Authentic Chicken Tortilla Soup

This soup features seasoned Mexican shredded chicken, beans, jalapenos, fresh herbs, smoky tomato broth, and a hint of lime making it the perfect soup on a chilly day

Soup Weather In Arizona

That’s a phrase I honestly never thought I’d mutter. I mean Arizona is hot; the desert. You bake there, not wrap yourselves in blankets and hoodies.

Oh my dear TKW Family I was so naive. I mean I knew the desert got cold at night but for some reason, I didn’t think that was applicable to where I lived in Arizona. <insert headshake here friends>.

I acclimated very quickly here and yes, when it’s 72F out I’m grabbing a light jacket. And yes it does get cold at night – like in the ’30s. So hoodies, cozy blankets, and bowls of hot soup like this Chicken Tortilla Soup are needed!

Grab Your Ingredients

What I love about this recipe is that it uses pretty much standard ingredients that are found in your fridge/pantry or that are available at the store/online.

• Chicken – You can go with all breasts, all thighs, or a mixture of both
• From The Garden – onions, jalapeno, canned tomatoes, black beans, cilantro, and a lime
• Stock – go with stock instead of broth. Stock tends to have more flavor
• Seasoning – Chupacabra Fajita Seasoning and Smoked Chipotle Powder
• Additional – tomato paste, olive oil, and assorted toppings

Let’s Make Soup

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot (like this Emile Henry 6qrt Dutch Oven) over medium heat, add the oil.
2. Once the oil is heated up, add in the onion and jalapeno and sauté until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened.

Everybody In The Pot

3. Pour in the stock, beans, crushed tomatoes, cilantro, half of the fajita seasoning, the smoked chipotle powder, and lime juice, and stir.
4. Add in the chicken pushing it into the mixture.
5. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through.

The Easiest Way To Shred Chicken

I almost feel silly sharing this as this has been around for eons but for those of you that may not know, all you need is a mixer (electric hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment).

1. Add the cooked chicken to a bowl.
2. Add the beaters to your mixer, place them on top of the cooked chicken, and turn the mixer on low. Slowly start to shred the chicken. As the chicken starts to break up you can turn up the speed if desired.

That’s it; really!

Just A Few Minutes More

1. Add the chicken back to the pot along with the rest of the seasoning and tomato paste. Mix and cook for another 5 minutes.

Got Soup? I do!

This soup is so comforting and reminds me of chili and lasagna meaning it gets even better the next day. Guys the depth of flavor in this soup is incredible and so truly comforting. Your family will absolutely fall in love with this dish!

Time-Saving Suggestion

If you wanted, you could shave off about 20 minutes or so of cooking if you used shredded rotisserie chicken versus making it from scratch. Now the only thing I would mention is that you won’t get that depth of flavor that you would get if you started from raw chicken.

It’s all about tradeoffs I suppose.

Topping Suggestions

I love these sections of my recipe posts as I love variety. Here are some things I’ve added to the bajillion bowls of this soup I’ve had.

• Chips – Tortilla strips, Chili Cheese Fritos, Corn Chips, Crushed Tacos
• Veggies – Charred corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, sliced radishes, jalapeno slices
• Cheese – Crumbled Cotija, shredded cheddar, pepper jack
• Hot Sauce – Go add if you like it extra spicy

How To Store, Freeze, and Reheat

• Fridge – Place in an air-tight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days
• Freezer – This is such an awesome freezer meal. Allow to cool completely then transfer to freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
• Reheat – If it’s frozen, place the container in the fridge and allow it to thaw there overnight. Add it to a saucepan and reheat over medium heat until warmed all the way through.

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