Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

By Becky Hardin

Updated Sep 15, 2025

ShareJump to Recipe

This creamy chicken tortilla soup is one of my favorite fall soup recipes! It’s creamy, delicious, and filled with all of my favorite Tex-Mex ingredients. Perfect for any night of the week, I love how it’s so easy to save and reheat later!

Easy Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

My creamy chicken tortilla soup is so good! I prepare it on the stove, so there’s no need to pull out any additional appliances to complicate things. Chicken broth, fire-roasted diced tomatoes and green chilies, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika add the depth of flavor I love so much in this soup. Plus, I can’t get over the extra creamy texture of this recipe compared to regular chicken tortilla soup.

Recipe Card

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

4.60 from 670 votes

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

Servings: 8 bowls

Author: Becky Hardin

Print Rate Pin

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup is one of my favorite fall soup recipes. It's creamy, delicious, and filled with loads of tasty Tex-Mex ingredients!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Save this recipe!

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you, plus new recipes weekly!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

Email *

Go

Equipment

• Dutch Oven

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Soup

• ▢ 3 tbsp crushed corn tortilla chips store-bought or homemade
• ▢ 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 yellow onion diced
• ▢ 2 jalapeño peppers diced
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ▢ 29 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes and green chilies such as Rotel (2 14.5-oz. cans)
• ▢ 11 oz. canned corn kernels (1 can)
• ▢ 14.5 oz. canned black beans rinsed and drained (1 can)
• ▢ 1 tbsp chili powder
• ▢ 2 tsp ground cumin
• ▢ 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional, for extra spice
• ▢ 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 3 cups cubed cooked chicken
• ▢ 2 limes 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream room temperature, non-dairy works well too
• ▢ kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional Toppings

• ▢ shredded Mexican blend cheese, corn tortilla chips, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced avocado

Instructions 

For the Soup

• Crush enough tortilla chips to make 3 tbsp and set aside.
  3 tbsp crushed corn tortilla chips
• Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the vegetable oil.
  2 tbsp vegetable oil
• Add onions and cook 3 minutes or until softened and translucent.
  1 yellow onion
• Add the jalapeños and cook an additional 1 minute.
  2 jalapeño peppers
• Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
  4 cloves garlic
• Pour in the chicken broth, tomatoes, corn, beans, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, and crushed corn tortilla chips.
  6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 29 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes and green chilies, 11 oz. canned corn kernels, 14.5 oz. canned black beans, 1 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• If using chicken breasts, add them now, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
  3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Remove chicken breasts and use two forks to shred. Transfer the shredded chicken back into the pot. (If using chopped rotisserie chicken, add it now.)
• Add lime juice and heavy cream. Stir well and season with salt & pepper. Cook until heated through.
  2 limes, 1 cup heavy cream, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To Serve

• Ladle soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with shredded cheese, corn tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro.
  shredded Mexican blend cheese, corn tortilla chips, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced avocado
• Serve a wedge of lime and a few slices of avocado.

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 399kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 29gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 763mgPotassium: 1004mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1064IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Step by Step

Sauté the veggies: Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil. Add 1 diced yellow onion and cook for 3 minutes or until softened and translucent. Add 2 diced jalapeños and cook for an additional 1 minute, then add 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Cook the soup: Pour in 6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, 2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes and green chilies, 1 can corn kernels, 1 can black beans, 1 tbsp of chili powder, 2 tsp of ground cumin, 1 tsp of smoked paprika, ⅛ tsp of crushed red pepper flakes, and the 3 tbsp of crushed corn tortilla chips you set aside.

Cook the chicken: If using raw chicken breasts, add them to the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and use two forks to shred them. Place the shredded chicken back into the pot. If using chopped rotisserie chicken, add it now.

Add the cream: Add the juice of 2 limes and 1 cup of heavy cream. Stir well, season with salt and pepper, and cook until heated through.

Serve the soup: Ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with shredded cheese, corn tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream, and chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with a wedge of lime and a few slices of avocado.

Variations and Substitutions

You can easily switch up creamy chicken tortilla soup by adding different toppings, veggies, or spices to make it your own:

• Add more veggies. Add extra veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach.
• Reduce or up the spice. If you find this soup too spicy, omit the jalapeños, use mild diced tomatoes and green chilies, and skip adding any crushed red pepper flakes. Or, to increase the Mexican spice flavor, add a few poblano chilies.
• Add cream cheese. Try adding a few cubes of cream cheese for an even creamier texture.
• Use regular paprika. If you can’t find smoked paprika, use regular paprika or try adding a pinch of ground chipotle chili powder to get the smoky flavor.
• Use a slow cooker. My crockpot tortilla soup is great when you need to set it and forget it.
• Use a pressure cooker. Make this in half the time with our Instant Pot tortilla soup version.

How to Store

Store leftover creamy chicken tortilla soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you plan to freeze this soup, I recommend leaving out the heavy cream until you are ready to serve. Freeze the soup (without heavy cream) in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a pot set over medium-low heat or in individual portions in the microwave until warmed through, then stir in the cream.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve this creamy chicken tortilla soup with extra tortilla chips, sliced avocado, cheddar cheese, and sour cream on top. My favorite way to wash it all down is with a refreshing margarita or pineapple agua fresca for the kiddos.

More Mexican-Inspired Soup Recipes to Try!

Crockpot Taco Soup

Easy Taco Soup Recipe

Mexican Cheesy Chicken Chowder Recipe

Beef Tortilla Soup