Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup is one of my favorite fall soup recipes. It’s creamy, it’s delicious, and it’s filled with all of my favorite Tex-Mex ingredients. This easy tortilla soup recipe is perfect for any night of the week, and it’s so easy to save and reheat later!

Creamy Mexican chicken tortilla soup in a pot with wooden spoons.

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Why We Love This Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

This chicken tortilla soup is so good. It’s made on the stove, so if you don’t have slow cookers and instant pots, don’t worry! I love the extra creamy texture of this recipe compared to regular chicken tortilla soup.

  • Easy. You can use raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cook them directly in the soup, or you can add precooked chicken later on.
  • Adaptable. Change up the spice level to suit your tastes. Omit the jalapeños if you’re not a fan of spice.
  • Flavorful. Chicken broth, fire-roasted diced tomatoes and green chilies, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika add so much depth to this soup.

Variations on This Recipe for Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

There are so many ways to change up this creamy chicken soup recipe to suit your tastes and what you have on hand. For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. You can also add extra veggies, like bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach.

And if you can’t find smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika or try adding a pinch of ground chipotle chili powder to get that smoky flavor.

A bowl of tortilla soup topped with avocado, cheese, and sour cream
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How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover creamy chicken tortilla soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pot set over medium-low heat or in individual portions in the microwave until warmed through.

How to Freeze

If you plan to freeze this creamy chicken tortilla 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 and stirring in cream.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this delicious and creamy soup with extra tortilla chips and a side of Mexican mac and cheese, homemade taquitos, avocado fries, avocado corn salsa, chilaquiles, or Mexican street corn pasta salad.

Wash it all down with a refreshing margarita or pineapple agua fresca for the kiddos.

Is chicken tortilla soup healthy?

This easy soup is relatively good for you. Healthy means something different to everyone, but it’s filled with veggies, beans, and chicken so it is a nice whole meal. It’s also not too bad calorie-wise. However, if you really want a healthy version, check out our Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe instead!

Does adding heavy cream to soup make it thicker?

Yes! There’s no water in this recipe to thin things out. We’re just using chicken stock for the liquid, which really adds a nice thickness to the soup. At the end, stir in heavy cream to really add in the creamy texture!

How do you thicken chicken tortilla soup?

The cream should help to thicken up this soup, but if you’re still longing for an even creamier texture, keep simmering the soup to reduce and thicken it. You can also try adding a few cubes of cream cheese!

How do you tone down chicken tortilla soup?

If you find this soup to be too spicy for your tastes, you can omit the jalapeños, use mild diced tomatoes and green chilies, and skip adding any crushed red pepper flakes.

Bowls of chicken tortilla soup on a blue and white striped dish towel

More Tortilla Soup Recipes We Love

5-Star Review

“My family LOVED this soup. It’s hard to find something everyone can agree on and this was a home run! ” – Shawna Modrich

Recipe Card

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

4.58 from 622 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 8 bowls
Author: Becky Hardin
overhead view of a bowl of creamy chicken tortilla soup topped with avocado, tortilla strips, cheese, and sour cream.
Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup is one of my favorite fall soup recipes. It's creamy, delicious, and filled with all of my favorite ingredients!
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Equipment

Ingredients 

For the Soup

  • 3 tablespoons crushed corn tortilla chips
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 2 jalapeño peppers diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 29 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes and green chilies such as Rotel (2 (14.5-ounce) cans)
  • 11 ounces canned corn kernels (1 can)
  • 14.5 ounces canned black beans rinsed and drained (1 can)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • teaspoon 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
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional Toppings

  • Shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • Corn tortilla chips or strips
  • Sour cream
  • Chopped fresh cilantro
  • Sliced avocado

Instructions 

For the Soup

  • Crush enough tortilla chips to make 3 tablespoons and set aside.
    3 tablespoons crushed corn tortilla chips
  • Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the vegetable oil.
    2 tablespoons 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
    sauteed onion, garlic, and jalapeno in a dutch oven with a wooden spoon.
  • 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 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes and green chilies, 11 ounces canned corn kernels, 14.5 ounces canned black beans, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • If using chicken breasts, add them now and reduce the heat to low.
    3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    chicken breasts added to tomato broth in a dutch oven with tongs.
  • Simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
  • 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.)
    shredded chicken added to tomato broth in a dutch oven.
  • 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
    heavy cream added to chicken tortilla soup in a dutch oven.

