This healthy chicken tortilla soup is a warm and cozy dinner recipe perfect for cold winter days! It’s nutritious, packed with veggies, and high protein. This meal is so easy because you really just have to add everything to a pot and let it simmer. And it’s super flavorful, filling, and even better the next day!
healthy chicken tortilla soup ingredients:
This recipe contains lots of things you probably already have hanging out in your pantry (i.e canned corn, tomatoes, black beans) and as a bonus, is pretty affordable to make a big batch!
Chicken: I typically use a rotisserie chicken removed from the bone (about 2 cups) but you can also cook two large chicken breasts and shred them up for this recipe as well. Another delicious option, if you prefer to use ground beef/chicken/turkey, just brown that up when softening the onion and bell pepper!
Veggies: This recipe calls for a white onion and orange bell pepper, both finely diced.
Black Beans: A can of black beans, rinsed and drained, to add extra protein and fiber.
Sweet Corn: A can of sweet corn, rinsed and drained, to add texture and a slight sweetness to this recipe. If you have frozen sweet corn from the summer laying around, that will work as well!
Chopped Tomatoes: Used as a base for this recipe, along with the chicken broth.
Chicken Broth: You’ll need about 3 cups of chicken broth for this recipe, as a part of the base.
Lime Juice: The acidity from the lime juice really enhances the flavor when combined with all the warm, Mexican spices!
Spices: You’ll need cumin, oregano, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, and (optional) cayenne for a kick. For convenience, grab your favorite packet of taco seasoning instead!
Greek Yogurt: This is an optional step, I’ve made this soup both with and without the greek yogurt. It adds a creaminess and a little more protein!
Toppings: Serve your soup with some sliced avocado, diced jalapeño, cilantro, or lime juice!
substitutions:
Swap your protein: This recipe calls for shredded chicken, but you can always use ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken instead. Simply brown the ground meat when you soften the onion and bell pepper in step one.
Make it vegan: Leave out the chicken and add an additional can of beans (chickpeas would be delicious as well). The greek yogurt is already optional, but if you want some added creaminess, use a vegan alternative for plain yogurt or sour cream.
Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment
- Soup Pot
Ingredients
For Soup:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 14.4 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5oz can corn rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5oz can chopped tomatoes
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken or 2 chicken breasts, shredded
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons oregano
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- sprinkle of salt to taste
- cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt optional, for creaminess
- optional toppings: diced jalapeños, cilantro, lime juice
For Tortilla Strips:
- 6 small tortillas I used almond flour tortillas but you could use corn, whole wheat, etc
- drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
For Soup:
- In your soup pot, start by softening the onion and bell pepper in a drizzle of olive oil on medium/high heat for about 5 minutes.
- Add in corn, black beans, canned tomatoes, and shredded chicken. Combine and add the remaining ingredients: chicken broth, lime juice, and spices. Let simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Optional: add in 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt to the pot for creaminess and more protein.
- Let the soup simmer on low for a minimum of 15 minutes (the longer the better!) to let all the flavors combine.
- Garnish with avocado diced jalapeños, cilantro, lime juice, or tortilla chips. Enjoy!
For Tortilla Strips:
- Slice the stack of tortillas down the middle and then into 1/2 inch strips. Add the strips to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake at 400F for about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and cripsy.