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
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.
Lorena says
I chose this recipe to make for Cinco de Mayo, and it did not disappoint. So flavorful!! Will definitely make again and again.
Natasha says
I'm thrilled it was a hit, Lorena!! 😀
Lupe says
This soup is so amazing! I seriously make this once a week and everyone in my family loves it so much! Even my kids that don't like beans eat them in this soup. I ran out of green chilis so I used a whole jalapeño. Just leave it to boil in the soup and the soup is not spicy at all, such a great flavor!
Love this recipe so much! Thank you!
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Lupe!! So happy it's a regular in your rotation. 🙂
Krista says
Do you think you can put this all into a crockpot for the day?
Natasha says
I think you probably could... but I'd add the cream in last (like basically soon before serving to warm thru). Also, I'd use raw chicken thighs (or chicken breasts but they'll be drier since they're leaner) vs. re-cooking already cooked chicken for 6-8 hours. Enjoy!
Kathy says
Really good and easy. I added ground cumin and grated garlic. The crushed tomatoes are key to add body to soup. Also smoked paprika is always my favorite over regular paprika. Just kicks it up a notch without adding spiciness. And don’t forget the lime juice as a topper. Will use this recipe now.
Natasha says
I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Thanks, Kathy!
Melanie says
I live for this soup.
Natasha says
😀
Heather says
I was wondering if the heavy cream could be left out? I'm lactose intolerant, and I don't know if my 4 yr old son is or not.
TIA
Lactose intolerant momma!!
Natasha says
Hi! You could, but it might taste quite acidic without it. You could add a pinch of sugar if you find that the tomato taste is a bit sour/overpowering.
Austin says
Do you think you could skip the cream altogether and maybe add some more broth to make this more of a brothy than creamy soup and still have enough flavor?
Natasha says
I think you could probably tweak it, yes! Let me know how it goes.
Venita says
Love this recipe! Easy, quick and delicious. Thank will definitely be making this again.
Natasha says
Fantastic!! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Stephanie says
Is one cup of broth correct?
Natasha says
Yup. The crushed tomatoes, cream, and Rotel all add liquid. As mentioned in the post, this soup is fairly thick. If you find it too thick, add a little more broth to thin it out to your liking. Hope you enjoy it!
Michele says
So delicious! I subbed frozen corn for canned and added pickled jalapeños from my garden. Husband licked the plate! Pic on my Insta: @burienwino
Natasha says
So happy you liked it, Michele! Thanks for your review. 🙂
Marcia says
Very tasty! Can you freeze leftovers? Thanks.
Natasha says
So glad you enjoyed it!! I haven't tried freezing leftovers, but you could give it a try. Sometimes soups with cream don't freeze/reheat all that great texture-wise, but it should still taste fine.
Victoria says
This is by far the best soup I have ever eaten!
Absolutely delicious, I doubled the spices and added fresh chillies as I love spice!
But it is amazing!
Do you happen to know calories for a portion?
Many thanks
Natasha says
Hi! I'm so glad you liked it. That's odd... the calorie count should be displaying now. Thanks for pointing that out! 🙂
Ailys says
How can I adapt this for InstaPot?
Natasha says
Hi! I have not tested this one in the Instant Pot. It's a really quick stovetop recipe, so I recommend just trying it as-is. I don't really think there's a benefit to pressure cooking this one. You'd have to add the cream in at the end anyway, and the chicken will be very overcooked since we use already cooked chicken. I do have a well tested Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup recipe you may want to try that uses uncooked chicken, though: https://bit.ly/3fY29uH
RAMYA says
SORRY JUST SAW THIS NOW WILL BE MAKING THIS WITH FEW SUBS PERFECT FOR RAINING DAYS IN SINGAPORE PERFECT FOR MY AFTER OFFICE MEALS WILL DM YOU IF I MAKE THIS AND LET YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES THANKS RAMYA
Natasha says
Enjoy! 🙂
Taylor says
Delish!! Just made for my boyfriend, his dad and myself. Everyone loved it!
Natasha says
Wonderful!!