This easy chicken tortilla soup is comforting, flavorful, and ready in about 30 minutes. Serve it with crispy fried tortilla strips, thinly sliced radishes, diced avocado, torn cilantro, and lime wedges. For a richer finish, add a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of grated cheese such as queso fresco or Monterey Jack.
What You Need for Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken: This recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs for quick cooking and easy shredding. If you have more time and want extra flavor, use bone-in, skin-on thighs; they take slightly longer but add depth. For a leaner option, substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Chicken Broth: A good-quality broth makes a big difference. Homemade is ideal, but a clean, organic store-bought broth works well too. For a collagen boost, use chicken bone broth.
- Aromatics: Diced onion, poblano, jalapeño and garlic create the flavorful base. Optionally add diced carrots for extra nutrition and sweetness.
- Spices: A blend of oregano, coriander, cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, chile powder, cinnamon and bay leaves gives the soup its warm, layered flavor.
- Canned Tomatoes: A small can of diced tomatoes provides color, acidity, and texture. Fire-roasted tomatoes are a good choice when available; fresh Roma tomatoes can be substituted if preferred.
- Corn Tortillas: Freshly fried corn tortilla strips add the essential crunch. Corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free; use grain-free tortillas if you prefer a paleo version.
- Garnish: Top bowls with fried tortilla strips, sliced radish, diced avocado, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup – Gluten-Free
This easy chicken tortilla soup is delicious, comforting and comes together in about 30 minutes. It’s naturally gluten-free.
Prep Time:
10 minutes
10 minutes
Cook Time:
25 minutes
25 minutes
Total Time:
35 minutes
35 minutes
Servings:
6 people
6 people
Ingredients
- 6 small yellow corn tortillas, sliced into thin strips (substitute grain-free tortillas if desired)
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chile powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 64 ounces chicken broth
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or substitute bone-in thighs or breast)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 radishes, thinly sliced into half-moons (for garnish)
- 2 avocados, diced (for garnish)
- 1/4 cup roughly torn fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Pour the avocado oil into a 10″ skillet and heat over medium-high until hot. Working in batches, fry the tortilla strips, tossing occasionally, until golden and crispy, about 4 minutes per batch. Reserve some of the oil, transfer the strips to a paper towel-lined tray, season immediately with a pinch of salt, toss, and set aside.
- Transfer 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil to a large sauté pan or stockpot and heat over medium until shimmering. Add the diced onion, poblano and jalapeño with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 60 seconds. Stir in the oregano, coriander, cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, chile powder and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds.
- Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, chicken thighs, bay leaves and black pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, about 12 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a bowl and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fried tortilla strips, radish slices, diced avocado and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing and enjoy.
Video
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