Name: Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 2 chicken breasts (cubed); 29 ounces chicken broth (2 (14.5 ounces) cans); 1 teaspoon cumin; ¾ cup long grain white rice; 11 ounces corn with red and green bell peppers (1 can); 10 ounces green enchilada sauce (1 can); 1 cup salsa; 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro; 2 Tablespoons lime juice; ½ cup shredded fiesta blend cheese; 4 corn tortillas; cooking spray

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To make our hearty chicken tortilla soup, you need the following ingredients:

Olive oil

Chicken breast cubed

Chicken broth

Cumin

Long grain white rice

Corn with red and green bell peppers

Green enchilada sauce

Salsa

Cilantro

Lime juice

Fiesta blend cheese

Tortillas

How to Make Our Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup

To start this delicious soup, begin by cooking the chicken cubes in a large pan with olive oil on medium heat until it’s browned.

Then add in the cumin, chicken broth, and white rice and bring it to a boil.

Once it’s boiling, place a lid on the pan and turn the heat down and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the lid and pour in the green enchilada sauce, salsa, corn mix, lime juice, and cilantro and mix it all together.

Just a few minutes before you are ready to serve, add the fiesta blend cheese to let it melt and then serve it up in a bowl with your favorite toppings.

We like to serve it with extra cheese, sour cream, avocados, and tortilla strips.

To make the tortilla strips, slice them into ½ to 1 inch pieces and then coat another pan with nonstick cooking and then lay the strips on top and cook them over medium heat.

Then coat the tops of the tortillas with more on stick cooking spray. Flip the strips after 2-3 minutes or as you see them begin to brown.

When they are done, serve them fresh with the soup!

A pot of thick soup containing rice, corn, chopped herbs, and a tomato-based broth, stirred with a wooden spoon.

A bowl of soup topped with tortilla strips, avocado slices, cilantro, and sour cream, surrounded by bowls of shredded cheese, tortilla strips, cornbread, and chopped herbs.

Recipe Notes

With all of the shipping delays there have been plenty of issues with things out of stock in the grocery stores, so if you are having a hard time finding the corn with peppers you might just have to make your own! The Food Network has a great recipe for sautéed corn and green peppers that would be great in place of the can of corn for this recipe.

Two bowls of Mexican-inspired rice soup topped with tortilla strips, cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and sliced avocado, with extra tortilla strips on the side.

Explore More Delicious Soup Recipes

Explore our collection of soup recipes made in the stovetop, slow cooker or Instant Pot. For more soup inspiration, check out our full list of soups.

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Questions & Reviews

Prince Snow Farm says:

This looks so good. Soup is comfort food....it's autumn chills.....crunchy leaves, and family time!
Gwen says:

You might like it without the rice and cutting the tortillas in strips and adding them at the end unfried. Let them cook just briefly. They work like noodles and are yummy!
Carol says:

Even yummier with a can of white beans and another cup of Monterey Jack Pepper cheese!
Suzan @ The Lazy Suzan says:

Looks super yummy!!
Cheryl at Snaps of Ginger says:

I'm definitely going to have to try this one. I have a recipe I make a lot but its more "brothy".
pllamber says:

About how many servings would you say this will make? Wondering if I have to double or triple for 8 adults. Thanks
kim says:

for 8 people i would double the recipe
Clara says:

When you say 3/4 cup long grain rice, do you mean cooked? Or uncooked?
Leah says:

I'd like to make this with brown rice. Any idea on how you'd adjust the ammount of water etc?
Michelle K says:

I would add cooked brown rice, but reduce some of the broth....maybe!
Rachael R says:

I added a can of black beans and a can of rotel. Came out awesome!
Cyd says:

Put it in uncooked. It will cook along with the other ingredients.
Becky says:

I've made many a chicken tortilla soup recipes. This is absolutely one of the best, hands down! Fiancé even had two bowls!
Nichole Miller says:

Would this recipe be freezable? Looks yummy... I would like to try it for a freezer meal swap next month!
Cyd says:

Just reading over the ingredients I think it could easily be a freezer meal.
Nancy Gicas says:

I made this last night and it was really great. Used fresh red bell pepper. The flavors in this soup just make your mouth water. I also heated up black beans for those that like them. Next time will cook the rice separately as it became too much like a stew.
Ashley says:

Can you make chicken broth from chicken granules for this?
Cyd says:

Yes, It should tell you on the side of the chicken granules bottle how much to measure for a certain amount of broth. Just mix up what you need for the recipe.
Tami says:

The can of corn....drained or undrained?
Cyd says:

Drain the corn. :)
LeeLee says:

Quick question! I'd like to make this tomorrow but I'd like to make it in my crock pot. I know most of the ingredients will cook the same on low but unsure about the rice. Can I add the rice when I start the soup and cook on low, 8 hours or do you think it will expand too much? Thanks for any advice! :)
Cyd says:

I think adding the rice that soon and for that long would not turn out well.