Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This creamy chicken tortilla soup recipe is flavorful, comforting, and comes together fast. It's ready in about 30 minutes! 

You may also like my Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup, this Mexican Chicken Soup, or my Creamy Chicken Taco Soup.

This Mexican-inspired chicken tortilla soup is a bit different than the traditional/typical version. I wanted to make a creamy broth that has a bit of thickness to it, so I used crushed tomatoes instead of the more commonly used diced tomatoes. 

Heavy cream tones down the acidity of the tomatoes, and smoked paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder perfectly flavor the broth. Rotisserie chicken (or use any leftover cooked chicken) is stirred in right at the end to keep it from getting overcooked and drying out. Quick and simple! 

How to make creamy chicken tortilla soup (summary):

Sauté the onion in a soup pot until it's lightly browned, then add in the crushed tomatoes, Rotel diced tomatoes, and chicken broth, followed by the spices, corn, and black beans. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Use this time to prep the toppings. Stir in the chicken and cream and let it heat through for a few minutes. Season generously with salt & pepper, and serve each bowl with toppings as desired.

Recipe notes & tips:

• Substitutions:
  • The crushed tomatoes give this soup a bit of thickness/body, so I don't recommend subbing them for something else.
  • I also don't recommend swapping the cream for a lower fat alternative because it's likely to curdle from the acidity of the tomatoes. You could try coconut milk for a dairy-free option, but it'll alter the taste of the soup a bit. 
  • If you don't have Rotel diced tomatoes or don't want some pieces of tomato in the soup, you can leave it out and include a 4 ounce can of diced green chilies instead (the green chilies really enhance the flavor of this soup). 
• This soup isn't particularly spicy as written, even if you use Original Rotel. If you want to make this soup spicy, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or add in a chopped up chipotle chili and a spoonful of adobo sauce for a spicy/smoky flavor. 

Creamy chicken tortilla soup toppings:

• Tortilla strips/crushed chips 
• Avocado 
• Cilantro
• Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• Cheese (try a Tex-Mex shredded cheese blend)
• Scallions

...use any/all of these topping ideas!

You may also like...

• Mexican Stuffed Peppers
• Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
• Chipotle Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
• Santa Fe Chicken Skillet
• Crockpot Chipotle Chicken Soup

Made this creamy chicken tortilla soup? Have questions? Leave me a comment/review below.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This creamy chicken tortilla soup recipe is flavorful, comforting, and comes together fast. It's ready in about 30 minutes! 

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American, Mexican-American, Tex-Mex

Servings 6

Calories 425 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion chopped
• 1 (28 fluid ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (10 fluid ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies with juices
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can corn drained
• 1 (14 fluid ounce) can black beans drained & rinsed
• 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 2 cups cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Toppings (optional, to taste): tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream, Tex-Mex cheese, etc.

Instructions

 

• Add the oil and onion to a soup pot and sauté over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes or until it's lightly browned.
• Stir in the crushed tomatoes, Rotel, and chicken broth, followed by the garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, corn, and black beans. Stir well and increase the heat to high.
• Once the soup has come to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer with the pot covered (lid slightly ajar) for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prep the toppings.
• Stir in the cream and chicken and let it warm through for 3-5 minutes. Taste and season with salt & pepper as needed (I am generous with both).
• Serve immediately and top bowls as desired.

Notes

• Substitutions:
  • I don't recommend subbing the canned tomatoes for another variety because it adds thickness/body to the soup.
  • I don't recommend subbing the cream for something with a lower fat percentage because the tomatoes are likely to curdle it.
  • If you don't have Rotel or don't want some pieces of tomato in the soup, you can leave it out and include a 4 ounce can of diced green chilies instead.
• Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 425kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 23gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 478mgPotassium: 985mgFiber: 9gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1309IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 5mg

Keyword creamy chicken tortilla soup recipe

Author Natasha Bull