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) Tomato Tortellini Soup recipe 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
*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!)
- Pinch Bowls– for measuring out ingredients ahead of time.
- Box Cheese Grater– Shredding from a block tastes and melts much better than packaged cheese.
- Garlic Twister– it’s much more flavorful to mince fresh garlic. This twister does it in seconds and is easy to clean and store.
Try These Next
- Penne Alla Vodka
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Creamy Herb Chicken
- Cheeseburger Soup
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![A bowl of Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup topped with crispy tortillas and garnished with avocados, cheese, jalapenos, and cilantro.](jpg/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, equal to 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.
Second time making this. Followed the recipe as written! Very good…one of our favorites!
I’m so happy that you loved it Susan!! This is one of my favorites too!
What size crockpot??
I use my 6 quart crock pot for this. ☺️ ☺️
I’m so glad I found this recipe it has become my favorite soup!!!
That’s so great to hear Mariela! Thanks so much for the great review!💖
Excuse me?! I was NOT expecting this to be so damn good. I substituted pinto beans for black beans because I don’t like those. Skipped the jalapeños because they were all out but added a bell pepper. Added some squeezes of lime juice and it was perfect. Chefs kiss 🤌🏼 thank you for this recipe!
Wahooo! I’m so happy this exceeded your expectations so much! Thanks for taking the time to leave such a great review 💖
My family and I love this soup! I’ve made it numerous times! Edited it to my family’s liking and only used 1/10 of the beans this recipe calls for but it’s simple, delicious and easy! Thank you
Hi Asha! I’m so glad that you love this soup!! This is one of my favorites! 😍 Thank you so much for the review!
Made this last night I made this soup. And it was delicious. Thanks
You’re very welcome Tina, thanks so much for the great comments and review!💖
This is simmering on my stove as we speak and it smells and tastes delicious! I haven’t added the cheeses yet, but very soon. The smell has summoned little heads downstairs inquiring about dinner. It’s gonna be great.
Wonderful! I can’t wait to hear what your peeps think of the taste!! The picture you just painted is SO cute!
This recipe looks great. I plan on making it this weekend. Is the soup okay to freeze?? Thank you!!
Hi Kelly! YES! This makes the best freezer soup, I love keeping a stash of it for the freezer! 🙂 Enjoy!
This!!! I’m making more 4 days later because my Mom complained that I only brought over one bowl!!! This is simple and quick and most of all DELICIOUS!! Thanks!!! Cilantro with the tortilla chips and a sprinkle of cheese on top… Ummm yummy.
That’s the BEST news ever Kiki! I’m sooo happy that it was a hit with you and your mom, thank you sooo much for the review, I appreciate it so much! -Stephanie
New favorite dish! Super quick and easy meal to make and this serves a lot so def have left overs to freeze and boy I bet this freezes good! I opted for some low sodium on some of the canned items so at the end I spiced it up a tad more to my liking and was so impressed! I used some Frito lays and a splash of fresh lime juice and it was amazing! Can’t wait to share this with my extended family!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it so much Ayelen! I usually have a decent amount stored in the freezer since it’s one of my favorite year round soup recipes. Thanks so much for the great review!💖