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
  • Serve a wedge of lime and a few slices of avocado.
    Sliced avocado
    bowls of creamy chicken tortilla soup topped with avocado, tortilla strips, cheese, and sour cream.

Video

Becky’s Tips

  • Nutritional information does not include optional toppings.
Storage: Store creamy chicken tortilla soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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: Crush enough tortilla chips to make 3 tablespoons and set aside. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons 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, 29 ounces (2 cans) of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and green chilies, 11 ounces (1 can) of corn kernels, 14.5 ounces (1 can) of black beans, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, ⅛ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, and the 3 tablespoons of crushed corn tortilla chips. If using raw chicken breasts, add them now and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Shred the Chicken: Remove the 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 the Cream: Add the juice of 2 limes and 1 cup of heavy cream. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. 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 a wedge of lime and a few slices of avocado.

Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

4.58 from 622 votes (622 ratings without comment)
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121 Comments
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Sara
Sara
December 10, 2024 10:53 pm

Found this recipe years ago while looking for chicken tortilla soup recipes, and I’ve never tried another one since. Every person I’ve made this for also agrees that it’s the best chicken tortilla soup they’ve had. I made this (again) tonight, and figured I’m long since overdue to give a five star rating to a recipe that has been a fall and winter staple for me since at least 2020!5 stars

Ben
Ben
February 22, 2024 11:18 pm

Do you drain the tomatoes and corn?

Samantha Marceau
February 23, 2024 8:28 am
Reply to  Ben

We only drained the beans!

Sara
Sara
January 11, 2024 1:33 am

Made a double batch for the cold spell coming through. We’ll be eating on it all week!5 stars

IMG_3502
Ash
Ash
October 30, 2023 7:23 pm

The BEST chicken tortilla soup I’ve ever made or had. The flavors are amazing! I love it with avocado & siete lime flavored chips. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!5 stars

Samantha Marceau
October 31, 2023 9:19 am
Reply to  Ash

We’re so happy to hear that, Ash!

Mary Edwards
Mary Edwards
September 25, 2023 3:21 pm

Hi.
Do you have a crock pot version?

Samantha Marceau
September 26, 2023 9:40 am
Reply to  Mary Edwards
Mary Edwards
Mary Edwards
September 30, 2023 9:11 am

Thank you so much for this option. Could I add the ingredients to make it a creamy version?

Samantha Marceau
October 9, 2023 9:20 am
Reply to  Mary Edwards

I would think so!

Angela
Angela
September 16, 2023 7:00 pm

This soup was soooo good. The taste was amazing. My family loved it. I added a little bit more of some ingredients and less of others. Thank you for a great recipe5 stars

Samantha Marceau
September 18, 2023 9:15 am
Reply to  Angela

So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Angela!

Shawna Modrich
Shawna Modrich
April 15, 2023 8:24 pm

My family LOVED this soup. It’s hard to find something everyone can agree on and this was a home run! A couple of changes I made (out of necessity) I used granulated chicken broth and made me own broth. I also used freeze dried garlic. I also didn’t have chili powder but that was ok. There was just enough heat without. I’ll absolutely make this again!5 stars

Samantha Marceau
March 30, 2023 10:10 am

We’re sorry you didn’t enjoy this soup, Dana!

Elle
Elle
January 31, 2023 1:50 pm

Made this soup today!! Yummy! Just as delicious as the soup I made yesterday!! I’m in TX and we are iced in for the next couple days. Great weather for delicious soup! Thank you for the recipes. I love making them. They are delicious! I love hearty soups and this one 8s definitely a great hearty soup!

Stephanie
Stephanie
November 8, 2022 4:34 pm

Great soup! I find most tortilla soups taste the same–the smoked paprika really sets this one apart!5 stars