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    Home » Recipes » Soup

    By Kaleigh McMordie - November 29, 2021, Updated July 15, 2022

    Veggie-Loaded Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    pinterest image with text overlay for crockpot chicken tortilla soup.

    This healthy crock pot chicken tortilla soup is loaded with vegetables and flavor! It's easily customizable to be vegan, to use leftover chicken, or to make on the stove. (gluten-free, dairy-free)

    overhead view of two bowls of chicken tortilla soup topped with tortilla strips, jalapeno slices, avocado and limes with gold spoons and a bowl of tortilla strips.

    I've been making a version this tortilla soup for over 10 years, and it never fails to warm me up on cold nights! My mom and I came up with it back when I was in high school, and it was so delicious that it's been my base recipe ever since. I hope you love it as much as I do!

    overhead view of ingredients needed for slow cooker chicken tortilla soup.

    Why You'll Love This Crock Pot Tortilla Soup

    Is there anything better than a hearty bowl of tortilla soup? I think not. What makes this one the best? It's:

    • Delicious! Made with tons of spice and lots of chunky veggies, it's full of flavor.
    • Healthy - Again, tons of veggies, shredded chicken, and simple, real ingredients, this soup is as nourishing as it is tasty.
    • Easy - Dump everything in the crock pot, then shred the chicken when you're ready to eat. What could be easier?
    • Customizable - This recipe can easily be modified to fit your needs and tastes! You can make it on the stovetop, with leftover chicken, make it vegan, add rice, add spice, whatever you fancy!

    How To Make Veggie-Loaded Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

    collage showing steps for making chicken tortilla soup in the crock pot.
    1. Chop all your veggies and place them in the slow cooker.
    2. Nestle in the chicken breasts, add the spices and broth.
    3. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
    4. Remove the chicken and shred it, then stir it back into the soup.
    5. Serve with all the toppings!

    How To Make Tortilla Soup On the Stovetop

    1. Boil the chicken in chicken broth until cooked through. Remove the chicken and shred it, reserving the broth for the soup.
    2. Chop all the fresh veggies and add to a pot with 1 tablespoon of oil and cook until soft.
    3. Add all of the remaining ingredients, including the reserved broth, stir and simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes.
    4. Serve with all the toppings!

    How To Make Fried Tortilla Strips For Topping Tortilla Soup

    collage showing how to make fried tortilla strips.

    Crunchy pan-fried tortilla strips are delicious on top of tortilla soup! They're super simple to make:

    1. Cut corn tortillas into ¼ inch strips.
    2. Heat a touch of oil in a skillet on the stove (I like cast-iron) and fry tortilla strips until golden, about 3-6 minutes.
    3. Place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain and sprinkle with salt.

    More Delicious Toppings For Tortilla Soup

    The more toppings the better! A few of my favorite options:

    • Diced avocado
    • Cilantro
    • Colby jack or cotija cheese
    • Sliced jalapeño
    • Sliced radish
    • A squeeze of lime
    • Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
    bowl of chicken tortilla soup topped with jalapeno slices, avocado chunks and tortilla strips.

    Easy Ways To Customize Your Tortilla Soup

    The options are endless with this soup, so don't be afraid to use what you have on hand or leave out what you don't like. A few ways to customize:

    • Use shredded leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Just add it in for the last 30 minutes of cooking to warm it through.
    • Add rice if you'd like. Add about ½ cup dry rice in the beginning, or 1 cup cooked rice near the end to warm it through.
    • Omit the beans (or any other ingredient you don't like).
    • For a vegan version, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
    • If you like more spice, add a diced serrano, or double the jalapeño.
    overhead view of a bowl of chicken tortilla soup topped with avocado, jalapeno and tortilla strips.

    Can Tortilla Soup Be Frozen?

    Yes! This tortilla soup holds up great in the freezer. Portion soup into freezer safe containers or soup cubes and freeze. If you're using soup cubes, transfer the frozen soup to a freezer safe container. Store up to 6 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a pot on the stove!

