Chicken Tortilla Soup
A bright, savory soup of shredded rotisserie chicken, black beans, corn, and fire-roasted tomatoes in a well-seasoned broth, finished with crispy tortilla strips and melty cheese.
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups finely chopped yellow onion (1 small)
- 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and minced (1/4 cup)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 (32 oz) carton Swanson Chicken Broth
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (breast and thigh meat)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 oz corn tortilla strips, or tortilla chips slightly crushed, for topping
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, for topping
- Diced avocado, for topping (optional)
- Sour cream, for topping (optional)
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and minced jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 7 minutes until they've softened and turned translucent but haven't taken on much color.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and let them cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. This brief toasting step wakes up the spices' oils and builds a deeper base flavor before the liquid goes in.
- Pour in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and frozen corn. Bring the mixture up to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes so the flavors meld and the corn heats through.
- Stir in the shredded chicken, black beans, cilantro, and lime juice, letting everything warm through together for a minute or two. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed — the broth and canned ingredients vary in saltiness, so it's worth adjusting at this stage rather than earlier.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a handful of tortilla strips, a sprinkle of shredded cheese, and diced avocado or a dollop of sour cream if you're using them. Serve right away while the tortilla strips are still crisp.
Chef's Note: Using rotisserie chicken is what keeps this soup genuinely quick without cutting corners on flavor — the meat is already cooked and well-seasoned, so all the work goes into building a well-balanced broth rather than babysitting raw chicken. Toasting the chili powder and cumin briefly in the pot before adding any liquid makes a real difference here, coaxing out more depth from the spices than simply stirring them into the broth would.
If you'd rather keep things mild, swap the jalapeno for 1/2 cup of chopped bell pepper — or go the other way and leave the seeds in, or add a second jalapeno, if you like more heat. The soup keeps well in the fridge for a few days and freezes nicely on its own; just hold off on adding the tortilla strips, cheese, and any avocado or sour cream until you're ready to serve so they stay fresh and crisp.
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