Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 454 g (1 lb)boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1.42 L (6 cups)low-sodium chicken broth
• 1bay leaf
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)coconut oil
• 1 largeonion, diced
• 2garlic cloves, minced
• 1 largechipotle pepper from a tin of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)sauce from the chipotle pepper tin
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)smoked paprika
• 794 g (28 oz)tin of diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 largecourgette, diced
• 1 largeyellow squash, diced
• 425 g (15 oz)tin of sweetcorn, with no added salt or sugar, drained
• 60 ml (¼ cup)fresh coriander, chopped
• Juice of 2 largelimes
• To tastesalt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Poach the chicken

   Put the chicken broth, bay leaf and chicken breasts in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil and poach the chicken until cooked through, about 10–15 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts.

2. 2

   Soften the onion

   Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil, diced onion and garlic, and sauté until the onion is translucent.

3. 3

   Cook the spices

   Stir in the minced chipotle pepper, chipotle sauce and smoked paprika. Cook for 2–3 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the tomatoes

   Add the diced fire-roasted tomatoes, stir and cook for 2–3 minutes.

5. 5

   Simmer the vegetables

   Add the diced courgette and squash, season with salt and pepper, then stir and simmer for 5–6 minutes.

6. 6

   Shred and combine

   Remove the cooked chicken from the broth, reserving the broth, and shred the chicken with two forks. Add the drained sweetcorn, shredded chicken, lime juice, fresh coriander and reserved chicken broth to the Dutch oven.

7. 7

   Simmer the soup

   Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes so the flavours can come together.

8. 8

   Add optional toppings

   If you like, top the soup with diced avocado and Cheddar or queso fresco.

9. 9

   Serve the soup

   Serve with crunchy bread or crushed tortilla chips.

What is chicken tortilla soup?

Chicken tortilla soup is a Mexican-style soup built around a savoury broth, chicken and vegetables, often finished with lime and served with tortilla chips. This version gets its smoky warmth from chipotle and smoked paprika, while fire-roasted tomatoes add depth.

Poaching the chicken in the broth gives it a gentle cooking liquid, and adding that broth to the vegetables brings the pot together. Coriander and lime go in near the end to keep their fresh, lively character.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 170 calories, 16g protein, 15g carbs, 5g fat.

The sweetcorn and vegetables provide most of the carbohydrate, while coconut oil contributes fat and chicken breast supplies much of the protein. For a balanced plate, serve a bowl with a modest amount of crunchy bread or tortilla chips and add vegetables or salad alongside.

Build the smoky base

Onion and garlic: sauté them until the onion turns translucent before adding the spices. This softens their flavour and gives the soup a savoury foundation.

Chipotle and paprika: the pepper and its adobo sauce bring heat and smokiness, while smoked paprika reinforces that flavour. The brief cooking time helps them mingle with the oil and aromatics.

Poach and shred the chicken

Gentle poaching: simmer the chicken breasts in the broth with the bay leaf for about 10–15 minutes, allowing for their size. The recipe calls for cooking them through before shredding.

Easy shredding: lift the chicken from the broth and pull it apart with two forks. Keep the broth, as it becomes part of the finished soup.

Keep the vegetables tender

Courgette and squash: simmer them for 5–6 minutes after seasoning, before adding the remaining soup ingredients. This gives them a head start without requiring a long separate cook.

Sweetcorn: drain it before adding it with the shredded chicken. The final simmer warms everything together and lets the flavours mingle.

Finish with lime and coriander

Lime juice and fresh coriander are added with the chicken and broth, then the whole soup simmers for 30 minutes over medium-low heat. Keep the heat gentle during this final stage.

Taste the broth before serving and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. If using the optional toppings, add them at the table so everyone can choose.

What to serve alongside

The recipe suggests crunchy bread or crushed tortilla chips for serving. Either adds a crisp contrast to the broth and tender vegetables.

Diced avocado, Cheddar or queso fresco are optional toppings. For a complete meal, serve the soup with one of the suggested crunchy sides and let the toppings remain optional.

Recipe notes & tips

• Choose a saucepan large enough to hold the chicken breasts and broth comfortably.
• Reserve all the poaching broth when you remove the chicken.
• Dice the courgette and squash to a similar size so they cook evenly.
• Start with less chipotle if you prefer a milder soup, then adjust the seasoning before serving.
• Drain the sweetcorn well before adding it to the pot.
• Serve the tortilla chips separately if you want them to stay crunchy.

Variations

• Adjust the heat: use less chipotle pepper for a gentler soup.
• Add avocado: dice it and offer it as an optional topping.
• Try queso fresco: use it instead of Cheddar for a different cheese topping.
• Choose a crunchy side: serve crushed tortilla chips instead of bread.
• Use the suggested yellow squash: keep it alongside the courgette for a mix of vegetables.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Discarding the poaching broth: reserve it to add to the soup.
• Overcooking the chicken: begin checking it around 10 minutes, allowing for the size of the breasts.
• Skipping the spice cook: stir the chipotle and paprika for 2–3 minutes as directed.
• Adding undrained sweetcorn: drain it before it goes into the pot.
• Boiling hard during the final simmer: reduce the heat to medium-low for the 30-minute cook.
• Mixing tortilla chips into the pot too early: serve them crushed on the side to preserve their crunch.

How to store

Cool leftover soup and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until piping hot, and add fresh tortilla chips or bread just before serving.

Frequently asked questions