This Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe is easy to make on the stove top or the Crock Pot. Make it with fresh, leftover, or rotisserie chicken. Cheddar and Cream Cheese add a hint of creamy indulgence!
Be sure to try my (amazing) Chicken Corn Chowder and Italian Wedding Soup recipes next!
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
There is SO much fresh flavor going on in this soup, it’s definitely hard to stop eating it. I generally have to package some up for the freezer, (it freezes very well), to keep myself from eating the whole batch.
Make this as spicy or as mild as you want! And the topping options are endless: Crispy tortilla strips, jalapenos, cheese, avocados, cilantro, (clearly my stance is ‘all of the above’). 😁
This is so easy to make on the Stove Top or Crock Pot. You can even use leftover chicken!
Check out my PRO tips, storage info, and more below!
How to Make It
Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Soften onions, jalapeno peppers, and garlic in butter. Add tomato paste, corn, undrained diced tomatoes, black beans, taco seasoning, cayenne pepper, cumin, and hot sauce.
Add chicken broth and chicken breasts. Bubble gently for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through. Remove and use 2 forks to shred.
Add the chicken back to the soup and reduce heat to low. Add cheddar and softened cream cheese and stir until smooth and combined. Garnish, and serve!
Crock Pot Method
- Soften onions, peppers, and garlic in butter on the stovetop. Transfer to Slow Cooker along with all remaining ingredients except for the shredded cheese, cream cheese, and garnishes.
- Cook on low for 6 hours. (I recommend low heat to keep the chicken juicy and tender. Cooking it over higher heat makes it tougher. If necessary, it can be cooked for 4 hours on high.)
- Remove chicken and use 2 forks to shred. Return it to the Crock Pot.
- Turn off heat. Gradually mix in the cheddar and cream cheeses and stir to incorporate.
Pro Tips
- Optional garnishes include: Diced avocado, sour cream, jalapenos, shredded cheese, and cilantro.
- 2 cups rotisserie or leftover chicken may be used instead of chicken breasts.
- The cheeses melt much creamier and smoother if they’re near room temperature when added.
- To soften the cream cheese quickly: Heat 2 cups of water in the microwave. Place cubed cream cheese in the microwave and close the door. Let it soften for 5 minutes.
- Make sure the base isn’t too hot when the cheese is added or the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.
- 1 ½ cups frozen or fresh corn may be used instead of canned corn.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 55!
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 4-Quart Dutch Oven– This is the perfect size for this soup. This one is high quality and you’ll have it forever. (I use one almost every time I cook!)
- Spice Rack– This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.)
- Measuring Spoons– To measure out the seasonings.
- Pinch Bowls– I measure out my seasonings ahead of time and add them to these small bowls so they’re ready to go when it’s time to add them.
- Garlic Twister– it’s much more flavorful to mince fresh garlic. This twister does it in seconds and is easy to clean and store.
- Soup Bowls –(I love these!)
- 16 oz. storage containers – I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.
Try These Next
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Corn Chowder
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Herb Chicken
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Beef Lo Mein
Get My Free E-Book!
- I’ve got a FREE e-Book with 7 super popular dinner recipes! Click here to join my email list and I’ll send your e-Book right over!
- And be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, & Facebook!
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
![A bowl of Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup topped with crispy tortillas and garnished with avocados, cheese, jalapenos, and cilantro.](https://thecozycook.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Creamy-Chicken-Tortilla-Soup-f-200x200.jpg)
Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 15 oz. can corn, drained
- 1 10 oz. can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 2 cups shredded chicken
- 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 oz. packet taco seasoning, about 3 Tbsp.
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup cream cheese, softened
For Topping
- Corn or Flour Tortillas, See notes
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat and add the diced onions and peppers. Sauté for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and garnish ingredients. I also recommend starting with 2 Tbsp. of Taco Seasoning and add more to taste toward the end if preferred. (I end up using all of it.)
- Let the soup gradually come to a gentle bubble, partially covered. If the chicken boils rapidly, it becomes tough. Cooking it slowly keeps it nice and juicy.
- Remove the chicken after 20-25 minutes, once cooked through. (Timing depends on the thickness of the chicken.) Use 2 forks to shred, then return to the soup.
- Reduce heat to low and gradually sprinkle in the shredded cheese and softened cream cheese. Stir until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and add any additional seasonings as needed. Garnish and serve!
Notes
- Optional garnishes include: Diced avocado, sour cream, jalapenos, shredded cheese, and cilantro.
- 2 cups rotisserie or leftover chicken may be used instead of chicken breasts. You can add it when the uncooked chicken breast would be added and simmer for 15 minutes to let the flavors blend, but no need to bring it to a boil.
- The cheeses melt much creamier and smoother if they’re near room temperature when added.
