Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This low carb chicken soup doesn’t skimp on flavor. It’s definitely soup weather up here in the frozen north. So many soups, so little time! Today, creamy chicken tortilla soup is on the menu. I hate to call this a copycat recipe, because my intention was not to make it taste exactly the same as the restaurant version, but to improve it. In essence, I’m striving for the best chicken tortilla soup recipe. 

Creamy chicken tortilla soup is totally comfort food and love topping it with the colorful tortilla strips you find next to the croutons at the grocery store because they make the soup look so pretty. I love to use homemade chicken stock, as well, but today I am in a hurry and just using the grocery store brand.  And just for the record, I used my own homemade chili powder; which you can find the recipe for on my blog.

Step by step photos

1. Gather all your ingredients and have them measured out, chopped and ready to go before you start.
2. Place the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and melt on medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeños then sauté until the onions are translucent.
3. Once the onions are very tender add the chicken breast and tomato. (For a spicy soup option use Rotel original diced tomato with chilies instead of diced tomato.) Add the cumin, salt, chili powder and tied sprigs of cilantro. Turn the heat to low, then cover and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
4. Once the chicken is done remove it from the Dutch oven and toss the tied cilantro. Set the chicken on a cutting board and let it cool slightly for about 5 minutes then shred with 2 forks into small 1/4 inch pieces.
5. Pour the chicken stock and milk into the pot.
6. Blend all the solids with an immersion blender until smooth.
7. Place the cheddar cheese in a bowl and coat with the corn starch. Once coated add the cheese mixture to the pot 1/4 cup at a time and stir constantly to melt into the soup. Repeat until all the cheese is added and melted evenly.
8. Add the shredded chicken to the soup pot. Serve with chopped cilantro and tortilla strips.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How long can I save this soup? You can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Be sure to allow it to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
• Can I freeze this soup? No, since this soup contains dairy and it is best not to freeze because it will separate and will have a very grainy and unpleasant texture when thawed.

My creamy chicken tortilla soup recipe goes great with a side salad which is exactly what my husband and I had for lunch today. There is definitely enough for me to pack in my lunch tomorrow. Yup, this soup also makes excellent leftovers. And, if you are looking for other soup recipes, my turkey burger soup is delicious too and also very easy to make. Finally, if a vegetarian soup is more your style, then check out my carrot coriander soup, an Irish recipe.   Another great chicken soup to try is Greek avgolemono with a tangy flavor and creamy texture. 

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4.75 from 4 votes

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Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe Card

Grab a bowl of comfort food! Creamy chicken tortilla soup is cheesy, spicy and smooth to warm you on a cold day! One of my favorite Mexican style soups.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken tortilla soup, creamy, Mexican flavors, spicy and cheesy, TexMex

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings: Change to adjust-> 8 servings

Calories 341 kcal

Author Analida Braeger

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 onion medium, diced
• 1 jalapeno cored and diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 lb chicken breast boneless, skinless
• 14 oz diced tomatoes 1 can (spicy option: 1 can rotel original)
• 6-8 sprigs of cilantro tied with twine
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 1/2 cups cheddar shredded
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp cilantro chopped

Instructions

Cook and season the chicken:

1. In a dutch oven melt the butter on medium heat. Sauté onions, garlic and jalapeño until the onions are translucent.

2. Add the chicken breast, and tomatoes. Toss in the tied cilantro sprigs, cumin, salt and chili powder. Turn down heat, cover, and cook until chicken is done with an internal temperature of 165°F.

3. Remove chicken from the dutch oven and discard the tied cilantro.

4. Shred chicken using two forks into very small 1/4 inch pieces on a cutting board.

Construct the soup:

1. Add chicken stock and milk into the dutch oven, and stir thoroughly. Blend with an immersion blender to break up the solids.

2. Place the cheddar cheese in a bowl and coat with the cornstarch.

3. Begin adding the cheese to the chicken stock mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Make sure to stir well so all the cheese melts evenly.
4. Once all the cheese has been blended into the soup toss in the shredded chicken. Add the cilantro and serve. Top with tortilla strips.

Recipe Notes

Frequently Asked Questions:

• How long can I save this soup? You can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Be sure to allow it to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
• Can I freeze this soup? No, since this soup contains dairy and it is best not to freeze because it will separate and will have a very grainy and unpleasant texture when thawed.

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe Card

Amount Per Serving

Calories 341 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Cholesterol 95mg32%

Sodium 776mg34%

Potassium 549mg16%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 837IU17%

Vitamin C 9mg11%

Calcium 325mg33%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.