Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Preheat and prepare tomatoes

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with foil. Place halved roma tomatoes cut-side up on the sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Roast tomatoes 18–22 minutes, until edges are blistered and juices are concentrated. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.

While tomatoes roast, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

Sear chicken 2–3 minutes per side until golden (it will finish cooking in the broth). Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the pot and cook 5–7 minutes until softened and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Remove the roasted tomatoes' skins if desired (they should slip off easily) and roughly chop or squeeze into the pot, including juices. Add canned diced tomatoes with chiles if using.

Pour in chicken broth, then add seared chicken breasts back to the pot along with black beans, cumin, chili powder, oregano, bay leaf, remaining 1 tsp salt (adjusted to total), remaining black pepper, and lime (halved). Bring to a gentle simmer.

Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer 18–22 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F/74°C) and flavors meld.

Remove chicken to a cutting board. Discard bay leaf and lime halves. Shred the chicken with two forks into bite-sized pieces.

Use an immersion blender to pulse the soup 6–8 times to slightly thicken while leaving some texture, or transfer 2 cups of soup to a blender, puree, and return to pot. Stir shredded chicken back into the soup and keep warm over low heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper or lime juice as needed.

If using jalapeño or hot sauce, stir them in now for added heat.

Divide soup among 4 bowls (about 1.5 cups soup per serving).

Top each bowl with diced avocado, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, shredded cheese if using, a dollop of sour cream or crema, and a handful of tortilla crisps or chips. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the finished soup.

Enjoy hot. Leftover soup keeps in the refrigerator up to 3 days; keep tortilla crisps separate until serving to retain crunch.