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top view showing how to serve chicken tortilla soup by adding to a bowl and topping with tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, jalapeno, fresh limes and tomatoes
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Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup is everything you love about traditional Tortilla Soup with its satisfying symphony of Tex-Mex flavors and textures BUT in tantalizing CREAMY form! This easy recipe is loaded with juicy, tender shredded chicken, hearty black beans, sweet corn, fire roasted tomatoes, tangy green chiles, zesty cilantro, earthy enchilada sauce, and fiesta seasonings made creamy with cream cheese and cheddar then topped with crispy, salty homemade BAKED tortilla strips!  This Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup is easy to make, extremely versatile and pantry friendly, reheats beautifully and is great for entertaining.  Serve it alongside Sweet Cornbread, Mexican Salad and Tres Leches Cake to complete the feast!
Course Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Danish Creamery Premium Butter
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs OR 2 ½ cups rotisserie chicken (see notes)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 poblano pepper, chopped (may sub 1 green bell pepper)
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons granulated chicken bouillon, base, or crushed cubes
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 tsp EACH smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt
  • pinch-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes, not drained
  • 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 oz. can sweet corn, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 oz. can mild enchilada sauce
  • 1 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies
  • 5 cups low sodium chicken broth (for even creamier, swap 1 cup for 1 cup heavy cream)
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

ADD LATER:

HOMEMADE TORTILLA STRIPS (Optional)

  • 8 6-inch corn tortillas
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • freshly cracked salt

GARNISH (pick your favs)

  • tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
  • sour cream
  • avocados
  • tomatoes
  • lime juice
  • jalapenos
  • hot sauce

Instructions

  • If making tortilla strips, preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Season chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven/soup pot. Once hot, add the chicken and sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate but leave the drippings.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the chicken drippings over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, bell pepper and poblano pepper and sauté until the onions are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds.
  • Add the chicken back to the pot followed by all of the remaining soup ingredients up to the cornstarch. Whisk the cornstarch with part of the chicken broth to dissolve (I use a liquid measuring cup), then add to the pot along with the remaining chicken broth.
  • Partially cover the soup with a 1-inch gap and bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer over medium-low or low if your stove runs hot. Simmer until the chicken shreds easily with two forks, about 15-20 minutes. You can make the Tortilla Strips (instructions below) while the soup simmers. Remove the chicken and let rest 5 minutes before shredding. Meanwhile...
  • Reduce heat to low and whisk in the cream cheese until melted, followed by the cheese until melted. Stir in the lime juice, cilantro and shredded chicken. Taste and season with additional salt/lime juice/cayenne to taste. Stir in additional chicken broth if you would like a less chunky soup.
  • Serve with tortilla chips and desired toppings.

TORTILLA STRIPS (optional)

  • Light spray a large baking sheet (21x15) with cooking spray or use two half sheets.
  • Cut tortillas into 1/2-inch strips. (I stack them and use my pizza cutter.)
  • Add tortilla strips to baking sheet(s) and toss with 1 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil. Arrange strips in a single layer then lightly season with freshly cracked salt.
  • Bake at 425 degrees F for 12-16 minutes or until lightly golden brown and crispy.

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Rotisserie Chicken: Shredded Rotisserie chicken is fabulous in this recipe.  Use approximately 2 ½ cups and add it at the end of cooking with the cilantro and heat through.
  • Chicken breasts: You can use chicken breasts for this recipe if you prefer but I don’t find them as juicy or flavorful, especially if overcooked. Use small or medium chicken breasts and cook closer to 20-25 minutes.
  • Poblano Peppers: These peppers boast a very mild heat, nothing like a jalapeno, so don’t be afraid of them! You can substitute with one chopped green bell pepper if you prefer.
  • Chicken bouillon: 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon imparts a complex, savory, goodness to the sauce (it’s like salt with FLAVOR). You may use granulated chicken bouillon, crushed bouillon cubes, or bouillon base (like Better Than Bouillon or !Zoup). Add the bouillon directly to the soup, do not dissolve it in water first.
  • Meal Prep: The chicken can be trimmed, the vegetables and aromatics chops and the cheese shredded ahead time and stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.  The tortilla strips can be baked, cooled, then stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
  • Storage: Let the soup cool to room temperature, cover, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
 

Crockpot Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup can easily be adapted to your slow cooker by omitting the olive oil and butter and using the rest of the same ingredients:
1. Add the chicken to a lightly greased slow cooker, followed by all of the remaining soup ingredients except the cream cheese, cheese, cilantro, and lime juice. Give the top ingredients a stir to combine.
2. Cook on LOW for 5-7 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours (longer if using chicken breasts) or until chicken is tender enough to shred. You’ll know your soup is done when the chicken easily shreds with a fork. If it’s not easily pulling away, cook on!
3. Remove chicken to a cutting board, let rest 5 minutes, then shred chicken.
4. Meanwhile, stir in the cream cheese until melted, followed by the cheese until melted. 
5. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot along with the cilantro and lime juice.
6.   Stir in additional chicken broth for a less chunky soup if desired and season with salt/cayenne, lime juice to taste.
7.   Top individual servings with desired toppings.