Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable Version)

Hearty soup with tender chicken, black beans, corn, and creamy cheddar finish. Perfect for weeknight dinners.

# Ingredient List:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
05 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
06 - 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chilies

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups low sodium chicken broth

→ Dairy

08 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnishes

15 - Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
16 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Lime wedges
18 - Extra cheddar cheese
19 - Sliced jalapeños

# Directions:

01 - Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
02 - Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add corn, black beans, Rotel tomatoes, chicken broth, and shredded chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
04 - Stir in cream cheese cubes and cook until melted and fully incorporated.
05 - Add shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips, cilantro, lime, extra cheese, or jalapeños as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes on the stovetop, or you can dump everything in a slow cooker and forget about it until dinner time.
  • The cream cheese and cheddar create a silky texture that tastes way more restaurant-quality than the minimal effort required.
  • Rotel tomatoes do the heavy lifting with flavor, so you don't need to fuss with fresh ingredients or complicated spice blends.
02 -
  • If you add the cream cheese to soup that's actively boiling, it can break and become grainy instead of smooth—always reduce heat first or stir it in gradually off the heat.
  • The Rotel tomatoes are spicy enough that you don't need jalapeños in the actual soup unless you want serious heat, but serving them on the side lets everyone control their own fire level.
03 -
  • Buy pre-shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery store if you want to shave even more time off—it tastes just as good as shredding it yourself.
  • Bloom your spices in that hot oil for a full minute before adding the liquid ingredients; this small step is what separates flat-tasting soup from soup with real depth.
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