Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup (Easy Dump and Go)

There is a little family run Mexican restaurant about twenty minutes from our house, and for years my daughter ordered the same thing every single time, a big bowl of chicken tortilla soup piled high with crispy strips, avocado and cheese. One snowy February I decided I was done driving across town for it, and I started tinkering with a slow cooker version at home. After a few batches, she declared mine better, and I have been making it ever since.

This slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is cozy, bright and just a little smoky. Chicken breasts simmer right in a seasoned tomato broth with onion, garlic, jalapeno, black beans and corn. When the chicken is tender, you shred it, stir it back in with a squeeze of lime and a handful of cilantro, and set out the toppings. Six hours on LOW or about three hours on HIGH is all it takes.

The best part is the toppings bar. Everyone builds their own bowl, which means picky eaters are happy and nobody argues about spice. I bake my own tortilla strips while the soup finishes, and the whole kitchen smells like a taqueria.

Why this recipe works

• Raw chicken goes straight in. No browning required. The chicken poaches gently in the flavorful broth, so it stays juicy and shreds easily.
• Layers of flavor from simple spices. Cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika and oregano give the soup a warm, smoky depth that tastes like it simmered on the stove all day.
• Tomatoes with green chiles. Canned diced tomatoes with mild green chiles add body and a gentle kick without any chopping.
• Fresh finish. Lime juice and cilantro stirred in at the end wake everything up and keep the soup from tasting flat after a long cook.
• Crunchy homemade strips. Baked corn tortilla strips stay crisp on top of the hot soup and taste so much better than anything from a bag.

Ingredients you’ll need

Most of these come straight from the pantry, and the exact amounts are in the recipe card.

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• Yellow onion, garlic and a jalapeno
• Canned diced tomatoes with green chiles
• Canned tomato sauce
• Canned black beans
• Frozen or canned corn
• Low sodium chicken broth
• Ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt and pepper
• Fresh lime and cilantro
• Corn tortillas and a little oil for the crispy strips
• Toppings like avocado, shredded cheese and sour cream

Ingredient notes and smart substitutions

Chicken

I usually use breasts because that is what my kids prefer, but boneless skinless thighs are wonderful here and stay even more tender. They also handle a longer cook time better if you get held up at work. You can even use a mix of both.

Tomatoes with green chiles

These cans are labeled diced tomatoes with green chilies and come in mild, original and hot. I buy mild for the family and let the grownups add hot sauce at the table. If you cannot find them, use a can of plain diced tomatoes and a small can of diced green chiles.

Black beans and corn

Rinse and drain the beans so the soup stays clear and not muddy. Pinto beans work in place of black beans. Frozen corn goes in without thawing. In summer, I cut fresh kernels from two ears of corn.

Jalapeno

Removing the seeds and white ribs keeps the heat mild. For a spicier soup, leave some seeds in or add a second pepper. For very sensitive eaters, skip it and use half a diced green bell pepper instead.

Chicken broth

Low sodium broth is important here because the canned tomatoes, beans and tomato sauce all bring their own salt. Starting low means you can season at the end without ending up with a soup that is too salty to enjoy. Homemade stock is wonderful if you have some in the freezer. Vegetable broth works fine as well.

Spices

The combination of cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika and oregano is what gives this soup its restaurant flavor. Check that your spices are fresh, since old ground spices lose their punch after about a year. If you have Mexican oregano, use it. It has a slightly citrusy, earthy taste that suits this soup perfectly. A packet of taco seasoning can stand in for all four spices in a pinch, but go easy on the added salt.

Corn tortillas

Corn tortillas bake up crisp and sturdy. Flour tortillas will work but turn chewier and soften faster in the soup. In a pinch, crumble plain tortilla chips over the top.

How to make it

Step 1. Load the slow cooker

Add the diced onion, minced garlic and chopped jalapeno to a 6 quart slow cooker. Pour in the tomatoes with green chiles, tomato sauce, black beans, corn and chicken broth. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Give everything a good stir so the spices are evenly mixed into the broth and not floating in clumps on the surface.

