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Ultra close-up macro of slow cooker chicken tortilla soup brimming with shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and crispy golden tortilla strips

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Melt-in-your-mouth shredded chicken slow-simmered in a rich, smoky tomato broth loaded with black beans, sweet golden corn, fire-roasted chiles, and aromatic Mexican spices. Finished with crunchy homemade corn tortilla strips, avocado, and fresh cilantro.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 390
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Slow Cooker Soup Base
  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juices
  • 1 cup frozen sweet corn kernels or fresh grilled corn
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced mild green chiles undrained
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken bone broth
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1.5 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 whole fresh lime juiced right before serving
For the Crispy Tortilla Strips & Garnish
  • 6 small corn tortillas sliced into 1/4-inch thin strips
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil for baking strips
  • 0.5 tsp sea salt for seasoning crispy strips
  • 1 large fresh avocado diced
  • 0.75 cup Monterey Jack or Cotija cheese shredded or crumbled
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped

Method
 

Step-by-Step Instructions
  1. Assemble Slow Cooker: Place whole raw chicken breasts into the base of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add diced onion, minced garlic, drained black beans, fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juice, corn, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
  2. Add Broth & Slow Cook: Pour chicken bone broth over the chicken and vegetables. Stir gently around the chicken to distribute seasonings. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours until the chicken is tender and shreds effortlessly.
  3. Bake Crispy Tortilla Strips: While soup simmers, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss sliced corn tortilla strips with olive oil and salt. Spread evenly across a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and shatteringly crisp. Set aside to cool.
  4. Shred Chicken: Carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board. Shred using two forks into bite-sized strands, then return shredded chicken back into the slow cooker broth.
  5. Finish with Fresh Lime: Squeeze in fresh lime juice and stir thoroughly. Taste and adjust salt or chili powder if desired. Let sit on WARM for 10 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb the rich broth.
  6. Ladle & Garnish: Ladle hot soup into wide ceramic bowls. Top generously with crispy baked tortilla strips, diced avocado, crumbled Cotija or Monterey Jack cheese, and fresh chopped cilantro. Serve warm with lime wedges.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5gCalories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 38gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 680mgPotassium: 890mgFiber: 8gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1420IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 140mgIron: 3.4mg

Notes

Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Keywords: chicken tortilla soup, slow cooker chicken tortilla soup, crockpot tortilla soup, easy tortilla soup recipe, healthy mexican chicken soup.

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