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Sautéing onions in large pot for creamy chicken tortilla soup recipe

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

A cozy 30-minute tortilla soup with a rich tomato-cream broth, rotisserie chicken, corn, and black beans. Thick, restaurant-style and perfect for piling with tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, and fresh lime.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired, Tex-Mex
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.5 medium onion chopped
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes do not substitute for best thickness
  • 10 oz Ro*Tel diced tomatoes with green chilies with juices
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tbsp chili powder
  • 12 oz corn canned, drained
  • 14 oz black beans canned, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream; do not use low-fat
  • 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or diced; rotisserie recommended
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • tortilla strips for topping, optional
  • avocado for topping, optional
  • sour cream for topping, optional
  • Tex-Mex cheese or cotija for topping, optional
  • cilantro for topping, optional
  • lime wedges for serving, optional
  • scallions sliced; for topping, optional

Equipment

  • Large soup pot
  • Cooking spoon
  • Can opener
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 5–7 minutes until lightly browned.
  2. Stir in crushed tomatoes, Ro*Tel with juices, and chicken broth.
  3. Add garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, corn, and black beans; stir well.
  4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in the heavy cream and cooked chicken. Warm on low 3–5 minutes (do not boil).
  6. Taste and season generously with salt and black pepper.
  7. Serve immediately and add toppings as desired: tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, lime, and scallions.

Notes

Use crushed tomatoes for thickness; do not substitute. Add cream after simmering and keep heat low to prevent curdling. If Ro*Tel is unavailable, substitute a 4 oz can of diced green chilies plus 10 oz diced tomatoes. Store in the refrigerator 3–4 days; reheat gently over low heat. Freezing is not recommended due to cream separation. Typically gluten-free if using corn tortilla strips—check labels.