How to make Chicken Tortilla Soup from scratch
This is our version of the tried and true Chicken Tortilla Soup and it is so easy. All you have to do is put everything in your dutch oven or slow cooker and you will come back to a perfectly delicious and cozy bowl of tortilla soup. It doesn’t get any better than that. Follow along as I show you How to make Chicken Tortilla Soup from scratch.

Why this soup is one of our favorites
Every week I roast a chicken. Chicken Tortilla Soup is a great way to use up the leftover chicken AND I usually have leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup that makes for a hearty lunch.
When I make my soup I like to use fire-roasted tomatoes and add in a can of diced, mild chili peppers. The chili peppers add a nice kick. Go with mild or medium! If you like a little extra spice, you can try chipotle peppers in adobo.
This soup can be made the afternoon you plan to serve it or if you want the flavors to really come out, I’d recommend cooking it early in the day and allow it to sit for a few hours prior to reheating and serving. I like this soup because, unlike many soaps and stews that require soaking beans or cooking stew meat, I can put this together fairly quickly. You’ll love the rich flavor of chicken tortilla soup, I promise!
How to make Chicken Tortilla Soup
There’s a couple ways to go about getting your chicken ready. I usually purchase a ready-to-eat organic chicken from my natural foods market. Alternatively you can purchase a thigh and breast meat pieces and grill them. If you happen to have leftover chicken in the refrigerator, add that in too! Once you’ve got your chicken cooked, put your onion and garlic in a dutch oven with a little coconut oil, salt, and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent. Add the rest of your ingredients and simmer for a few minutes. Add a little water if needed. After everything has cooked sufficiently to get the flavors blended, add your chicken or bone broth. If you’d like to learn how to make bone broth it’s easy. Head over to this blog post to read all the details. Add the chicken last and then allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
Don’t forget about the condiments! For us, that’s the best part. We like to add sliced avocado and lots of cilantro. You can also add green onion and corn for something a little different. I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does!
Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is our version of the tried and true Chicken Tortilla Soup and it is so easy. All you have to do is put everything in your Dutch oven or slow cooker and you will come back to a perfectly delicious and cozy bowl of tortilla soup. It doesn’t get any better than that. Follow along as I show you How to make Chicken Tortilla Soup from scratch.
Ingredients
- In a medium stock pot or dutch oven, add coconut or olive oil and onion.
- Salt the onion and saute for about a minute or so and then add garlic. Saute until onion is translucent.
- Stir in tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes
- Add the next four ingredients (your spices).Once incorporated, add ortega chiles, tomato, beans, and hominy. Add enough water to cover ingredients and simmer for a few minutes.
- The final step is to add the cooked chicken and chicken or bone broth. I use left over chicken from my roast that was prepared a few days prior. The pieces are cut up into small cubes or pieces.
- Allow soup to simmer for 20 minutes or enough time for all the flavors to blend.
- Serve with crushed or whole tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, and shredded cheese.
Instructions
1. In a medium stock pot or dutch oven, add coconut or olive oil and onion.
2. Salt the onion and saute for about a minute or so and then add garlic. Saute until onion is translucent.
3. Stir in tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes
4. .Add the next four ingredients (your spices).Once incorporated, add ortega chiles, tomato, beans, and hominy. Add enough water to cover ingredients and simmer for a few minutes.
5. The final step is to add the cooked chicken and chicken or bone broth. I use left over chicken from my roast that was prepared a few days prior. The pieces are cut up into small cubes or pieces.
6. Allow soup to simmer for 20 minutes or enough time for all the flavors to blend.
7. Serve with crushed or whole tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, and shredded cheese.
Notes
This is a quick evening meal so I like to make it during the week. It's also a great way to use up leftover chicken.
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