Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup {GF}

Published March 30, 2014. Updated August 21, 2019

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Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup. A hearty, warming and comforting soup made with juicy chicken, vegetables and loaded with delicious toppings. Best of all this soup is whipped up in around 30 minutes and couldn’t be easier!

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup in a white bowl with a spoon

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Since it’s starting to warm up a little I decided I better get my last good soup days in. Don’t get me wrong, I still eat soup all summer long, not quite as frequently, but it is much more enjoyable on a cold snowy day or a cloudy rainy day than it is on a hot, sunny summer day.

I think of this soup as a hybrid of two southwestern soups that I love, this Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup and this Chicken Enchilada Soup. But, this one has something neither of those do – the creaminess. Aren’t creamy soups the best? Especially when they are smothered with a generous helping of cheese.

Ingredients – What You Need

  • Chicken Breasts
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Jalapeno
  • Chicken Broth
  • Diced Tomatoes
  • Chili Powder
  • Milk
  • Masa Harina
  • Black Beans
  • Pinto Beans
  • Corn
  • Heavy Cream
  • Sour Cream

An overhead shot of Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup in a bowl topped with avocado and lime wedges at the side

The Best Toppings To Choose

  • Cheese – cheddar, Monterey Jack or your favorite cheese
  • Avocado
  • Cilantro
  • Fresh Lime Juice
  • Tortilla Chips

I made this recipe to be practically a 30 minute meal. It is made all in one pot, no cooking chicken separately or making a roux in a separate pot. This is a soup that is perfect for a weeknight meal, and it’s one that your whole family can enjoy.

Top Tip –  If you don’t like heat, reduce the amount of jalapeño, and if you love heat leave the seeds.

A close up of Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup topped with avocado

You will love this filling and deliciously satisfying Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup! It’s loaded with a whole lot of goodness. Enjoy!

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4.86 from 21 votes

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup (GF)

A hearty, warming and comforting soup made with tender chicken, fresh vegetables and loaded with delicious toppings. 
Servings: 6 servings
Prep15 minutes
Cook35 minutes
resting time5 minutes
Ready in: 50 minutes

Ingredients

For serving:

  • Shredded cheese (I used a blend of cheddar and monterey jack), sour cream, diced avocados, cilantro, lime wedges (optional), corn tortilla chips

Instructions

  • Heat canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add onion and jalapeño and saute 3 minutes, adding garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteing.
  • Add chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, paprika and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken breasts and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover pot with lid and gently boil until chicken has cooked through, about 15 minutes.
  • Remove chicken and allow to rest 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add diced tomatoes with green chilies to pot. Then, in the 2-cup liquid measuring cup used to measure milk (or a bowl), whisk together milk and masa harina until well blended.
  • Pour mixture into pot and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and thickens slightly (it won't thicken much). Dice chicken and add to pot, then add black beans, pinto beans and corn. Then stir in cream and sour cream and cook until heated through.
  • Serve warm topped with cheese, sour cream, avocados, cilantro, limes and tortilla chips.
  • *If chicken breasts are fairly thick, slices them horizontally through the thickness to create two portions. They will cook faster this way and be more tender as they'll cook more evenly.
  • **If looking to make this gluten free, be sure the masa harina you're using is labeled as gluten-free, same with the tortilla chips. Masa harina can be found in the Latin section of the grocery store.
  • Recipe Source: Cooking Classy
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup (GF)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 521 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Cholesterol 105mg35%
Sodium 405mg18%
Potassium 1331mg38%
Carbohydrates 51g17%
Fiber 12g50%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 37g74%
Vitamin A 760IU15%
Vitamin C 13.8mg17%
Calcium 196mg20%
Iron 4.7mg26%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

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194 Comments

  • Naomi

    I just finished making this and all the while my husband kept saying, “I don’t know what you’re making, but it sure smells good!” The soup has turned out wonderfully. I added half of a medium zucchini and already cooked chicken breasts as my husband had grilled some up days before. The flavor is absolutely wonderful, the chicken was seasoned with a santa fe style seasoning blend which added some smokiness to the dish. We are topping with sour cream, lime, cheese, and chips. I am saving this to my “Tried & True Recipes” board. Thanks for sharing this!

  • Jennifer

    Oh my goodness, this recipe is amazing!!!!!!!!!!! I agree with the comment above mine, I can’t imagine leaving the masa out. It just adds to the flavor. Make sure you season the salt and pepper enough I had to add some toward the end but not too much. Now I did have a few additions because I LOVE spicy soup, I added an extra jalapeño, used the hot rotel and two table spoons of cayenne. Again I love spicy stuff, I added the cayenne at the end but before I did the soup was still great. I’ll definitely be using this recipe during the fall and winter. Thank you sooo much for having this recipe Jaclyn!!!!!!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      You’re very welcome Jennifer! I’m glad you enjoyed it!

  • Jenny

    I made this tonight. It was delicious! The masa harina made the soup. I can’t imagine leaving it out. A squeeze of fresh lime juice was the perfect final touch. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

  • Claire Pickett

    I made your recipe to take to a family who needs to eat gluten free. I can’t wait for them to taste it! Muy delicioso! Definitely keeping this recipe so I can make it for my own family. The masa is what helps it to have that Mexican taste that we love. I didn’t change even one little thing and it was perfect! Thanks again!

  • Jennifer Connelly

    I decided to throw this together last night. I only had 2% milk on hand and black beans, but with a little tweaking to thicken it up a bit, it turned out amazing. I used 1 1/2 containers of broth since there were 6 of us. My 5yo refused to eat it because reasons! But the rest of us had seconds. My kids ate the last bit which left me with nothing for lunch. They all said it was a keeper for the recipe box. Will definitely be making it again.

  • Michelle Ries

    I have made many chicken tortilla soups from different recipes but yours is by far the easiest and most flavorful one yet! Absolutely love it! I haven’t even put the cheese or tortilla chips in it yet it’s so good! Thank you!

  • lisa

    Just an FYI…I just love this soup! I make it the crockpot so I leave out the oil. I am currently counting calories but still eat what I want so with that being said I figured this recipe to be about 154 calories per 8oz cup. I use 1% milk and to replace the heavy cream I use whole milk for that part. It is just fabulous!! Creamy soup that is still healthy and low calorie. Oh, and I only used about 3/3 of a pound of chicken. And I also used light sour cream.

    • Tammy

      So all you did was just omit the oil and do the substitutes for the crockpot? I want to try this but need it in a crockpot meal

  • Madison

    Made it yesterday exactly to the recipe, but I used a rotisserie chicken. Delicious! Will use more jalapenos and beans next time though :] IMO the masa really makes it so don’t leave that out (and maybe add a little extra!).

    • Madison

      Also – was surprised by how easy it was to make. I served it with some cheese quesadillas on the side. Can’t go wrong!