Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup is hearty and filling, made with chicken breast slow cooked in a seasoned tomato base and shredded with peppers, black beans, and corn, then topped with crispy tortilla chips, cilantro, and lime juice!
This Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup is the perfect comfort food for chilly days. It’s a quick and easy version, made with chicken breast slow cooked in a savory tomato broth with peppers, onions, crushed tomatoes, black beans, corn, and spices. You can serve this with corn tortillas you fry yourself on the stovetop, or crushed tortilla chips if you’re in a rush.
If you loved this recipe, you might also love this Slow Cooker Chicken Soup, or this Easy Black Bean Soup!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy to Make – This slow cooker version is really easy to throw together, because the slow cooker does most of the work! Just set-it-and-forget-it, then come back to a cozy meal for dinner!
Nourishing and Filling – This soup has everything you need for a complete dinner! Protein from the chicken, veggies, fiber-rich beans, it’s hearty without being heavy and the perfect balanced dinner.
Perfect for Busy Days – We love to make this recipe for busy days or meal prepping because we can throw everything into the slow cooker and come back later with meal prep containers!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chicken. I’m using boneless skinless chicken breast for this recipe, because they cook and shred really well when made in the slow cooker. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Onion. I like to use Vidalia onions because they add a little bit of sweetness to the recipe. You can also use a white or yellow onion.
Peppers. This recipe uses a mixture of bell peppers and poblano peppers. If you want this to be spicy, use a jalapeno pepper as well. You can also try adding canned green chiles.
Chicken Broth. This recipe works with regular chicken broth, chicken stock, or vegetable broth.
Beans. I like to add canned black beans for this recipe, because they add a good amount of fiber that helps keep the soup hearty and satisfying.
I’m also using canned beans because they’re already fully cooked. Dried beans won’t have time to cook correctly in this recipe.
Corn. I use either canned or frozen corn. This adds some sweetness that is a nice contrast to the other savory notes in the soup.
Tomatoes. I’m using canned crushed tomatoes. This gives you a really smooth and rich tomato broth, with little pieces of tomato in the soup, too.
You can also use canned diced tomatoes for bigger pieces, or fire-roasted tomatoes for flavor. Just check that they’re gluten free, depending on the brand.
If you want a richer broth you can add some tomato sauce, or mix tomato paste with some of the broth until you get the right consistency.
Fresh Lime Juice. Adding a squeeze of lime juice at the end adds a really nice bright flavor that balances out the savory notes of the peppers. Try serving this with extra lime wedges at the table.
Spices. We’re adding a few regular pantry spices for flavor, like garlic powder, ground cumin, chili powder, and dried oregano. Add kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste.
If you’re really short on time, you can also add taco seasoning instead of individual spices. Check out my homemade taco seasoning recipe!
Cilantro. Wait until the end of the recipe to add the fresh cilantro for the best flavor. You can also set some cilantro out at the table so people can add some themselves.
Kitchen Tools
For this crock pot chicken tortilla soup recipe, you’ll need a 6-7 quart slow cooker.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker, then add the onion, peppers, crushed tomatoes, black beans, corn, and spices.
Pour the chicken broth on top of everything and place the lid onto the slow cooker.
Cook on High for 3-4 hours, or on Low for 7-8 hours, or until the chicken breast is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork.
Remove the chicken into a separate bowl. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then add it back into the slow cooker.
Add the lime juice and cilantro to the soup and stir everything together. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
Recipe Variations
- Make this crock-pot soup extra spicy by adding jalapeno, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes.
- Make this vegetarian by leaving the chicken out, using vegetable broth, and adding extra beans and veggies like green beans, zucchini, spinach, or cubed sweet potato.
- Add heavy cream, cream cheese, sour cream, or half and half for a creamy chicken tortilla soup.
- Stir in shredded cheddar, Monterey jack, or pepper jack shredded cheese for a cheesy version.
- Swap the chicken for group beef for a beef version. Brown it and drain the grease before adding to the slow cooker.
Recipe Tip! This soup is great with extra toppings! Try adding some avocado and sour cream, or greek yogurt for a lighter version. You can also serve this with lime wedges, fresh cilantro, pico de gallo, shredded cheddar cheese, queso fresco, or green onions.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to make homemade tortilla strips, all you need is corn tortillas and vegetable oil. Use a small skillet and add the vegetable oil or avocado oil until it just covers the bottom, and heat over medium-high heat.
Cut the corn tortillas into thin strips, and fry for about 30 seconds, or until they’re crispy and golden brown. Remove the crispy tortilla strips with a slotted spoon onto a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Optionally, you can top them with some salt before they cool down.
Recipe Tip! Instead of adding the chicken in the beginning, add everything else and cook until the veggies are soft. Then shred a rotisserie chicken and add it into the soup long enough to warm up before eating.
More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes
- Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup
- Slow Cooker Potato Soup
- Crockpot Corn Chowder
- Slow Cooker Kale Bean & Sausage Soup
Storage
Refrigerate crockpot chicken tortilla soup for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Freeze leftover chicken tortilla soup for 2-3 months in a freezer-safe container.
Cooking Tips
- Use boneless, skinless chicken breast because it will be a lot easier to shred at the end.
- Try not to open the slow cooker until the time is up. Every time you open the crockpot, some heat escapes and this increases the cooking time. This goes for all slow cooker recipes.
- If you want a thicker soup, you can use an immersion blender to blend about half of the soup before adding the chicken back in after shredding it.
- Add your tortilla chips on top of the soup as you’re serving it, or they’ll get soggy.
- If the soup turns out too spicy from any added spicy ingredients, you can balance it out with a splash of cream, which will also give you a creamy version!
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Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 3 chicken breasts
- 1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 1 large can
- 4 cups chicken broth, low sodium, gluten free
- 2 medium poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper, any color, seeded and chopped
- 15 ounces canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 14 ounces canned corn, rinsed and drained
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips, or to taste
Equipment
- 1 6-7 quart slow cooker
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker, then add the onion, peppers, crushed tomatoes, black beans, corn, and spices. Pour the chicken broth on top of everything and place the lid onto the slow cooker.
- Cook on High for 3-4 hours, or on Low for 7-8 hours, or until the chicken breast is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork. Remove the chicken into a separate bowl. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then add it back into the slow cooker.
- Add the lime juice and cilantro to the soup and stir everything together. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
Notes
- Use boneless, skinless chicken breast because it will be a lot easier to shred at the end.
- Try not to open the slow cooker until the time is up. Every time you open the crockpot, some heat escapes and this increases the cooking time. This goes for all slow cooker recipes.
- Add your tortilla chips on top as you’re serving it, or they’ll get soggy.
Nutrition
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