Mexican Tortilla Soup

Name: Mexican Tortilla Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: ½ sweet yellow onion, diced; 1 large pepper (or 5 mini peppers), diced; 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained; 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes; 2 cloves garlic, sliced; 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast; 1 teaspoon oregano; 1 teaspoon Ancho chili powder; ½ teaspoon ground cumin seed; ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder; 1 teaspoon Kosher salt; 4 cups water; 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base; 1 Tablespoon olive oil; Tortilla chips; Cilantro, scallions, or lime for garnish

By Colleen April 29, 2024 3 Mins Read

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This spicy, meaty, veggie-packed Mexican Tortilla Soup supremely satisfies!

I’ve been making a version of this recipe for many years and my family always loves it. I can have it ready in under 30 minutes, so it makes for an excellent weeknight meal. Most of the items I keep on hand in the pantry, so it’s easy to pull this Tortilla Soup recipe together at the last minute. Be sure to double the recipe if you want leftovers, because people will likely want seconds:)

Bowl of Mexican Tortilla Soup with tortilla chips — Rich, spicy tomato broth, forms the base of this hearty soup.

This soup rocks in the slow-cooker! To make busy mornings easier, put the ingredients in the ceramic insert of your slow-cooker the night before and refrigerate it. Pull the crock out of the fridge when you grab your first cup of coffee and pop it in the slow-cooker in before you leave for work.

I omit the chipotle pepper when I make the soup and only add it to the adult bowls because my kids find it too spicy.

How to make Mexican Tortilla Soup

Begin by chopping and sautéing your onions and peppers. A large bell pepper works, as do several mini-peppers. At times, I add a chopped zucchini, kale or other veggie to use up vegetables in the crisper. In fact, veggies that are past their prime but not spoiled (think bruised tomatoes, wilted spinach, or the pepper that’s beginning to soften), are perfect for soup. Let the onions and peppers brown to add rich, sweet flavor.
Next, add a can of tomatoes. I prefer fire-roasted diced tomatoes, but regular diced work well. You can even use diced with green chiles if that’s on hand. You can also substitute 2 large, ripe tomatoes with juices. Deglaze the pan after adding the tomatoes by scraping the browned bits of onion and pepper with a spatula.
Season the chicken tenderloins with salt, cumin, oregano, and chili powder before adding to pot.
Add chicken, 4 cups of water, and one Tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base. It adds so much flavor. You could also substitute 2 cups of chicken broth for 2 cups of the water.
Add beans and corn, cover the pot, turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Remove cooked chicken to plate or shallow bowl and shred with 2 forks. Return chicken and juices to pot. Alternatively, you can chop the chicken into small pieces. Chef’s choice:)
Serve soup garnished with tortilla chips, cilantro, scallions, or lime if desired. Enjoy!