Chicken Tortilla Soup Crispy Strips (Printable)
Tender chicken and smoky spices meld with crispy tortilla strips in this vibrant, comforting dish.
# What You Need:
→ Soup
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
12 - 4 cups chicken broth, gluten-free if needed
13 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
14 - 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
15 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached)
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
→ Crispy Tortilla Strips
18 - 4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
19 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
20 - Pinch of salt
→ Optional Toppings
21 - 1 avocado, diced
22 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
23 - 1/4 cup sour cream
24 - Fresh cilantro leaves
25 - Extra lime wedges
# Steps:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortilla strips in batches for 1-2 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and season lightly with salt. Set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and jalapeño, cooking for 1 minute.
03 - Incorporate ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper; cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add diced tomatoes with juice and chicken broth, then bring to a simmer.
04 - Add black beans, corn kernels, and shredded chicken. Let the soup simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes to meld flavors. Stir in fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish generously with crispy tortilla strips. Offer optional toppings such as diced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro leaves, and lime wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour, making you look like a kitchen genius without the stress.
- The crispy tortilla strips give you that textural contrast that makes each bite feel special and alive.
- It's endlessly adaptable—add more heat, swap proteins, feed vegetarians without changing your workflow.
02 -
- Fry the tortilla strips before you make the soup; they lose their crispness quickly once exposed to steam, so timing matters here.
- Don't skip the bloom step where you cook the dry spices in fat—it's the difference between a soup that tastes like ingredients and one that tastes intentional.
- Taste before serving and adjust the lime juice and salt; these are your control knobs for making the soup taste alive and balanced.
03 -
- Make the soup base a day or two ahead and store it in the refrigerator; the flavors deepen and marry overnight, then you only need to reheat and add fresh cilantro and crispy strips when ready to serve.
- Use chicken thighs instead of breasts if you're poaching your own—they stay impossibly tender and absorb broth flavor better than the leaner white meat.