Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

This authentic Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup is the real deal. It takes time to do it right, but it’s worth every minute. Made with smoky chipotle chilies in adobo, fried corn tortillas for the perfect texture, and a rich, flavorful broth, it’s a deeply satisfying dish that brings bold, homemade comfort to your table.

 

Meggan’s notes

Not all chicken tortilla soups are created equal, and this one stands out with its rich, smoky depth thanks to chipotle chilies in adobo, a bold twist you don’t always find. While many versions rely on guajillo chilies (often used in authentic recipes like my Pozole Rojo), this recipe leans into that signature smoky heat for an extra layer of flavor.

The key to authentic, restaurant quality chicken tortilla soup, and one that speaks to my classically-trained chef soul, is to skip the store-bought tortilla chips. You must slice and fry tortillas yourself. It’s an extra step, but that’s the secret to the best texture and taste. My husband was born and raised in Mexico, and he swears this makes all the difference.

This homemade chicken tortilla soup isn’t complicated, but it does take time. The real magic comes from the slow-building of layers of flavor, and it’s absolutely worth the effort.

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Corn tortillas: Store-bought tortilla chips are too flimsy and bland for this soup. You can use store-bought corn tortillas, then slice and fry them yourself.
• Cilantro: Chicken tortilla soup is traditionally made with epazote, a pungent herb with wide leaves that is used in many Mexican recipes. You may find it at Mexican grocery stores or your local farmer’s market, but I usually use cilantro here because it’s easier to find. If you hate cilantro, just leave it out.
• Mexican oregano: This dried herb tastes more like marjoram than Italian oregano, and you can find it in the Hispanic food aisle at some grocery stores. Substitute Italian oregano if that’s what you have.
• Chipotle chiles: These canned chiles in adobo sauce are spicy! If you shy away from spicy food, add a small amount to start or leave them out.
• Crema: Mexican crema is a lot like sour cream in flavor but with a thinner consistency. It’s ideal for drizzling whereas sour cream is easier to dollop.

Step-by-step instructions

To fry the tortilla strips:

1. Line a plate with paper towels. Heat ¼ to ½ inch of vegetable oil in a skillet or Dutch oven (or you can use a deep fryer). When the oil reaches 350 degrees, place a few of the tortilla strips in at a time to cook. (Be careful not to overcrowd the pot.)

2. Fry the strips for just a couple of minutes, until they start to turn light brown, remove from the oil and let drain on paper towels. Set aside.

To poach the chicken:

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, bring chicken broth, 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, cilantro, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to a boil. Add chicken breasts, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked and registers 165 degrees on a digital thermometer, about 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred it into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones and skin.

3. Strain broth through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding solids. Reserve broth and set aside.

To make the soup base:

1. While the broth is simmering, adjust an oven rack to 4 to 6 inches from the heat source and preheat broiler on HIGH. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up.

2. Arrange tomatoes, remaining 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, and tomatoes on the prepared sheet. Broil until vegetables are charred and sizzling, about 15 minutes, rotating pan every 5 minutes to ensure even broiling.

3. Transfer broiled vegetables to a blender. Add chipotle pepper. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds.

4. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the empty pot and heat until shimmering over medium-high heat. Add blended tomato mixture and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is darkened and liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes.

To make the tortilla soup:

1. Stir broth into tomato soup base and simmer until flavors meld, about 15 minutes, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

2. Stir in shredded chicken. Continue to simmer until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Place a small amount of tortilla strips in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle soup over the top.

4. Serve with cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, lime, and tortilla strips, or your favorite toppings.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This recipe makes 8 cups of soup, enough for 4 hearty servings, 2 cups each.
• Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Spicy: Broil a stemmed and seeded jalapeño pepper or serrano pepper along with the onion, tomato, and garlic for extra heat.
• Leftover chicken: To use leftover cooked chicken in this soup, omit the chicken breasts and simmer the broth as directed until the aromatics are fragrant and blended. Add 4 cups of cooked shredded chicken as directed in step 2 of “To make the tortilla soup.” If you add the chicken too early, it might overcook.
• Simmering the soup base: Simmering the salsa/soup base concentrates the flavors and helps develop the smokiness of the chipotle pepper in adobo.
• Salsas: Fry up extra tortillas for an appetizer. At our house we love Chipotle Tomato Salsa (mild), Chipotle Corn Salsa (medium), Chipotle Tomatillo Salsa (medium), Chipotle Hot Salsa, Chipotle Guacamole.
• Mexican vegetable soup: Follow the recipe as written but leave out the chicken and add way more veggies! Zucchini, cubed potatoes, and corn are a good place to start. Want to make it like they do in Mexico? Add your corn still on the cob! Cut each cob into 3 or 4 chunks and add them to the pot. Or you can buy them in the freezer that size sometimes, too.
• Albondigas soup (meatball soup): Add turkey meatballs to the soup instead of shredded chicken, it’s absolutely delicious!
• Taco Soup: Made with ground beef, canned veggies, and taco seasoning, this Tex-Mex favorite is another delicious, hearty meal option.

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