Chicken Tortilla Soup

Smoky, bright, loaded Tex-Mex soup using a rotisserie chicken shortcut. Charred tortilla strips, creamy avocado, lime crema. This is the soup that tricks people into thinking you cooked all day.

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: About 17 minutes, plus bringing to a boil | Total: About 27 minutes or longer; extra time for homemade tortilla strips | Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 store rotisserie chicken (shred ~3 cups meat)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (leave seeds for heat)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 can (14 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• Juice of 2 limes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

• Avocado, diced
• Sour cream or Mexican crema
• Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
• Fresh cilantro
• Shredded cheese (Mexican blend or cotija)
• Lime wedges

Substitutions: Leftover chicken or canned chicken for the rotisserie. Pinto beans for black beans. Regular diced tomatoes + pinch of liquid smoke if no fire-roasted. Greek yogurt for sour cream.

Instructions

1. Shred the chicken — Pull meat from rotisserie chicken while it's still warm. Discard skin and bones. Set aside ~3 cups shredded meat.
2. Build the base (5 min) — Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño, cook 3-4 min until softened. Add garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder — cook 30 seconds until fragrant and toasty.
3. Simmer (10 min) — Add fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer 10 min.
4. Add chicken and lime (2 min) — Stir in shredded chicken and lime juice. Heat through to 165°F, allowing more than 1-2 minutes if needed. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
5. Load up the toppings — Ladle into bowls. Top with avocado, crema, tortilla strips, cilantro, cheese, and a lime wedge.

Chef's Tips

• Rotisserie chicken is not cheating — it's called being smart. The flavor is already built in from the seasoning and roasting.
• Char your own tortilla strips — cut corn tortillas into strips, toss with oil, bake at 400°F for 8-10 min. Way better than store-bought.
• Fire-roasted tomatoes matter — the smoky char they add is half the flavor. Don't sub regular tomatoes unless you have to.
• Freezes great — soup base freezes 3 months. Add fresh toppings after reheating.

Dietary Notes

Use gluten-free broth, chicken seasoning and tortilla chips. Cheese and crema toppings contain milk. Check ingredient labels and cross-contact information for allergies.

Safe Handling

Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers at 40°F or below, within 2 hours of preparation (1 hour above 90°F). Use within 3-4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F; bring soups and sauces to a rolling boil when reheating. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator, not on the counter.

USDA leftover handling guidance.