Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is full of vegetables and all things good for you, comfort food at its finest, and an easy, hands-off dinner. Like my Greek Lemon Soup with Chicken and Orzo and Crack Chicken Noodle Soup, this homemade chicken soup is family-friendly, super simple to make, and super delicious.
There aren’t many things more comforting than savoring a bowl of tasty, hot, nutritious soup on a raw winter day. Add in the fact that this recipe only calls for a few minutes of prep, and then your crock pot does all of the work. It’s as no-fuss as you can get!
Why this recipe works:
- You add the ingredients to your crock pot, turn it on and forget it for about 6 hours. Like magic, when it’s done, you have an amazing, hearty and healthy soup, ready to eat!
- Only one-pot to wash. Everything is cooked in the crock pot; you don’t even have to cook the chicken first.
- This recipe is about as easy as it gets. If you can open a can, you can make this soup!
- No crock pot, no problem. I’ve included easy directions below in the recipe for making delicious soup on your stove.
Here is what you need:
To make this soup you need raw chicken breasts or thighs, frozen corn, onion, garlic, low-sodium chicken stock or homemade chicken rotisserie stock, canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies. You will also need ground cumin, kosher salt, chili powder, ground red pepper, and ground black pepper.
And, because it’s chicken tortilla soup, you need corn tortillas and a little vegetable oil. Finally, as the name suggests, you will also need a crock pot or slow cooker.
How to make it:
Believe it or not, there is only one step; add everything but the corn tortillas to a four-quart or larger crock pot or slow cooker.
Mix well—cover and cook on high for 6 hours.
How to make the tortilla strips:
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add about a tablespoon of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the tortilla and cook for a minute or so on each side.
Remove the tortillas from the skillet, sprinkle on a little salt, and cut them into strips about a quarter-inch wide.
How to serve it:
Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with a few of the tortilla strips, a squeeze of lime juice, and serve immediately.
Optional, add a dollop of sour cream, a few chunks of ripe avocado, and about a teaspoon of chopped cilantro. I’ve also been known to add a handful of grated cheese as well.
Expert Tips:
If you don’t want to bother with making the tortilla strips, purchase a bag of your favorite tortilla chips and use those instead.
Want to add a little variety to this recipe, or if you need it to stretch to feed more than eight folks, add a can of drained black beans or a cup or so of cooked rice before serving.
To use leftover cooked chicken instead of raw chicken in this recipe, add all ingredients but the chicken to the crock pot and cook as directed. Add the cooked chicken to the crock pot a few minutes before serving to allow it to warm up.
This soup will keep covered in your refrigerator for up to four days and can be frozen for up to six months. If frozen, allow it to defrost in your fridge overnight before heating up.
I have a four-quart crock pot, and this recipe fits perfectly with room to spare. You can go larger, but I wouldn’t go much smaller.
More super simple soup recipes:
If you like this recipe, I think you might also like these popular options on my blog:
- Traditional Irish Potato Soup
- Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup
- Fall Feast Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- One-Pot Green Lentil Soup with Carrots, Onions, and Celery
- One-Pot Lasagna Soup – Comfort Food in a Bowl
- White Bean Soup
- Roasted Tomato Soup with Basil
Need more menu ideas, check out all of my soup recipes here.
★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
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Easy Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Soup
- 8 ounces raw skinless boneless chicken breast or thighs cut into cubes
- 2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 quart low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 29 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juice 2-14.5 oz cans
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 10 oz diced tomatoes and green chilies with juice can
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground red pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Tortilla Strips
- 4 small corn tortillas
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Optional Toppings
- avocado chunks, sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges
Instructions
Soup
- Combine soup ingredients in a 4-quart crock pot or slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours.
Tortillas
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the tortillas one at a time and cook on both sides until they are browned and crispy.
- Sprinkle salt over the cooked tortillas and cut them into strips.
To serve
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the tortilla strips.
- Optional: Add avocado chunks, a dollop of sour cream, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice before serving.
Optional: Instructions for cooking on the stove:
- Add the onion and one tablespoon vegetable oil to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onions until they are translucent. (about 4-5 minutes) Add the rest of the soup ingredients but use leftover cooked chicken instead of raw chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Serve as directed.
Notes
Nutrition
**This post was originally published on January 4, 2017. Republished on February 23, 2020, with new photos, a “how-to” video, expanded tips and changes to the recipe for tortilla strips.
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