Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup With Beans and Bold Southwest Flavor
Get your soup pot ready, because you’re going to flip over this soup! This Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup is like a traditional tortilla soup, but the addition of cream adds a layer of richness that just can’t be beat!
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Full disclosure: There are a number of ingredients in this soup. But don’t let that stop you from making it! There’s so much crazy flavor in this soup, and it’s really not that hard. Grab your alligator chopper to do all the hard work, and before long, you’ll be digging into a bowl of Southwestern goodness.
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This is the kind of soup that works for busy weeknights and lazy weekends alike. It comes together in one pot, reheats beautifully, and gets even better with toppings. Whether you load it up with tortilla chips and avocado or keep it simple with a squeeze of lime, it’s always satisfying.
This creamy soup freezes well, too, so get those leftovers into your freezer for a quick meal on another night. Spoons ready? I love this soup, and I know you will too!
Ingredients
For the Soup
- Boneless chicken breasts – Chicken thighs work too and stay juicier, so use what you have.
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper – Freshly cracked black pepper gives the best flavor.
- Chicken broth – I use low-sodium broth so I can control the salt level.
- Canola oil – Vegetable or avocado oil works too.
- Yellow onion – White onion works. Red onion is too sweet for this soup.
- Jalapeño – Leave the seeds in if you like more heat. If you don’t like spice, then just omit the jalapeno or use green pepper instead.
- Garlic cloves – Fresh garlic only. Jarred garlic or paste won’t give the same clean flavor and can turn bitter when cooked.
- Chili powder – Use regular chili powder, not cayenne pepper. They’re not the same thing. Don’t ask me about my mix-up in the kitchen when I was testing this recipe. You don’t want to add 2 teaspoons of cayenne. LOL
- Ground cumin
- Chipotle powder – Adds smoky heat. Skip it if you’re sensitive to spice.
- Canned Ro-Tel tomatoes – If you can’t find Ro-Tel, use a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes, partially drained, and add 1 small 4-ounce can of chopped chilies.
- Masa harina – Masa harina thickens the soup and adds authentic corn flavor. Don’t substitute with cornmeal or flour—they won’t work the same way.
- Milk – Whole milk works best. Low-fat or skim milk will make the soup thinner.
- Canned black beans – Rinse well or the liquid will make the soup cloudy.
- Fresh or frozen corn – Frozen corn works perfectly from frozen. Don’t thaw it first.
- Heavy cream – Don’t substitute with half-and-half or milk. The soup won’t be rich or creamy enough.
For the Garnishes
- Shredded cheese – I recommend shredding your own cheese with a rotary grater. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that make it gritty.
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Chopped cilantro – Fresh cilantro only. If you hate cilantro, skip it.
- Lime wedges – Fresh lime wedges only.
- Corn tortilla chips – For crunch and scooping.
- Hot sauce – Optional for extra heat.
How to Make Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Add the chicken breasts, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of chicken broth to a deep saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches 165°F, about 12 to 15 minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer to avoid overcooking.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool slightly. Shred it using two forks or a handheld meat shredder for faster prep. Reserve the cooking broth.
Heat the canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and jalapeño and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.
Add the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Stir in the remaining chicken broth, the reserved cooking liquid, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, and both cans of Ro-Tel tomatoes.
Use a whisk to combine the masa harina and milk in a measuring cup until completely smooth with no lumps. Slowly pour the mixture into the soup while whisking to prevent clumping.
Bring the soup to a gentle boil, stirring frequently with a silicone whisk or flat-edged spoon. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Stir in the shredded chicken, black beans, and corn. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors blend.
Pour in the heavy cream and stir gently until fully combined and heated through. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Ladle into bowls and serve hot with your favorite garnishes.
Chef Jenn’s Recipe Notes
- This soup can get spicy quickly. The combination of Ro-Tel, jalapeno, chili powder and chipotle will build quickly into a medium-level spice. If you don’t want it so spicy, skip the jalapeno and chipotle powder.
- Masa thickens the soup just the right amount, all while adding flavor. I’ve tested this soup with flour, and it’s just not the same. If you have extra masa, wrap it in a plastic shopping bag and add it to your freezer where it’ll keep a long, long time.
- For extra depth, toast the spices briefly before adding liquids.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup with a variety of toppings like: crushed tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream, and a squeeze of fresh lime. When I do that, it’s the whole meal. Sometimes I serve a smaller bowl of this delish soup with a slice of toasted Potato Cheese Bread, or before a meal of Grilled Steak Skewers or my favorite chili.
Storage
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, adding extra broth if needed. Freeze in portioned containers for up to 3 months.
Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup With Beans and Bold Southwest Flavor
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds chicken breasts boneless & skinless
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth divided
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 jalapeño seeded and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 2 cans Ro-Tel Tomatoes 1 drained, 1 undrained, or 1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes, half drained
- 1/3 cup masa harina
- 1 1/3 cups milk
- 15 ounce canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
Garnishes
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- diced avocado
- chopped cilantro
- lime wedges
- corn tortilla chips
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Simmer the chicken in 2 cups of broth until cooked through. Set aside to cool but reserve the broth. When cool enough to handle shred it and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and sauté the onion and jalapeño until softened, for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic.
- Stir in the remaining chicken broth, reserved cooking liquid, spices, and canned tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 10 minutes, covered.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the masa harina and milk until smooth and stir into the soup. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the shredded chicken, beans, and corn. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered, for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream and heat through. Season to taste and serve with your choice of garnishes.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Recipe Notes
- This soup can get spicy quickly. The combination of Ro-Tel, jalapeno, chili powder and chipotle will build quickly into a medium-level spice. If you don’t want it so spicy, skip the jalapeno and chipotle powder.
- Masa thickens the soup just the right amount, all while adding flavor. I’ve tested this soup with flour, and it’s just not the same. If you have extra masa, wrap it in a plastic shopping bag and add it to your freezer where it’ll keep a long, long time.
- For extra depth, toast the spices briefly before adding liquids.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
