Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
This Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup recipe is quick and easy to make and is delicious as a gluten-free weeknight dinner. Served with crispy fried tortillas, avocado and fresh cilantro, it’s a family favorite with good reason.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Olive oil.
- Chicken. I used bone-in skinless chicken thighs but chicken breasts can be used instead.
- Onion.
- Fresh garlic cloves.
- Jalapeño.
- Spices: Ground cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and dried oregano. Taco seasoning can also be used.
- Chicken Stock/broth. I used chicken stock but bone broth or vegetable stock can be used as substitute.
- Crushed tomatoes. Any canned tomatoes can be used.
- Black beans.
- Frozen corn. Fresh or canned corn can be substituted.
- Salt and black pepper.
How to make Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup
- Set Instant Pot to sauté function, add olive oil and brown chicken pieces.
- Add chopped onion, garlic, jalapeño, seasoning, stock, beans, corn and tomatoes.
- Cover with lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- Quick release pressure, remove chicken and shred with two forks (discard bones).
- Set to sauté function, return shredded chicken to pot and simmer 5 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning with salt, sugar and lime juice as needed.
- Serve topped with your favorite toppings.
Stovetop Directions
- Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Brown chicken 3-4 minutes per side, then remove and set aside.
- Sauté onion, garlic and jalapeño for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add spices (cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano) and cook 30 seconds.
- Add stock, tomatoes, beans, corn, salt and pepper.
- Return chicken to pot, bring to boil, then reduce to low.
- Cover and simmer 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken, shred with two forks (discard bones) and return to pot.
- Simmer uncovered 5-10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Adjust seasoning with salt, sugar and lime juice as needed.
Can I make this ahead?
Soup recipes are always great to prep ahead and freeze. This chicken tortilla soup recipe is no different. Make the soup then allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing in the fridge for up to 3 days. The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat before serving.
Serving Suggestions
- Fried tortilla strips. Slice corn tortillas/flour tortillas into thin strips then fry in hot oil for a minute until golden brown. Tortilla chips can be served instead.
- Fresh cilantro/coriander.
- Avocado.
- Fresh limes.
- Sour cream.
- Shredded cheese.
- Sliced jalapeños.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2lb) chicken pieces
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 jalapeno finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 800 g (28oz) crushed tomatoes
- 400 g (14oz) black beans drained
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
For the toppings
- fried tortilla strips
- fresh cilantro/coriander
- Cubed avocado
- fresh lime juice
- sliced jalapeños
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to the saute function.
- Add a splash of olive oil then brown the chicken pieces.
- Stir in the chopped onion, garlic, jalapeño, seasoning, stock, beans, corn kernels and tomatoes then cover with the lid.
- Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- Once finished cooking, quick release the pressure.
- Remove the chicken pieces carefully then shred the meat with two forks and discard the bones.
- Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the soup and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary by adding more salt, a pinch of sugar and a squeeze of lime juice.
- Serve the soup in bowls topped with your favorite toppings.
Nutrition
FAQ
Absolutely! Skip the browning step and add 3-4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken during the last 5 minutes of cooking. This makes the recipe even quicker and perfect for busy weeknights.
Yes! Add an extra jalapeño (or leave the seeds in), include a pinch of cayenne pepper with the spices, or top with sliced fresh jalapeños and hot sauce when serving.
Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, store the toppings separately and add them fresh when reheating.
Yes, boneless skinless chicken breasts work well. They’ll cook in the same amount of time in the Instant Pot (10 minutes on high pressure). Chicken thighs tend to stay more moist and tender, but breasts are a great leaner option.
Yes! This soup freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers, leaving about an inch of space at the top for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
The recipe doesn’t indicate when the chicken stock should be added. Being that there is a lot of liquid I wanted to be sure.
Thank you
In step 3 in the recipe card you’ll see the stock is added.