Chicken Tortilla Soup Crockpot

Growing up in a community with a strong Latin influence, Mexican food was a staple. One of my favorite meals was chicken tortilla soup, but I always thought it was an all-day recipe to make until I discovered I could actually make a slow cooker chicken tortilla soup.

I bring to you my own version of easy chicken tortilla soup so you can also enjoy this comforting and delicious meal. Chicken tortilla soup crockpot style coming up!

Ingredients you’ll need:

• Onion and garlic give amazing flavor and aroma to the soup
• Jalapeno pepper. This ingredient is optional. Just remember if you remove the seeds, jalapenos will not be as hot
• Cumin, coriander, and chili powder are traditional spices used in Mexican cuisine
• Crushed tomatoes have the perfect consistency for the soup base
• Diced tomatoes with green chilies add texture as well as a little bit of spice
• The chicken broth will be the base for our soup
• Black beans. We need to drain and rinse them. The liquid in the can may darken our soup and give it an undesired consistency
• Frozen corn. I like its texture better than canned whole-kernel corn, but you can use it as well, just remember to drain it
• Chicken breasts are the cut I like to use, but you can use skinless, boneless chicken thighs as well
• Freshly chopped cilantro gives it a very authentic flavor
• Corn tortillas which we will slice thinly and pan-fry in a little olive oil for the perfect crispy topping
• Avocado, Mexican crema (or sour cream), and lime juice to serve as toppings.

How To Make Chicken Tortilla Soup in a Crockpot?

The chicken tortilla soup crockpot version is very easy to make if you follow these instructions:

1. Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil In a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, and saute the chopped onions, jalapenos, and garlic until fragrant.
2. Place them on the bottom of the crockpot and add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chicken broth, drained and rinsed black beans, frozen corn, and spices. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.
3. While the soup is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat and fry the tortilla strips in batches until golden brown.
4. 10 minutes before the cooking time is over, shred the chicken breasts and return them to the pot, add the chopped fresh cilantro and serve with sliced avocados, Mexican crema, a squeeze of lime juice, and the fried tortilla strips on top.

How Do You Thicken Tortilla Soup?

Traditionally, chicken tortilla soup is not supposed to be thick, but if you want a thicker soup you can add a slurry of water and cornstarch, or water and masa corn flour and add it to the soup in the last 10 minutes of cooking. I would start with a teaspoon of cornstarch or masa and go from there until you reach the desired consistency.

Can You Freeze Chicken Tortilla Soup

Yes, you can, but I recommend freezing it without the toppings or fried tortilla strips. Place it into an airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months. To reheat, let it thaw completely and reheat in a pot on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Can You Add Cream Cheese to Chicken Tortilla Soup?

You definitely can. It would not be the traditional way of making it, but if you want to make a chicken tortilla soup crockpot creamy version, you can definitely add it, just don’t tell your Mexican friends!

Serving Options:

To make this meal extra special, I serve it along with my Savory Party Bread Recipe or my Easy Creamy Cornbread Casserole, and for dessert, my family loves it when I bake my world-famous Easy Oreo Cheesecake Bars or the always favorite Easy Double Coca-Cola Cake.