Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Simmer a pot of Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe, made with fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, chicken, corn, and favorite toppings!
Friends, there’s nothing like a warm bowl of healthy tortilla soup on a chilly winter day! This lighter version of chicken tortilla soup is comforting, flavorful, and packed with delicious ingredients. Readers have been making this easy chicken tortilla soup for years, and they say the “fire roasted tomatoes” is what makes it so good. We agree!
Lighter Chicken Tortilla Soup
I love an easy soup recipe you can quickly make and simmer on the stove. Taco or tortilla soup is also a dish that everyone loves, because you can set out different toppings, and everyone makes their own. You can serve whole tortilla chips on the side, or crunch them up in a bowl for a topping!
This recipe is light, healthy, and packed with veggies and beans. In every bite there is a nice piece of shredded chicken!
Of course, the cheese is optional, but the last step before serving is you add in cheese, melt, and stir. You can also use a light cheese!
We used Cabot’s Wickedly Habanero and it’s spicy … so one option is to use a milder cheese in the soup, and then serve the spicy cheese on the side!
Why we love this soup recipe
The cheesy comfort flavors of this soup we enjoy any time of year. It’s a great recipe to have simmering on the stove for a weeknight dinner or for a casual gathering!
There is so much depth and flavor in each bowl, your guests are going to want to have a second, I promise!
We made it in our new LeCreuset Oval Dutch Oven – I’m obsessed with this new Persimmon color! [affiliate link]
You can make it on the stovetop or you can make it in the slow cooker.
If you want a fun dessert, you can make this Cinnamon Sugar Fried Flour Tortillas to serve for dessert!
Ingredients for Chicken Tortilla Soup:
- Olive oil, onion, and garlic
- Chicken broth
- Fire-roasted, diced tomatoes
- Fresh cilantro
- Black beans
- Canned or fresh corn
- Cumin and dried oregano
- Chicken breasts
- Cheese (optional, and you can use light cheese)
How do you make healthy chicken tortilla soup with rotisserie chicken?
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In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring until soft. Add to the pot the remaining soup ingredients (including whole chicken breasts if using). Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook the soup on simmer for 1 hour.
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Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and shred, and put back into the pot.
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Or at this time add rotisserie chicken if you are using. Add cheese. Cook for additional 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste!
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To serve, ladle into bowls, dividing evenly. Serve with toppings and enjoy!
Toppings to serve with the soup
Also, delicious tortilla soup toppings:
- Cheese (we used Cabot’s Wickedly Habanero or use low-fat)
- Red onion
- Cilantro
- Sour cream (use low-fat)
- Salsa
- Avocado
- Tortilla chips, crunched (optional)
Tips and substitutions:
- For more flavor (or heat), add a packet of taco seasoning.
- Add a variety of beans (chili, black, white, even chickpeas).
- Make your own tortillas to serve with the soup. Slice tortillas with a pizza cutter. Flash fry them in hot oil or bake in the oven at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Or, you can make them in the air fryer. Make sure to flip halfway through!
- Serve this healthy tortilla soup with cornbread, chips, or Frito chips.
- Whip up a giant green salad to serve with this pot of soup.
STORING/FREEZING THE SOUP:
Keep the leftover soup in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3-5 days.
It also freezes really well (read some of the comments).Just put it into an airtight container or plastic bag and keep it in the freezer for up to 4 months.
To reheat, place in a pan on the stovetop and cook until heated through, or microwave individual servings for 1 minute at a time until it reaches desired temperature.
This soup is comforting and delicious, and a great reicpe to make easy hosting!
ENJOY!
More Chicken Soup recipes to try:
Slow Cooker White Bean Basil Chicken Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
Chicken Enchilada Soup in the Instant Pot
Chicken & Bacon Sweet Potato Soup
Get the Recipe:
Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Soup ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small red onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 15 ounce cans fire-roasted, diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped, fresh cilantro
- 2 15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can corn, drained
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 whole chicken breasts, or 2-3 cups Rotisserie chicken, chopped
- 2 cups Cabot Cheese, use your favorite flavor
- Salt and pepper
Toppings (optional):
- Cheese
- Red onion
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Avocado
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes. Add to the pot the remaining soup ingredients (including whole chicken breasts if using). Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook the soup on simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and shred, and put back into the pot. Or at this time add rotisserie chicken if you are using. Add 2 cups of cheese. Cook for additional 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste!
- To serve, ladle into bowls, dividing evenly. Serve with toppings and enjoy!
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I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Does it need to simmer for 1 hour if you are using rotisserie chicken?
You can (good flavor) but you can do less time if chicken is already cooked.
I have made this twice, once with chicken and once with turkey, delicious either way.
I added a packet of taco seasoning, just like you said, it turned out great! I love the extra flavor it brings to my favorite chicken tortilla soup. Incredibly delicious!
I made this for my boyfriend and I and he couldn’t stop raving about it! It’s my first Winter in Michigan and I know I’ll be making this recipe at least a few more times!
One of our favorite winter soups! So delicious! Turns out wonderful every time!
You are right, there’s so much depth of flavor in this soup – delicious! Next time I’m going to double up and freeze some.
Those roasted tomatoes were my favorite part of this recipe and the cheese on top made it perfect! Thank you so much for sharing.
I’ve made this delicious recipe… it freezes well and I’m ready to make another batch
So delicious!!! Easy and flavourful will def make again. I added a jalepeno, celery and bell pepper to mine and it was a big hit.
Can you freeze the leftovers?
I haven’t tried freezing the soup. Let me know if you tried it, Cindy!
Love this easy to make, delicious soup. Made it for my first fall soup on a chilly, rainy day today.
I made this!!! It is sooo good! This recipe is ridiculously easy. I had gone shopping the day before and made sure I had all the ingredients. I even got extra so that if this recipe turned out I could make it in a snap if we were too tired to make dinner one night and wanted to avoid getting takeout. Lo and behold the next day turned out to be one of those days. This was so easy to make it literally took us like 1015 minutes. And it turned out so good. It’s so easy to have most of the ingredients on hand to whip up a quick meal. Thank you so much!!!!!
This soup warmed us up on a frigid snow day, yum! I only had plain canned diced tomatoes, but can’t wait to try this recipe again with fire roasted! The fire roasted probably add a nice depth to the flavor. I mistakenly added the cheese with all of the other ingredients and it didn’t ruin it. A slight amount of cheese burned on the bottom of pot, but didn’t cause any burnt taste. Next time I will wait until chicken is cooked and shredded to add cheese. I also added a small can of diced jalapenos for some added flavor and heat. This recipe is sure to be a staple in our house! Thanks for sharing!
I added a packet of taco seasoning mix and it REALLY added a great flavor!!!
Do you have to use the cheese ?
Not at all!
Can you make this in a crockpot?
Yes you can! I don’t have the specific directions, but it would be great.
I made it in the crockpot and it took 2 and 1/2 hours on high! It was perfect! I make this meal all the time in the fall/winter and it makes a good 6-8 servings.
Quick easy recipe. We really enjoyed it. My 4 year old asked for seconds.
This recipe looks so delicious! I’m with you; enjoy the slow. No need to rush into a hectic life. I truly have enjoyed the stay at home edict in Ohio.
What size cans of tomato’s did you use?
I added … 15. oz cans (regular size). Enjoy!