Tortilla Soup

One bite of this tortilla soup, and you'll think it has been simmering all day. But the secret is, it's ready in just about one hour.

Thanks to several high-flavor ingredients, like fire-roasted tomatoes and a handful of roasted, toasty spices, flavor builds quickly. That gets this tortilla soup on the dinner table quickly, and it also prevents the chicken from drying out or turning tough.

Create a DIY soup buffet by putting out a selection of toppings with the soup. Folks can mix and match to their personal favorites, like sour cream, pickled jalapeños, or fresh radish slices. One thing you can't skip: the homemade cornbread.

Ingredients for Tortilla Soup

This recipe for tortilla soup requires more than 20 ingredients, but most are affordable and easily accessible—and many are probably in your spice cabinet, pantry, or freezer right now.

You'll need:

• Olive oil: For cooking the chicken and vegetables.
• Boneless and skinless chicken breasts: For tender protein.
• Red onion: You can use yellow if you want.
• Green bell pepper: Adds body to the soup, along with the peppers and onion.
• Jalapeno: You can omit if you want. It cooks down a bit and provides more of a background note of heat.
• Garlic cloves: Like onions, adds a background flavor for the whole soup.
• Tomato paste: Intense umami flavor.
• Frozen corn: Cooks and heats up easily in the soup.
• Fire-roasted tomatoes: You don't have to use this kind—regular diced tomatoes will work—but it adds a wonderful smokiness for quick flavor.
• Black beans and kidney beans: Both add good body and texture. You can use any variety of beans you like.
• Chicken stock: You can use vegetable stock if you have it.
• Masa harina: This corn flour helps thicken the soup without long hours of simmering.
• Cilantro and lime: Both are added at the end for a bright burst of freshness.

For the spices, gather kosher salt, black pepper, chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika.

Select any garnishes you wish, including options like Jack cheese, tortilla strips, and hot sauce.

If you like a creamy tortilla soup, try Martina McBride's recipe.

How To Make Tortilla Soup

Some tortilla soup recipes have you simmering a pot of soup all day. But not this one. This easy tortilla soup is ready in less than an hour, which makes it perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Here's a brief outline of the recipe; the full recipe is further below.

• Step 1. Cook chicken: Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and chili powder before adding it to a preheat pot with oil. Cover the pot, and cook until the underside of the chicken is browned. Then flip over the chicken and keep cooking it until the interior temperature of the thickest portion registers 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a plate, but do not clean the pot.
• Step 2. Cook aromatics: To the pot, add more oil, then onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic. Cook until the veggies have softened. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, cayenne, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and chili powder until blended and cook for about a minute more.
• Step 3. Add stock and beans: Add the stock, tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, and corn. Stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cook for about 15 more minutes until the veggies are tender.
• Step 4. Shred chicken: While that's cooking, shred the chicken into pieces.
• Step 5. Make slurry: Whisk together warm water and masa harina in a bowl. Stir the masa mixture and the chicken into the soup, and cook until thickened.
• Step 6. Finish, and serve: Take the soup off the heat, and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. For serving, garnish the soup with cheese, tortilla strips, hot sauce, lime wedges, and more chopped cilantro—or any combination of toppings you choose. (Or let each person at the table choose their own according to preference.)

Is Tortilla Soup Really Mexican?

Tortilla soup is an authentically Mexican dish with roots in the area around Mexico City. This one is adapted slightly to convenience ingredients.

How Do You Thicken Up Tortilla Soup?

Masa is a common thickening agent for chili. It's also used in tamales. Adding masa in increments will thicken up your tortilla soup.

You can also thicken tortilla soup by adding more ingredients such as beans, chicken, and veggies, which will give the dish a heartier presentation with a lower ratio of liquid. Loading up on the toppings can help bulk up the soup as well.

What Does Tortilla Soup Taste Like?

This tortilla soup has a saucy tomato base—pleasantly hearty and stew-like. Cooking the chicken first in a covered pot keeps it juicy and texture-rich. The red onions, bell pepper, garlic, add texture, color, and aromatics. The fresh cilantro and lime add an acidic zing, and the corn adds both color to the soup and a sweetness that balances the acidity of the diced tomatoes.

How To Store Tortilla Soup

Keep leftover soup in an airtight container up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through, and garnish with your favorite toppings.

Can You Freeze Tortilla Soup?

Yes, tortilla soup is a great make-ahead dinner for a meal later on. Once cooked, let the tortilla soup cool slightly, before putting it in the freezer. Store up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat in a sauce pan on the stove, adding stock if it's too thick. Then garnish, and serve.

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.