    More Healthy Soup Recipes You'll Love

    • Creamy Roasted Poblano Corn Soup
    • Instant Pot Mexican Black Bean Soup
    • Classic Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
    • Easy One Pot Tortellini Lasagna Soup
    • Thai Coconut Pumpkin Curry Soup (Dairy Free)
    • Creamy Potato Split Pea Soup (Dairy Free)

    If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating in the comments!

    Print

    Healthy Veggie-Loaded Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

    bowl of chicken tortilla soup with avocado, limes, and tortilla strips on top.
    Print Recipe

    This healthy crock pot chicken tortilla soup is loaded with vegetables and flavor! It's easily customizable to be vegan, to use leftover chicken, or to make on the stove. (gluten-free, dairy-free)

    • Author: Kaleigh
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 6 hours
    • Total Time: 6.5 hours
    • Yield: about 8 servings 1x
    • Category: soup
    • Method: crockpot
    • Cuisine: Mexican

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
    • 1 jalapeno, diced
    • 2 carrots, diced
    • 2 stalks celery, diced
    • 1 zucchini, sliced and cut into half-circles
    • 1 small bell pepper, diced
    • 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
    • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, including juice
    • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
    • 2 tsp chili powder
    • 3 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp ground paprika (smoked paprika if you have it)
    • 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
    • 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
    • Juice from 1 lime

    For the tortilla strips:

    • 4 corn tortillas
    • 2 tbsp oil

    Instructions

    For the Crock Pot:

    1. Add all ingredients to your slow cooker and stir to combine.
    2. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
    3. Remove chicken breasts and shred using two forks. Add back to slow cooker and stir back into the soup. Let cook until chicken is warmed back up.
    4. Pour soup into bowls and top with desired toppings.

    For the Stovetop:

    1. Add chicken breasts to a large heavy-bottomed pot with chicken stock. Cover and cook on medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from pot and shred, reserving cooking liquid.
    2. Wipe out pot and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add garlic, onion, jalapeno, carrots, celery, zucchini and bell pepper and cook over low heat until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
    3. Add remaining ingredients to the pot with shredded chicken and reserved cooking liquid. Stir and simmer 15-20 minutes, covered.
    4. Scoop into bowls and top as desired.

    For the Tortilla Strips:

    1. Cut corn tortillas into ¼" wide strips.
    2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. 
    3. Add tortilla strips and fry, stirring occasionally, until crispy and golden, 3-6 minutes.
    4. Place tortilla strips on a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with fine sea salt.
    5. Serve with tortilla soup.

    Notes

    • Store leftover soup in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 6 months.

    Customizations options:

    • Use shredded leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Just add it in for the last 30 minutes of cooking to warm it through.
    • Add rice if you'd like. Add about ½ cup dry rice in the beginning, or 1 cup cooked rice near the end to warm it through.
    • Omit the beans (or any other ingredient you don't like).
    • For a vegan version, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
    • If you like more spice, add a diced serrano, or double the jalapeño.

    Keywords: healthy crockpot tortilla soup, healthy chicken tortilla soup, easy slow cooker chicken tortilla soup

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @livelytable on Instagram and hashtag it #livelytable

    This post was originally published February 2018 and has been updated.

    « Maple Bourbon Pumpkin Seed Brittle
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    This post may contain affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission off of your purchase with no extra cost to you. Please read my affiliate disclosure for more information.

    About Kaleigh McMordie

    Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian in Abilene, Texas, as well as a member of the Baby Led Weaning Dietitians Network. Kaleigh can be found at kaleighmcmordie.com.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Hannah says

      July 16, 2019 at 11:14 am

      Thank you! My husband and I love this recipe. Despite having so many delicious Mexican food restaurants where we live, this chicken soup is still my favorite!

      Reply

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