Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Avocado

Juicy chicken, sweet corn and a tangy broth with crisp bell peppers, onions and celery make a quick and easy chicken tortilla soup. It’s pretty perfect on its own, but adding avocado and crunchy tortilla chips on top just overdoes it!

This healthy chicken tortilla soup is brothy and bright with lime, cilantro, cumin and chili powder. There are no beans and no cream, and it cooks in one pot.

The Best Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup (No Beans)

This classic recipe and its complementing flavors and textures never get old. It’s definitely one of our family favorites. The recipe idea was inspired by AHA Healthy Family Meals.

I really am infatuated with the unique flavor of cumin and chili powder… especially when they’re united in recipes like this one and my Chicken Fiesta Soup. I purchase a large container of McCormick’s Cumin and Chili Powder so I will always have some on hand for scrumptious dinners like these. They’re two spices my kitchen does not go without.

Are you tired of me emphasizing the importance of reading ingredients? I truly apologize. I wish I could say this would be the last time. I just want you to put good things into that body of yours! I’ve read the ingredients on lots of broths and keep coming back to the brand Pacific Natural. Rich flavor, organic and free from those unnecessary additives.

A sharp eyed reader once caught that I had left the chicken amount off the recipe. I blamed my pregnancy brain and updated it right away, so you’ll find it in the card below. Well, friends, enjoy your dinner! It’s a good one.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Tortilla Soup

• Fresh and bright. Lime juice, cilantro and Roma tomatoes keep the broth light and tangy.
• Warm, smoky spice. Cumin and chili powder give it that classic tortilla soup flavor.
• Quick one pot dinner. The vegetables soften, the broth boils and the chicken simmers right in the pot.
• The best toppings. Creamy avocado and crunchy tortilla chips make every bowl feel special.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into this easy chicken tortilla soup and why each one is there. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Coconut oil or olive oil: Just a tablespoon to soften the vegetables. Either one works.
• Green bell pepper, celery and sweet onion: The flavor base of the soup. Chop them about the same size so they cook evenly and stay a little crisp.
• Minced garlic: Adds savory depth to the broth.
• Low sodium chicken broth: I use organic Pacific Natural broth for its rich flavor and simple ingredients. Low sodium lets you control the salt.
• Water: Stretches the broth so the soup isn’t too salty or heavy, and keeps it light and brothy.
• Chicken: Use 2 large chicken breasts or 6 to 7 chicken tenders, thawed and cut into 1 inch pieces. Small, even pieces cook quickly and stay juicy.
• Jalapeno: Optional. Remove the seeds for mild heat, or keep the seeds to make it spicy! Wash your hands well after chopping it.
• Roma tomatoes: Diced, keeping the seeds and juices. The juices add body and tang to the broth.
• Frozen sweet corn: No need to thaw. It adds pops of sweetness that balance the spices. Fresh corn cut off the cob works in summer, and canned corn is fine too if you drain it well first.
• Fresh cilantro: Snipped and finely chopped. It brings a fresh, herby flavor that is classic in tortilla soup.
• Fresh lime juice: Brightens the whole pot. Fresh squeezed tastes much better than bottled.
• Chili powder and ground cumin: The warm, earthy spices that make this taste like tortilla soup. Check that your jars are fresh; ground spices lose their punch after sitting in the cupboard too long.
• Avocado and tortilla chips: For topping. Slice or dice the avocado just before serving so it stays green.

How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup

1. Soften the vegetables. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil for about 1 minute. Add the bell pepper, celery, onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until the vegetables are slightly tender and the garlic is fragrant. Keep them moving with a wooden spoon so the garlic doesn’t brown.
2. Add the liquid. Pour in the chicken broth and water and bring the pot to a boil. You will see big, rolling bubbles across the whole surface.
3. Add the chicken and flavor. Stir in the chicken (2 large breasts or 6 to 7 tenders, cut into 1 inch pieces), jalapeno, tomatoes, corn, cilantro, lime juice, chili powder and cumin. The broth will turn a warm reddish color from the spices and tomatoes.
4. Simmer. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more, until the chicken is no longer pink and reaches 165°F inside. Cut into the thickest piece to check if you don’t have a thermometer.
5. Taste and adjust. Give the broth a taste and add a little more lime juice or salt if it needs it.
6. Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with avocado and tortilla chips right before eating, so the chips stay crunchy and the avocado stays fresh and green.

Ways to Customize Chicken Tortilla Soup

• Pile on the toppings. Besides avocado and tortilla chips, try a squeeze of extra lime, more chopped cilantro, a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt or a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
• Add beans. Stir in a can of drained and rinsed black or pinto beans with the corn for a heartier, more filling soup.
• Turn up the heat. Keep the jalapeno seeds, add a pinch of cayenne or use a spicier chili powder.
• Make your own chips. Cut corn tortillas into strips, toss them with a little oil and salt, and bake until crisp for fresh, crunchy toppings.

Chicken Tortilla Soup FAQs

• Is this chicken tortilla soup healthy? Yes. It is packed with vegetables, lean chicken, low sodium broth and fresh lime and cilantro, with no cream or cheese.
• Does this tortilla soup have beans? No. This is a chicken tortilla soup with no beans. You can stir in a can of drained black beans if you like.
• How do I know the chicken is done? It should reach 165°F in the thickest piece and be white all the way through, with no pink.
• Can I use rotisserie chicken? Yes. Add shredded cooked chicken in step 3 and simmer just until it is heated through.
• What can I serve with chicken tortilla soup? It is a full meal with the toppings, but a simple green salad, cornbread or quesadillas round it out nicely.
• How do I store leftovers? Cool the soup and refrigerate it within 2 hours. Eat it within 3 to 4 days and reheat to 165°F. Store the avocado and chips separately.
• Can I make it ahead? Yes. Make the soup, cool it quickly and refrigerate it, then reheat it on the stove and add the toppings just before serving.
• Can I freeze chicken tortilla soup? Yes. Freeze the soup without toppings for up to 3 months, then thaw it in the fridge and reheat until steaming.

Organic Chicken Tortilla Soup

This organic chicken tortilla soup simmers chicken, corn, tomatoes and peppers in a low sodium broth with lime, cilantro, cumin and chili powder. Top it with avocado and tortilla chips.

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Ingredients

  

• 1 Tbs coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 large green bell pepper chopped
• 2 medium ribs of celery chopped
• 1 medium sweet onion chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 32 oz organic chicken broth/stock, low-sodium
• 2 cups water
• 2 large chicken breasts or 6 to 7 chicken tenders thawed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 jalapeno remove seeds and finely chopped (optional... keep seeds to make it spicy!)
• 4 Roma tomatoes diced keeping seeds and juices
• 1 cup frozen sweet corn
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro snipped and finely chopped
• 2 Tbs fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 large avocado sliced
• Tortilla chips

Instructions

 

• In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil about 1 minute. Add bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until vegetables are slightly tender.
• Add chicken broth/stock and water. Bring to boil.
• Add chicken, jalapeno, tomatoes, corn, cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, and cumin. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for additional 5 to 7 minutes or until chicken no longer pink.
• Serve with diced avocado and tortilla chips on top.
• ~ Recipe idea inspired from AHA Healthy Family Meals.

Made this soup? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me how it turned out in the comments below. Your feedback helps other cooks, and I love hearing about your toppings.

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• Chicken Fiesta Soup
• Chicken and White Bean Soup
• Chicken Tortellini Soup
• Baked Chicken Fajitas
• Easy Guacamole Dip