Description
Hearty Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe that’s bold, cozy, and truly filling—tender shredded chicken simmered with tomatoes, green chiles, black beans, and corn in a warm cumin-chili broth. Finish with lime, cilantro, and crunchy tortilla strips for that classic tortilla soup taste at home. Perfect for meal prep, freezer meals, and easy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (or diced)
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
- 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups corn (frozen or canned, drained)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- 1 lime, juiced (plus wedges for serving)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips, for serving
- Optional toppings: diced avocado, shredded cheddar/Monterey Jack, sour cream/Greek yogurt, pickled jalapeños, hot sauce
Instructions
- 1. Add onion, garlic, tomatoes, green chiles, black beans, corn, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker; stir well
- 2. Nestle chicken into the mixture and pour in chicken broth; add bay leaf if using
- 3. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours until chicken shreds easily
- 4. Transfer chicken to a plate and shred with two forks
- 5. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir to combine
- 6. Adjust consistency: add a splash of broth if too thick or cook uncovered on HIGH 15–25 minutes if too thin
- 7. Stir in lime juice and cilantro; taste and adjust salt and spice
- 8. Serve hot with tortilla strips/chips and desired toppings; add crunchy tortillas right before eating
Notes
- LOW heat gives the most tender chicken; thighs are especially forgiving
- Fire-roasted tomatoes add depth, but regular tomatoes work with an extra pinch of smoked paprika
- Rinsing beans improves flavor and keeps the broth from turning cloudy
- To thicken naturally, mash 1/2 cup beans and stir back into the soup
- For smoky heat, add 1–2 tsp chipotle powder or 1 tbsp adobo sauce at the end
- Brighten before serving with extra lime if flavors taste muted
- Keep tortilla strips separate until serving to preserve crunch
- Reheat with a splash of broth; add cilantro and lime after reheating for freshest flavor
- Freeze without toppings up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge
- Salt varies by broth and canned goods—always taste at the end before adding more
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 330
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 790 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 78 mg
Keywords: Hearty Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe, crockpot chicken tortilla soup, slow cooker tortilla soup, chicken soup, black beans, corn, fire roasted tomatoes, easy weeknight dinner