Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Print Version)

Comforting soup with chicken, beans, corn, and creamy cheddar finish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
05 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
06 - 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chilies

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups low sodium chicken broth

→ Dairy

08 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed

→ Spices and Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnishes

15 - Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
16 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Lime wedges
18 - Extra shredded cheddar cheese
19 - Sliced jalapeños

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
02 - Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add corn, black beans, Rotel tomatoes, chicken broth, and shredded chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
04 - Stir in cream cheese cubes until melted and fully incorporated into the soup.
05 - Add shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips, cilantro, lime wedges, extra cheese, or jalapeños as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been simmering it all day, but you can have it ready in less time than a movie.
  • The cream cheese and cheddar create this luxurious, velvety texture that makes weeknight soup feel special.
  • Whether you use a stovetop or slow cooker, it adapts to your life instead of demanding yours.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, which means one cooking session feeds you twice.
02 -
  • Don't skip blooming your spices in the hot oil—it's the difference between this tasting like actual food versus like you dumped spice packets into chicken broth.
  • Add the cheeses off the heat or on very low heat; high heat can make them separate and split, leaving you with greasy pockets instead of smooth creaminess.
  • Rotel tomatoes are specific enough that substituting regular diced tomatoes will change the entire personality of the soup—the green chilies are doing heavy lifting here.
03 -
  • Keep your cream cheese and cheddar at room temperature before stirring them in—cold cheese takes longer to melt and is more likely to lump up instead of creating that silky finish.
  • Use low sodium broth so you can taste and adjust salt yourself; canned broth is already pretty salty and you can't un-salt something once it's in.
  • Rotel tomatoes come in different heat levels—try the original if you want balanced flavor, or grab the hot version if your household likes that kick built in from the start.
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