This Tortilla Soup is warm, creamy, and packed with so much flavor. Tender chicken thighs simmer with poblano and jalapeño peppers, salsa verde, fire-roasted green chilies, and taco seasoning before everything is finished with sour cream, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
The crispy tortilla strips add the perfect crunch on top. Add some avocado, shredded cheese, green onions, or an extra spoonful of sour cream for an easy, filling meal that’s especially good on a chilly day.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- ½ large yellow onion
- 1 poblano pepper
- 2 jalapeño peppers, ribs and seeds removed
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 2-3 tsp taco seasoning, homemade blend or a store bought one
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (fat trimmed)
- 1 ½ cups salsa verde
- 1 can 4oz fire-roasted hatch green chilies, diced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese melted
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- + more sea salt to taste
Tortilla Strips
- 8 flour tortillas
- 1-2 Tbsp avocado oil
- Sprinkle of sea salt
- Sprinkle of taco seasoning
Toppings (optional)
- Avocado diced
- Sour cream
- Cilantro chopped
- Green onions chopped
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
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How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Remove the stems, ribs, and seeds from the jalapeños. Cut the poblano in half, remove the seeds, and discard the stem. Cut the onion into large chunks.
3. Toss the jalapeños, poblano, and onion with avocado or olive oil. Spread them evenly on the prepared baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, until lightly charred. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, then finely dice the vegetables.
4. Heat a drizzle of avocado oil in a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped roasted vegetables and minced garlic. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
5. Stir in the salsa verde, chicken thighs, Hatch green chilies, taco seasoning, salt, and chicken broth. Simmer over medium heat until the chicken is fully cooked.
6. Remove the chicken from the pot, shred it with two forks, then return it to the soup.
7. Add the lime juice, cilantro, melted cream cheese, and sour cream. Stir well until the cream cheese is fully incorporated. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and season with more sea salt as needed.
8. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Stack the tortillas and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Toss with avocado oil, sea salt, and taco seasoning.
9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the tortilla strips out in an even layer. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, or until crisp. Set aside.
10. To serve, place a few tortilla strips in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle hot soup over the top and finish with shredded cheese, cilantro, green onions, avocado, sour cream, and more tortilla strips if desired.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- ½ large yellow onion
- 1 poblano pepper
- 2 jalapeño peppers ribs and seeds removed
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 2-3 tsp taco seasoning homemade blend or a store bought one
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (fat trimmed)
- 1 ½ cups salsa verde
- 1 can 4oz fire-roasted hatch green chilies, diced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese melted
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- + more sea salt to taste
Tortilla Strips
- 8 flour tortillas
- 1-2 Tbsp avocado oil
- Sprinkle of sea salt
- Sprinkle of taco seasoning
Toppings (optional)
- Avocado diced
- Sour cream
- Cilantro chopped
- Green onions chopped
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Remove the stems, ribs, and seeds from the jalapeños. Cut the poblano in half, remove the seeds, and discard the stem. Cut the onion into large chunks.
- Toss the jalapeños, poblano, and onion with avocado or olive oil. Spread them evenly on the prepared baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, until lightly charred. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, then finely dice the vegetables.
- Heat a drizzle of avocado oil in a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped roasted vegetables and minced garlic. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Stir in the salsa verde, chicken thighs, Hatch green chilies, taco seasoning, salt, and chicken broth. Simmer over medium heat until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, shred it with two forks, then return it to the soup.
- Add the lime juice, cilantro, melted cream cheese, and sour cream. Stir well until the cream cheese is fully incorporated. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and season with more sea salt as needed.
- Lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Stack the tortillas and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Toss with avocado oil, sea salt, and taco seasoning.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the tortilla strips out in an even layer. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, or until crisp. Set aside.
- To serve, place a few tortilla strips in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle hot soup over the top and finish with shredded cheese, cilantro, green onions, avocado, sour cream, and more tortilla strips if desired.
Notes
- Store-bought tortilla chips work well if you don’t want to make homemade tortilla strips.
- For an extra creamy soup, add additional cream cheese to taste.
- This soup is mild, but you can increase the heat with a pinch of cayenne pepper or extra jalapeño.
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