Betsy and I love to cook and eat together, and you never know what direction we'll take in the kitchen. On some visits, we do nothing but bake cookies. Other times, we cook up stir-fry recipes or a full spread of easy appetizers. Once, we tried to master bread. And then there are days when we simply make penne à la Betsy and sip wine.
The visit that inspired this dish was all about the slow cooker. I have to point out that Bets and I did not grow up in a slow cooker house. Our mom was a great cook and made hearty, homey food, but she just didn't routinely use a slow cooker. So it’s fun to figure out these things together! This chicken tortilla soup (inspired by my classic chicken tortilla soup recipe) is what we decided to make. This is one of my favorite kinds of slow cooker recipes (and soup recipes, for that matter) in that it requires no precooking or sautéing or browning. You literally throw everything in, turn it on, then go live your life until it's done.
This recipe makes a generous amount, so it’s perfect for feeding a crowd. Set out your favorite Tex-Mex fixings—like sour cream, cilantro, avocado, crushed tortilla chips, and cheese—then let everyone build their own bowl just the way they like it!
Is slow cooker chicken tortilla soup spicy?
You can make it as mild or spicy as you want by adjusting the number of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. These pack a punch, so start with one. If you like spice, consider adding two or three peppers.
Can you use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Yes! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well in this soup. Substitute 1½ to 2 pounds—or about 6 thighs—for the chicken breasts. They’re slightly richer and more flavorful, and they’ll shred beautifully after cooking.
Can you add corn to chicken tortilla soup?
Absolutely. A 15-ounce can of corn is a great addition to chicken tortilla soup. Add the corn to the slow cooker when you add the other canned goods—just be sure to drain it first.
Can you substitute white beans for black beans?
Yes. A 15-ounce can of white beans, such as cannellini or Great Northern beans, makes a tasty substitute for black beans in tortilla soup. Drain and rinse them before adding them to the slow cooker. Keep in mind that white beans may give the soup a slightly creamier texture.
How long does chicken tortilla soup last in the fridge?
It will stay good for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat the soup over low heat on the stove or in the microwave.
Can you freeze chicken tortilla soup?
You sure can. Wait for the soup to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and freeze. It'll stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat it slowly in a pot on the stove.
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Ingredients
3 chicken breasts
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (28-oz.) can whole or diced tomatoes, with juice
1 (10-oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, such as Rotel
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (more if you like the soup more liquidy)
4 oz. tomato paste
1 whole chipotle pepper in adobo (may add 2 to 3 if you'd like)
Step 1Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Sprinkle on the chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper. Add the onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, tomatoes and green chilies, chicken broth, tomato paste, chipotle pepper, and black beans. Stir, place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on high for 5 hours (or 8 hours on low). Stir in the lime juice.
Step 2Using 2 forks, break up the chicken into chunks (or you may shred it more finely if you like). Taste and add more salt if the soup needs it.
Step 3Serve it piping hot in a bowl with sour cream, avocado, cilantro leaves, crushed tortilla chips, and grated cheese on top!
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Dice an onion. Alternately, have your kid sister dice an onion.
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While you're at it, dice—or have your kid sister dice—a red bell pepper…
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And a yellow one, too!
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Now, for the chicken: Throw chicken breasts right into the slowcooker. (We used four, but I adjusted the recipe amount to three. That would be plenty!)
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Season the chicken with whatever you’d like: I sprinkled on chili powder…
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Cumin, salt, and pepper.
(Pssst. You can also sprinkle on a packet of taco seasoning if you wanna be particularly sassy.)
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Then everything else goes on! Onions…
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Red bell pepper…
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Yellow bell pepper…
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A big can o’ tomatoes…(I only had whole, but diced would be even better.)
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And a can of Rotel! It adds zip and zest and zeal.
Zeal? Never mind.
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To add a little more liquid to the mix, pour in chicken broth…
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Then add a chipotle (or two or three, depending on how tough you are) for heat.
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Next, rinse a can of black beans and add them in. You can use pinto if you have ’em—even kidney beans would be fine!
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Then add salt and pepper, a little tomato paste, and give it all a stir.
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Lid goes on, and set it on high for 4 to 5 hours!
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This is 5 hours later. I stirred it once or twice during the cooking just for kicks, but you don’t have to.
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Stick two forks in and shred the chicken as much as you want. We shredded ours pretty fine (and it fell apart very easily) but you can just break it apart if you prefer the chicken to be in larger chunks.
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Before you serve it up, a little lime is nice! Pardon the not-good quality of this photo. It was getting dark and it was cloudy and my camera was tired.
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Zee finished soup!
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Smelled divine and looked divine—we were ready to dig in.
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But of course…tortilla soup needs fixins! Sour cream (yum)…
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Avocado (yum)…
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Grated cheese (always yum)…
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Cilantro leaves (don’t leave these out; they make the whole soup!)…
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And finally, crushed up tortilla chips. Normally, tortilla soup would have strips of corn tortilla, but the chips give it the same corn flavor and they’re fun.
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