Spicy chicken tortilla soup is filled with vibrant flavors that blend perfectly together to make a comforting and satisfying bowl of soup. It can be made on top of the stove, in a pressure cooker or slow cooker. It’s gluten-free and you can also make this soup vegetarian.
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A Spicy Soup Recipe
Spicy chicken tortilla soup is packed with flavor and can be on the table in less than one hour when it’s made in a pressure cooker.
This soup has the perfect balance of healthy and wholesome ingredients like chicken, juicy tomatoes, spicy jalapenos, black beans and corn that all blend so well together. The chicken is cooked in the soup which adds a ton of flavor and saves time.
A hearty bowl of chicken tortilla soup is perfect for a quick and healthy dinner. We like to serve it with a side salad like this loaded chopped salad. Don’t forget the toppings! Our favorites are crushed tortilla chips, with slices of avocado and a spoonful of Greek Yogurt and shredded cheese.
Here is what you will need to make this spicy soup: boneless chicken breasts, water, diced tomatoes, corn,red bell pepper, green bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, black beans, fresh cilantro, and a pressure cooker, slow cooker or soup pot.
Here is How to Make Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup
In a Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot -The most flavorful method!
- Set the pressure cooker to saute
- Place the chicken, onions, peppers, garlic and seasonings into the pressure cooker and saute
- Add the tomatoes, corn and water
- Set the pressure cooker to medium pressure for 15 minutes
- Quick release and carefully remove the top remove the chicken and shred it
- Stir in the beans and cilantro
- Cover and leave on warm heat
- Just before serving add the lime juice
Slow Cooker Method
- Place the chicken, water, tomatoes, garlic onions,peppers,corn and seasonings into a slow cooker and cook.
- Once chicken is cooked through, remove it from the slow cooker and shred it.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker along with the beans and cook for one hour longer
- Add the lime juice and cilantro and serve
On Top of the Stove
- Heat the oil in over medium heat
- Saute the chicken, garlic, onions bell peppers and seasonings until veggies begin to soften
- Add the jalapeno, tomatoes and corn and stir
- Add the chicken and cold water and bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
- Remove the chicken and shred it and add back to soup
- Add the beans, cilantro and lime juice
Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup Tips and Variations
Freeze it
Store soup leftovers in a glass freezer safe container and freeze it. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight and re-heat it on top of the stove for best results.
Make a Vegetarian Version
Leave out the chicken, add an extra cup of black beans and substitute vegetable broth for the water for a flavorful vegetarian/vegan version.
Adjust the flavors
For a Mild version if you don’t like spice, no problem! Just leave out the jalapeno pepper or use just 1 half of the jalapeno pepper.
If you use no salt added or low sodium tomatoes you may need to add sea salt before serving
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Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup - Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker or Stove-Top
Spicy chicken tortilla soup is filled with vibrant flavors that blend perfectly together to make a comforting and satisfying bowl of soup. This recipe includes stove-top, pressure cooker, and slow cooker instructions as well as a vegetarian option.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon of olive or avocado oil - for pressure and stove-top methods
- ¾ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 cups cold water
- 1 ½ cups diced tomatoes
- 1 cup frozen organic corn
- 1 diced red or yellow bell pepper
- 1 diced green bell pepper
- 1 jalapeno pepper small dice – optional
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons oregano
- 2 15 ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- The juice of one fresh lime
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
Pressure Cooker Method
- Set the pressure cooker to saute
- Place the oil, chicken, onions, peppers, garlic and seasonings into the pressure cooker and saute until vegetables start to soften and chicken is slightly golden on the outside
- Add the tomatoes, corn and water
- Cover and set the pressure cooker to medium pressure for 15 minutes
- Quick release the pressure cooker and carefully remove the top; remove the chicken and shred it
- Stir in the beans; cover and allow beans to heat through
- Just before serving add the lime juice and cilantro
- Adjust flavor with sea salt
Slow Cooker Method
- Place chicken through oregano into a slow cooker and cook on low for at least 4 hours
- Remove chicken and shred and return back to slow cooker
- Add the beans and cook for one hour longer
- Add the fresh cilantro and lime juice just before serving
- Adjust Flavor with sea salt
Stove Top Method
- Heat the oil in over medium heat
- Saute the chicken, garlic, onions bell peppers and seasonings until veggies begin to soften
- Add the jalapeno, tomatoes and corn and stir
- Add the chicken and cold water and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
- Remove the chicken and shred it and add it back to the soup
- Add the beans, cilantro and lime juice and serve
- Adjust flavor with sea salt
Notes
For a vegetarian version, leave out the chicken and replace the water with vegetable broth
For a Mild version if you don't like spice, no problem! Just leave out the jalapeno pepper or use just 1 half of the jalapeno pepper.
If you use no salt added or low sodium tomatoes you may need to add sea salt before serving
Nutrition information is provided by Nutrifox, an online calculator and is meant to be used for informational purposes only. Even though I try to provide accurate information, these figures should still be considered as estimates.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 ½ cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 309mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 3gSugar: 12gProtein: 29g
Nutrition information is provided by an online calculator and is meant to be used for informational purposes only. Even though I try to provide accurate information, these figures should still be considered as estimates.
Made this recipe and it turned out so well! Very excited for the leftovers 🙂
So yummy!! It was simple to make and the flavors were top notch! We used pinto beans and threw out all the usual taco accompaniments so everyone could personalize!
Well you have ALL the methods covered. Homemade soup is the BEST. This sounds and looks delicious. I know my family would love it for dinner any night of the week.
Tortilla soup is one of my favorites!! I’ve never tried to make tortilla soup in the instant pot but now I have to!! Your soup not only looks delicious but hearty and chockful of flavor!!
This looks like such a hearty and wholesome soup! Love all the Mexican flavors you have packed into it!
This looks packed with all the delicious and bold flavors! Can’t wait to try it out. Thanks for including all the different methods to cook it!
I do love a good chicken soup and particulalry with a bit of spice! This was delicious – so much flavour!
This was so good! I love how easy it is to make in the pressure cooker.
Love all the veggies and spices sneaked in here! Sounds perfect for those last chilly days of spring.
This looks so hearty and filling and so easy since you can use the Instant Pot!
yummmm this is one of my favourite flavours of soup. I love your choice ingredients and that you have given us three different methods to cook it!
YUM! This is everything you want in a soup. So many flavors makes it so satisfying!
Tortilla soup is one of my favorites! Especially when spicy:)
The flavor is perfect with the fresh cilantro and lime juice! Yum!
Chicken tortilla soup is always so good! And I love that you gave options for stovetop, slow cooker and pressure cooker too!
This soup looks absolutely wonderful! I love that it can be made with so many different vessels. Thank you for all the options. You never know where your day will have taken you come dinnertime 😉
I am always looking for new slow cooker recipes, especially for chicken tortilla ! One of my winter favorites when you live so deep in the north like I do. Looking forward to tryin this tasty one 🙂
I love tortilla soup as it’s perfect for cozy lazy evenings. Plus, I am trying to use my Instant Pot more often now, so it will be great to make this soup in it!
You totally had me at ‘spicy’. I’m so happy to see this soup, i love tortilla soup and I love instant pot soups, so this is just perfect for me. Love the veggie load here and all the spices to pack the flavors..YUM
Love the three options for making this chicken tortilla soup that you give in this recipe. I know mine is going to be pressure cooked! It looks heavenly!
Can’t wait to try this in the IP for Cinco De Mayo! So tasty & colorful!