- Make sure the base isn't too hot when the cheese is added or the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.
- 1 ½ cups frozen or fresh corn may be used instead of canned corn.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 55!
Crock Pot Method
- Soften onions, peppers, and garlic in butter on the stovetop. Transfer to Slow Cooker along with all remaining ingredients except for the shredded cheese, cream cheese, and garnishes.
- Cook on low for 6 hours. (I recommend low heat to keep the chicken juicy and tender. Cooking it over higher heat makes it tougher. If necessary, it can be cooked for 4 hours on high.)
- Remove chicken and use 2 forks to shred. Return it to the Crock Pot.
- Turn off heat. Gradually mix in the cheddar and cream cheeses and stir to incorporate.
Frying Tortilla Strips (For Garnishing):
- Cut corn or flour tortillas into strips.
- Heat vegetable or canola oil over medium-high heat in a high-walled skillet. Use just enough oil to submerge the tortilla strips.
- Fry the strips in batches until crisp and slightly browned. Remove and set on paper towels, sprinkle with salt.
Nutrition information is an estimate and is per cup. There are 13 cups in this recipe.
This is my go to creamy chicken tortilla soup recipe. As we transition from summer to fall, I get super excited about making soups and this is the first one I cook every year. Love love love this recipe and you can’t go wrong with it. I get to incorporate a lot of produce from my garden. Thank you for this tasty soup!
I’m so happy you’re enjoying it! I sooooo know what you mean. That transition is here in the Northeast and I’m loving it!🩷
I’ve been looking for the perfect chicken tortilla soup recipe and I finally found it! This one is a keeper!
I tried to follow the recipe to the letter, but I did have to make 2 big changes in the ingredients – #1, I was in a pinch and didn’t want to go to the store or thaw out chicken, so I used 2 12.5 oz cans of Kirkland canned chunk chicken breast instead of fresh chicken breasts (I’ve made this swap before in soups and you can’t tell the difference). #2, I didn’t have fresh jalapeños, and while reaching for the jar of pickled jalapeño slices, I spied a can of chipotles in adobo sauce. Since chipotles are just dried & smoked jalapeños, I thought it would work and it turned out amazing! I’m sure the recipe is fantastic the way it is written, but now that I’ve done it is this way, I can’t go back! It was a little messy and kind of a pain chopping them (and scraping out all the seeds!), but the sweet smoky flavor that it added was so worth it!
Your recipe was the perfect road map to get me to the chicken tortilla soup that I was craving!
Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it Ruth, thank you sharing your process! 🙂
Looks delicious! What brand of taco seasoning do you use? Can you use jalapeno peppers from a jar if you don’t have fresh?
Hi Dale! I use Old El Paso Taco Seasoning if I use a packet, and jarred jalapenos are just fine! 🙂 Enjoy!
I am assuming the soup should be frozen after adding the cheese since it was not specified otherwise. Has anyone tried freezing it and how did you find it reheated? Thank you
Hi Terri, you are correct, the soup can be frozen after the cheese has been added, it reheats well 🙂
This soup recipe is fantastic! Definitely a keeper.
I’m sooo happy that you loved it Cortney! It’s a forever favorite of mine as well! 🙂
Delicious!
Wonderful! I’m so glad that you loved it Emily!
So tasty! I’m a new fan!!
Thanks so much Debby! I’m so happy to have you here!💕
So good! I made it for the first time today and opted for the crockpot version. I also cheated & ordered bread bowls from Panera Bread. I really enjoyed this recipe! Definitely a keeper and will make it again!!
I’m so happy it was such a success Connie! The bread bowl cheat is completely acceptable lol, especially from Panera!😋 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💖
To any skeptics out there….if you’re looking for new dinner ideas, or specific recipes for whatever reason; my advice is to take this Pinterest link and open it in your web browser and just save TheCozyCook to your favorites. Once you make one recipe, you’ll understand why. She is my GO TO. And as you can see from reviews, this holds true for many others as well.
You’re the best Alex! Thanks so much for your support!❤️❤️❤️ I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes!
Excellent soup! My wife and I love the spiciness from the jalapeño pepper and the cayenne. I served it with corn chips and a bit of sour cream on the side. Here’s a tip for incorporating the cream cheese: After letting the cream cheese come to room temperature, I cut it into cubes and put it into a medium bowl. I then added a couple of ladles of hot broth from the soup to it. After stirring it a bit with a spoon, I whisked it until it was smooth and velvety, then added it back to the soup kettle. Then I slowly added the grated cheddar as suggested. The result was a wonderful silky soup with no graininess at all.
Hi Dennis! YES! That is a great tip with the cream cheese, I do that with sour cream sometimes too. Thank you for sharing! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this soup, it’s one of my top favorites!