Description
This Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup is a hearty and flavorful slow cooker recipe perfect for a comforting meal. Tender chicken breast is slow-cooked with a blend of taco seasoning, green chiles, black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes, then enriched with Mexican cheese and heavy cream for a luscious finish. Serve with crispy tortilla chips or air-fried tortilla strips and fresh cilantro for an authentic Mexican-inspired soup that’s easy to make and sure to please a crowd.
Ingredients
Soup Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup taco seasoning (or one taco seasoning packet)
- 4 oz. can diced green chiles (mild or hot)
- 15.5 oz. can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 15.25 oz. can whole kernel corn (drained)
- 4 cups chicken broth
Finishing Ingredients
- 2 cups grated Mexican cheese blend
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Tortilla chips or 6 corn tortillas (cut into strips and crisped by air frying or baking)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro (for garnish)
- Optional: sliced avocado (for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken in Slow Cooker: Place frozen or thawed chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker to form the soup base.
- Add Seasoning: Sprinkle the taco seasoning evenly over the chicken breasts to infuse them with flavorful spices.
- Add Vegetables and Beans: Spread the diced green chiles, rinsed black beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, and drained corn over the chicken and seasoning.
- Pour Broth: Slowly pour in the chicken broth to cover all ingredients, ensuring the soup has enough liquid to cook properly.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, allowing the chicken to cook through and flavors to meld.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred them using two forks for tender texture.
- Return and Enrich Soup: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Add the grated Mexican cheese and heavy cream, stirring gently to combine.
- Final Cook: Continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour on HIGH, stirring occasionally until the cheese is melted and the soup thickens slightly.
- Prepare Tortilla Strips: Add tortilla chips directly to the soup during the final cooking stage or prepare fresh tortilla strips by cutting corn tortillas into strips and crisping them in an air fryer or oven. For air frying, spray strips with non-stick spray and cook at 400°F for about 5 minutes, shaking halfway through.
- Serve: Ladle the creamy chicken tortilla soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, crispy tortilla strips or chips, and avocado slices if desired. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Using frozen chicken breasts is convenient and works well; just adjust cooking times if necessary.
- Taco seasoning can be store-bought or homemade for control over sodium and spice level.
- If preferred, use reduced-fat cheese and cream to lower fat content.
- Crisping fresh tortillas in the air fryer or oven adds a fresh crunch to the soup.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
