This Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is packed with flavor and topped with the easiest homemade crispy tortilla strips! It tastes like it’s been simmering all day, but is ready in under an hour.
Friday night is Mexican night at the Debth household. Whether it’s going out to eat at our favorite local restaurant, getting something delivered, or making our own spread, Friday night is ALWAYS Mexican night.
After one bite of this chicken tortilla soup, Friday night Mexican night, might be changed to Friday night chicken tortilla soup night. 😉
Ingredients
This tortilla soup is quick, easy, and loaded with good for you ingredients.
- Onion, garlic, carrots, celery – I use this base for pretty much every soup recipe. It adds flavor and bonus: veggies are good for you!
- Jalapeno – Feel free to omit, but this adds a nice level of spice to the soup.
- Canned tomatoes – Use diced tomatoes for the best texture.
- Canned green chiles – are classic in a Mexican based soup.
- Chicken breasts – are perfect for this dish and remain very tender.
- Red bell pepper – adds a little more veg and a touch of sweetness.
- Chicken broth – is the base of our chicken tortilla soup and adds much more flavor than water.
- Enchilada sauce – adds creaminess and flavor.
- Spices – salt, cumin, chili powder, oregano, paprika. All pretty common in Mexican inspired cooking.
- Black beans – help to bulk up the soup and add texture. Feel free to use pinto if that’s what you have on hand.
- Corn – adds texture and sweetness!
- Lime juice – brightens the whole dish up. Don’t skip it!
How to make crispy tortilla strips
You can’t have tortilla soup without crispy tortilla strips. Trust me when I say that homemade is better than using store-bought tortilla chips. This step is worth the extra super minimal effort. Luckily for all of us, you only need two ingredients and a few minutes:
- Pour grapeseed oil into the instant pot. Hit the sauté button. Once it reads hot, add in some of the strips.
- Cook until golden (3-5 minutes), remove with a slotted spoon, place onto a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.
How to make chicken tortilla soup in the instant pot
I love this chicken tortilla soup, because it’s all made in ONE pot. The instant pot makes this process so quick and easy.
- Set the instant pot to the saute function. Once it reads “hot”, add in olive oil, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and jalapeno.
- Add the diced tomato, green chilies, chicken breasts, bell pepper, broth, enchilada sauce and spices. Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes, then quick release.
- Shred chicken with two forks.
- Stir in the black beans, corn, and lime juice. Taste and re-season if necessary. Garnish and enjoy!
Other methods of cooking
If you don’t have an instant pot, have no fear, check out these other recipes instead:
What to serve with instant pot chicken tortilla soup
This tortilla soup is a meal on it’s own, but if you’re looking to stretch the soup a bit longer, here are some complimentary side dishes:
- Guacamole – serve with chips
- Pico de gallo – serve with chips
- Easy black beans
- Mexican rice
- Chili lime vinaigrette – make a leafy green salad with this dressing!
How to store
You can enjoy the tortilla soup immediately or save it for later in the fridge or freezer. This chicken tortilla soup freezes really well!
Refrigerator: place completely cooked and cooled soup in a sealed tupperware container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat: place soup into a microwave safe bowl and heat until warm.
Freezer: place completely cooked and cooled soup in a sealed tupperware container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat: thaw in the fridge overnight, then place soup into a microwave safe bowl and heat until warm.
Crispy tortilla strips: these are best served immediately, but can be placed in a sealed tupperware container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Do not store with the soup or they’ll become soggy.
– Jennifer
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
Crispy Tortilla Strips
- 1 cup grapeseed oil
- 8 corn tortillas cut into strips
- salt to taste
Tortilla Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 jalapeno diced (omit if you don’t like spice)
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes drained
- 4 oz can mild green chilies
- 2 pounds chicken breasts
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 19 oz can enchilada sauce
- 1 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 15 oz can corn rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup lime juice
Recipe Video
Instructions
Crispy Tortilla Strips
- Line a large plate with paper towels. Set aside.
- Pour grapeseed oil into instant pot, then hit the sauté button.
- Once the instant pot reads “hot”, carefully place in some of the strips.
- Cook until golden, about 3-5 minutes, using a fork/spoon, etc to keep the strips from sticking together/onto the bottom of the instant pot.
- Remove with a slotted spoon, place onto the prepared plate and immediately sprinkle with salt.
- Repeat with remaining tortilla strips.
- Dump out the excess oil before moving onto the soup portion of the recipe.
Tortilla Soup
- Hit the sauté button on the instant pot.
- Once it reads “hot’, add in olive oil, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and jalapeno. Cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Hit OFF on the instant pot.
- Stir in diced tomatoes, green chilies, chicken breasts, bell pepper, broth, enchilada sauce and spices: salt, cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, and paprika.
- Place the lid onto the IP (make sure valve is pointing to sealing) and set the Instant pot to pressure cook on high for 12 minutes.
- The instant pot will beep when it’s done.
- Flip the valve for a quick release.
- Shred chicken with two forks, stir in the black beans, corn, and lime juice.
- Taste and re-season if necessary.
- Garnish with whatever you’d like and enjoy!
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Notes
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.