Chicken Tortilla Soup
This creamy and comforting Chicken Tortilla Soup is a Mexican-inspired meal that's easy to make with your pressure cooker, Crock Pot or stove! It's full of bright veggies, fresh herbs and flavorful spices, then topped off with crunchy grain-free tortilla chips.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil olive oil or ghee (if not dairy-free)
- 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
- 2 medium red bell peppers diced
- 1 tsp. fine sea salt plus more to taste
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
- 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 lb cooked and shredded boneless skinless chicken breasts use leftover/pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken. Leave out for vegan or sub with plant-based chopped chicken or shredded jackfruit. We like the options provided by Abbot's Butcher, Upton Naturals and The Jackfruit Company.
- 2 medium zucchini chopped
- 1 28-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 3-4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or homemade broth or more depending on thickness desired. Sub with vegetable broth/stock for vegan.
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish
- Juice of 1 lime
- gluten-free tortilla strips or grain-free tortilla chips
Toppings of Choice
- Diced avocado
- sliced jalapeno
- lime wedges
- diced red onions
- dairy-free sour cream/coconut cream or regular sour cream if not dairy-free
Instructions
Stovetop Method
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Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onions, bell peppers and pinch of salt. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant and slightly tender.
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Add the garlic, green chilies along with all of the seasonings and spices. Cook for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in the chicken, zucchini, fire-roasted tomatoes and chicken broth (starting with 3 cups and adding more as needed), and stir until well combined.
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Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low to simmer, for about 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste, adding more salt, seasonings or lime juice, to taste.
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When ready to serve, ladle into a bowl, garnish with more cilantro, and serve with extra lime wedges, jalapeno, diced avocado, a dollop of dairy-free sour cream, tortilla strips, chopped onions or other toppings of choice.
Crock Pot Method
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Sauté the onions in a nonstick pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and pinch of salt. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant and slightly tender. Add the garlic, green chilies along with all of the seasonings and spices.
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Then transfer to a large 5-6 quart slow cooker. Stir in the chicken, zucchini, fire-roasted tomatoes and chicken broth (starting with 3 cups and adding more as needed), and stir until well combined.
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Cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
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Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste, adding more salt, seasonings or lime juice, to taste.
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When ready to serve, ladle into a bowl, garnish with more cilantro, and serve with extra lime wedges, jalapeno, diced avocado, a dollop of dairy-free sour cream/coconut cream, grain-free tortilla strips, chopped onions or other toppings of choice.
Instant Pot Method
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Sauté the onions in the inner pot of the pressure cooker for 2-3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and pinch of salt. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant and slightly tender.
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Add the garlic, green chilies along with all of the seasonings and spices. Stir in the chicken, zucchini, fire-roasted tomatoes and chicken broth (starting with 3 cups and adding more as needed), and stir until well combined.
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Place lid on Instant Pot, turn vent to SEALING position, and hit MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK / HIGH for 6 minutes. The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to reach pressure. Allow a 10-minute natural release, then do a gradual quick release to release remaining pressure.
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When pin drops, open lid, stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste, adding more salt, seasonings or lime juice, to taste.
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When ready to serve, ladle into a bowl, garnish with more cilantro, and serve with extra lime wedges, jalapeno, diced avocado, a dollop of dairy-free sour cream/coconut cream, grain-free tortilla strips, chopped onions or other toppings of choice.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- To Store: Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat: Set soup over medium-low heat until warmed. Do not let it boil. Alternatively, reheat individual servings in the microwave, covered, for 15-second bursts until warm.
- To Freeze: Freeze cooled soup in an airtight container, leaving an inch or two of free space to allow for expansion. Within 3 months, thaw it overnight in the fridge, reheat it and enjoy.