This creamy chicken tortilla soup is a 30-minute comfort food classic! It’s made with tender chicken, black beans, corn, and a velvety tomato-based broth that’s lightly spiced and totally satisfying. Add your favorite toppings like crispy tortilla strips, avocado, or cheese for the ultimate cozy meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy – Ready in just half an hour, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Comforting & Creamy – A Tex-Mex inspired twist on classic tortilla soup with a rich, velvety broth.
- Customizable – Load it up with your favorite toppings or adjust the spice level to your taste.
This version isn’t a traditional tortilla soup—it’s creamier and thicker thanks to crushed tomatoes and cream, giving it that restaurant-quality feel.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Olive oil – For sautéing.
- Onion – Sweet onion works beautifully here.
- Crushed tomatoes – Adds body and richness to the broth.
- Rotel tomatoes – Mildly spiced with green chilies for extra flavor.
- Chicken broth – Deepens the savory base.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder for warmth and flavor.
- Corn & black beans – Tex-Mex staples that make the soup hearty.
- Heavy cream – Creates the luscious creamy texture.
- Cooked chicken – Rotisserie chicken or leftovers keep it quick and easy.
- Optional toppings – Tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream, cheese, scallions, or cilantro.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Sauté the onion
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until lightly browned. - Build the base
Stir in crushed tomatoes, Rotel, and chicken broth. Add garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, corn, and black beans. Mix well. - Simmer
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for about 5 minutes. - Add cream & chicken
Stir in heavy cream and cooked chicken. Let it warm through for 3–5 minutes. - Season & serve
Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and add your favorite toppings.
Topping Ideas
- Crispy tortilla strips (or crushed Doritos/Fritos in a pinch)
- Avocado slices
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Cotija or Tex-Mex shredded cheese
- Fresh cilantro or scallions
- A squeeze of lime
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Want it spicy? Add jalapeño, cayenne, or chipotle in adobo.
- Prefer lighter soup? Skip the cream and try my classic chicken tortilla soup instead.
- No Rotel? Use a can of green chilies plus extra crushed tomatoes.
Storage & Leftovers
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally. Avoid boiling to prevent separation.
- Freezer: Cream-based soups don’t freeze well, so I don’t recommend it.
What to Serve With Chicken Tortilla Soup
Pair it with:
- A crisp side salad with chipotle lime ranch
- Guacamole and tortilla chips
- Warm cornbread or crusty rolls
Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Author: Natasha Bull
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (10 oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies (with juices)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tbsp chili powder
- 1 (12 oz) can corn, drained
- 1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded rotisserie works great)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Toppings: tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream, cheese, lime, etc.
Instructions
- In a soup pot, heat oil and sauté onion for 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Add crushed tomatoes, Rotel, and chicken broth. Stir in garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, corn, and beans. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in cream and chicken, and let warm through for 3–5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with desired toppings.