diced bell pepper, onion, garlic, and the canned tomatoes plus juice. Next, add in the enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, and cumin. Stir to combine.
- Shred the cooled chicken with your hands or two forks. Place the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker.
- Set the slow cooker on low for 4 hours and let cook. Once the soup is ready, leave the slow cooker on warm. Taste for spice level and your preference. Add hot sauce if with to have a spicier broth.
- Prepare soup bowls with about ½ c of tortilla chips on the bottom. Ladle the soup over the chips.
- Top with avocado, lime juice, cilantro, etc. A great list of delicious topping is listed above.
Cindy says
This looks super yummy and pretty healthy.
jen says
i'm a big fan of both the slow cooker and tortilla soup. will have to give this a try!
Angela says
You are gonna love it!
Debbie says
Looks great and love your presentation!
Holly says
Wonderful recipe..I live spicy soups and I can't wait to try your recipe! Yum and pinned
Angela says
This has some mild spice so if you are like me, add some hot sauce as a topper!
Tricia Snow says
We are HUGE fans of soup and this one looks amazing! I can't wait to try the recipe!
Angela says
Thank you, hope you love it!
jody says
This really looks yummy I may need to make some of this soon.
Ramae Hamrin says
I've never made chicken tortilla soup, but it sure looks delicious. I love how you used organic chicken!! 😊
Angela says
The price of organic meats at Costco really helps make it reasonable to do so!
Stacey Billingsley says
Chicken tortilla soup is my favorite! I'll have to give this recipe a try. It looks so yummy!
Angela says
You will love this one! What is your favorite topping?
Sandi says
Looks yummy, I love that it’s cooked in a crock pot.
Lisa says
I love slow cooker meals! Easy and convenient!
Angela says
Exactly - easy and the meat always turns out so tender and flavorful.
Adrienne says
Yummy! I love tortilla soup and cooking things in my crockpot! Thank you!
Angela says
You are welcome Adrienne.
Tiffany says
Love chicken tortilla soup - usually make with a cream/milk base but would love to try this with a broth base!
Jennifer says
It's coming up to the season when I start slow cooking more again.
Debbi H says
This looks delicious, and I love that it can be made in the crockpot.
judean says
Yum! I love chicken tortilla soup - there are so many ways to make it and I need to try this recipe.
Angela says
Let me know what you think!
Sydney Delong says
Looks delicious!!
Angela says
thank you
KENDRA says
I love quick and easy slow cooker meals like this. Mmmm...Cilantro on top is the best!
Angela says
Cilantro always cracks me up - there are two camps. My husband hates it and I love it! 2 of our 3 kids love it! haha!
Vanessa says
This recipe looks deliciously easy...Thanks for sharing!
Angela says
That is exactly what it is! Enjoy!
heather J jandrue says
I love this soup. I can't wait to try out your recipe.
Noelle says
This looks delicious.
Angela says
Thank you
Suzan | It's My Sustainable Life says
Huge fan of anything spicy here! This looks wonderful!
Michele says
Now this is my kind of food! Can’t wait to try it!
Angela | Mean Green Chef says
Slow cookers make for some great dinners and your soup looks delish, perfect any night of the week!
Dee | Grammy's Grid says
Looks really good!! Thanks so much for linking up with me at my #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 10, open March 1 to 26. All entries shared on social media if share buttons installed.
Lisa says
This is great. I have been looking for another soup recipe.
Miz Helen says
Your Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup looks amazing! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday,475 your post looks great. Happy St. Patrick's Day and come back to see us soon!
Miz Helen
Karren Haller says
Thank you for sharing your recipes, no matter how a soup with chicken is made it is full of vitamins C and K, as well as other antioxidants and minerals.
Be sure to stop by again this week to share your latest updates.
Cindy says
I used to love chicken tortilla soup. I’m plant based now...and I still eat something similar. It just doesn’t have chicken or cheese in it.
Cindy says
This looks really yummy. I can imagine it on a cool fall day!
Angela says
Thanks, it is a great winter meal but I confess I love it all year long.
Dee | Grammy's Grid says
Thanks so much for linking up with me at #AThemedLinkup 28 for Soup Recipes.