Step 2. Nestle in the chicken

Lay the chicken breasts in a single layer and push them down into the broth so they are mostly submerged. This helps them cook evenly instead of drying out on top.

Step 3. Slow cook on LOW or HIGH

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken is done when it reaches 165F in the thickest part and pulls apart easily with a fork. Breasts can turn dry if they sit too long, so if you will be gone longer than 8 hours, use thighs instead.

Step 4. Bake the tortilla strips

About 30 minutes before the soup is ready, heat the oven to 400F. Cut the corn tortillas in half, then into thin strips about 1/4 inch wide. Toss them on a baking sheet with the oil and a pinch of salt, spread them out and bake for 10 to 14 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and crisp. They crisp up even more as they cool.

Step 5. Shred the chicken

Lift the chicken onto a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Return it to the slow cooker and stir it into the soup. If you like a thicker soup, mash a few of the beans against the side of the cooker with a spoon.

Step 6. Finish with lime and cilantro

Stir in the fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust with more salt, a little more chili powder or another squeeze of lime. Let it sit on WARM for 5 minutes so the flavors come together.

Step 7. Top and serve

Ladle the soup into bowls and pile on the crispy tortilla strips, diced avocado, shredded cheese, a spoonful of sour cream and extra cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking chicken breasts. Lean breast meat turns stringy if it sits in the slow cooker for hours after it is done. Check it at the low end of the time range and shred it as soon as it hits 165F.
• Adding the lime and cilantro too early. Long cooking dulls fresh flavors. Stir them in at the very end for the brightest taste.
• Topping the soup too soon. Tortilla strips go soggy fast, so add them right before eating and keep the rest in a separate container.
• Not rinsing the beans. The thick liquid in the can makes the broth cloudy and a little starchy. A quick rinse keeps it clean and bright.
• Using frozen chicken. Frozen chicken thaws slowly in the slow cooker and can spend too long at unsafe temperatures. Always start with fully thawed meat.
• Skipping the taste test. Broth and canned tomatoes vary a lot in salt. Always taste before serving and adjust.

Make ahead and storage

Make ahead. Chop the onion, garlic and jalapeno the night before and store them in a covered container in the fridge. In the morning, dump everything into the slow cooker and go. Tortilla strips can be baked up to 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Fridge. Store cooled soup in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Keep the toppings separate.

Freezer. This soup freezes very well. Freeze it without the toppings in freezer safe containers or bags for up to 3 months, leaving a little room at the top for expansion.

Reheating. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm in a pot over medium heat until it is steaming hot all the way through, or microwave individual bowls in 1 minute bursts. Add a splash of broth if it has thickened, and finish with a fresh squeeze of lime.

Variations

• Creamy tortilla soup. Stir in 4 ounces of softened cream cheese, cut in cubes, when you return the shredded chicken. Let it melt for 10 minutes and stir until smooth.
• Extra smoky. Add one or two minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce with the spices.
• White chicken version. Skip the tomato sauce and use white beans, extra broth and a can of diced green chiles for a lighter colored soup.
• Heartier soup. Stir in a cup of cooked rice or a diced sweet potato at the start for a more filling bowl.
• Rotisserie shortcut. Use 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken and cook the soup on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, just long enough for the flavors to blend.

What to serve with it

This soup is filling on its own, especially with all the toppings, but a few simple sides turn it into a party. Warm cheese quesadillas cut into wedges are perfect for dunking, and my kids would happily eat nothing else. Cornbread or warm flour tortillas are always welcome too. For something fresh, serve a crunchy green salad with avocado, tomatoes and a lime vinaigrette, or a bowl of chips with homemade salsa and guacamole on the side. On busy nights, I skip the extras entirely and just serve big bowls with plenty of tortilla strips and a few slices of avocado. I like to set the toppings out in little bowls down the middle of the table so everyone can help themselves.