Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›Diego's›Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Inspired by Diego's
Time50m
Serves4

savory chicken and tomato broth with tender pulled chicken, crispy tortilla & veggies.

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Ingredients

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Soup Base

Chicken & Veggies

Tortilla & Garnishes

Method

Soup Base

  1. 1

    Sauté aromatics

    In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped jalapeño and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

  2. 2

    Toast spices

    Add the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and chili powder to the pot. Stir and cook 30–45 seconds to bloom the spices, stirring constantly so they don't burn.

  3. 3

    Add tomatoes and broth

    Pour in the canned diced tomatoes with their juices and 6 cups chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

  4. 4

    Season

    Stir in 1.5 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Taste after the soup has simmered briefly and adjust seasoning if needed. Simmer uncovered while you prepare chicken and veggies, about 10 minutes to meld flavors.

  5. 5

    Finish with lime

    When the soup is done and the chicken is shredded into the pot (see next section), stir in 2 tbs fresh lime juice and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro just before serving for brightness.

Chicken & Veggies

  1. 6

    Poach chicken

    While soup base is simmering, season the chicken breasts lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. In a separate medium saucepan, cover the chicken with water (or use part of the simmering broth if your pot is large enough) and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer until cooked through, about 12–15 minutes depending on thickness (internal temp 165°F/74°C). Remove chicken and let rest 5 minutes.

  2. 7

    Shred chicken

    Using two forks or your fingers, shred the warm chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

  3. 8

    Add vegetables

    To the simmering tomato-broth base, add the diced carrots, red bell pepper, corn kernels, and drained black beans. Continue to simmer until carrots are tender-crisp, about 8–10 minutes.

  4. 9

    Combine chicken and soup

    Add the shredded chicken to the pot and simmer 2–3 minutes to heat through and allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust salt/pepper as needed.

Tortilla & Garnishes

  1. 10

    Prepare crispy tortilla strips

    Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) if baking, or heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat for frying. Stack tortillas and cut into 1/4–1/2 inch strips. If baking: toss strips lightly with 1 tbs oil and a pinch of salt, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake 8–12 minutes until crisp and golden, turning once. If frying: work in batches, fry strips until blistered and crisp (about 1–2 minutes), then drain on paper towels and season with salt.

  2. 11

    Prepare garnishes

    While tortillas crisp, shred the cheese, dice the avocado, and cut lime into wedges. Place sour cream or crema and pickled jalapeños in small bowls for serving.

  3. 12

    Assemble and serve

    Ladle hot soup into bowls. Top each serving with a handful of crispy tortilla strips, a sprinkle of shredded cheese, some diced avocado, a spoonful of sour cream, chopped cilantro, and pickled jalapeños if using. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing at the table.

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