Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup turns any dinnertime into a fiesta!
Chicken is infused with Mexican inspired spices and cooked with beans, green chiles, and corn until it’s juicy and tender!
Let the Instant Pot work its magic and get this delish dish on the table in less than an hour!
What is Chicken Tortilla Soup?
- Busy weeknights call for quick dinners that are healthy, filling, and delicious!
- Chicken tortilla soup can be modified for paleo and keto followers or anyone who is simply watching their weight.
- Make a batch and enjoy all week long or as filling school or workday lunches!
- Chicken tortilla soup is a universal favorite for parties and potlucks and guests can help themselves straight from the Instant Pot!
- This budget-friendly recipe is one of the best ways to use up leftover beans or rice, veggies, and cheese, and even better for sneaking in veggies that picky eaters won’t eat on their own!
Ingredients and Variations
Soup: Chicken broth and chunky salsa form the soup base for chicken tortilla soup. Looking for a creamy version? Stir in some half-and-half in Step 1. Black beans, green chiles, and corn are optional but add texture and color. Switch them out for keto-friendly veggies like celery, zucchini, chopped broccoli or cauliflower florets. Make up a batch of fajita seasoning and keep it on hand for everything from dips to rubs!
Chicken: Fresh or frozen chicken breasts or strips, ground turkey or chicken are all good choices. Even a rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken can be used to save time. Simply shred as much as you want and add it to the soup in Step 5 then use the rest of the chicken for enchiladas.
Toppings: Chicken tortilla soup is all about the extra garnishes! Sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced black olives, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and definitely some crunchy tortilla strips will add extra flavor and crunch!
How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Instant Pot
- Place all ingredients in the Instant Pot and cook on the soup setting for 15 minutes (as per the recipe below).
- Allow for a manual release of pressure.
- Remove the chicken and shred. Return the chicken back to the Instant Pot (and corn, if using) and stir to combine.
Serve with garnishes.
What to Serve With Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken tortilla soup is a full meal all on its own! Delicious served right from the Instant Pot and set out small bowls of tasty toppings, some bottles of hot sauce, and a pitcher of cherry margaritas! But a zesty salad like this red leaf salad also serves as an excellent side dish! Add some jalapeno cornbread muffins with some honey butter to round out the meal. Don’t forget a tangy Key Lime Pie for dessert!
Storing Leftover Soup
- Leftover chicken tortilla soup tastes even better the next day! Keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat it on the stove.
- Freeze chicken tortilla soup in zippered bags for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator overnight or reheat in a saucepan on medium-low on the stovetop.
Other Savory Soups To Try!
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts about 1-1 ½ pounds
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 19 ounces seasoned black beans undrained, 1 can (or beans of choice)
- 2 cups chunky salsa 16 ounce jar
- 4 ounces diced green chilies 1 small can
- 1 onion diced
- 1 Tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons fajita seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 1 cup corn optional
Optional Garnish
- crispy tortilla strips
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- chopped fresh cilantro
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Add chicken breasts, chicken broth, beans, salsa, chilies, onion, garlic, and seasonings to the Instant Pot insert.
- Cover with Instant Pot lid, secure lid, and set Instant Pot to the "soup" setting for 15 minutes. After Instant Pot has finished cooking, manually release pressure.
- Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board or plate. If using corn, add it to the broth in the Instant Pot and secure the lid while you shred the chicken.
- Shred (or chop) chicken and add back to the Instant Pot. Stir the soup to combine.
- Serve with optional garnishes.
Notes
- Nutrition calculated without garnishes.
- Brown the chicken in the Instant Pot before pressure cooking for enhanced flavor.
- If possible, make your own broth for a richer taste.
- Taste the soup after cooking and add more spices or lime juice according to your preferences.
- Add fresh cilantro, tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, and avocado for added texture and flavor.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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