Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Creamy chicken tortilla soup should lightly coat a spoon while staying loose enough for the shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and diced pepper to move through the broth. This stovetop version simmers the chicken in a tomato-chile base, then adds softened cream cheese over low heat for a smooth, blush-orange finish.
Keep the tortilla chips out of the pot. Tuck them into each bowl just before serving so they stay crisp against the hot soup.
Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: about 25 minutes | Total: about 40 minutes | Servings: 6 generous bowls
Ingredients for Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 150g)
- 1 medium yellow or orange bell pepper, diced (about 150g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 680g)
- 4 to 5 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 cup red enchilada sauce
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, drained if canned (about 250g)
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened and cubed (about 225g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese (about 115g), for serving
- 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, for serving
- 3 to 4 cups corn tortilla chips, for serving
Broth and enchilada sauce vary in saltiness, so season the soup after adding the cream cheese. Frozen corn can replace canned corn; add it directly to the pot.
How to Make Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Prepare the finish: Set out the cream cheese to soften, then cut it into small cubes. Prepare the shredded cheese, cilantro, and lime juice. Keep the chips dry until serving. If needed, soften the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl in brief bursts; it should yield when pressed without melting completely.
- Cook the aromatics: Heat the oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the pepper begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, and chili powder for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Simmer the chicken: Add 4 cups broth, the enchilada sauce, tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, and corn. Nestle the chicken into the liquid in a mostly single layer. Bring just to a boil over medium-high heat, partially covered, then reduce to medium-low. Simmer gently, uncovered or partially covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Look for small, steady bubbles rather than a rolling boil. Start checking at 15 minutes; the thickest part of the chicken should reach 165°F (75°C).
- Shred the chicken: Transfer the chicken to a plate as soon as it is cooked, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot.
- Make the broth creamy: Reduce the heat to low. Add the softened cream cheese a few cubes at a time, stirring until fully melted and no white flecks remain, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let the soup boil. Stir in the lime juice, then taste and add salt and pepper as needed. If the broth is too thick, add some of the remaining broth a splash at a time.
- Serve: Let the soup stand off heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle into individual bowls or handled mugs, leaving the chicken, beans, corn, and pepper visible. Sprinkle cheese over the hot soup, add cilantro, and tuck one or two large tortilla chips upright at each rim. Serve extra chips alongside.
How to Keep the Cream Cheese Smooth
Cold cream cheese added to boiling soup can leave white flecks or make the broth look oily. Softening and cubing it helps it melt evenly; low heat gives you time to stir it in without a hard boil. If small lumps remain, stir gently for another minute or two. A whisk can help smooth the broth, but avoid whisking the chicken and vegetables vigorously.
How Thick Should the Soup Be?
The broth should lightly coat a spoon and pour easily around the chicken, beans, corn, and peppers—not sit in the bowl like dip. If it is too thick, add warm broth a few tablespoons at a time.
If the soup remains unusually thin after the cream cheese melts, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water. Whisk the slurry into the soup and simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes, without bringing it to a hard boil.
Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Variations
Rotisserie Chicken Shortcut
Replace the raw chicken with about 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken. Simmer the soup base until the pepper is tender, then add the cooked chicken with the cream cheese and warm gently. Do not give cooked chicken the full raw-chicken simmer.
Make It Spicier
Cook a diced jalapeño with the onion and bell pepper, or add a little chipotle in adobo or hot sauce to taste. Increase the heat gradually; enchilada sauces vary in spice and salt.
For a bean substitution, use pinto beans or hominy in place of the black beans rather than adding another full can to the pot.
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
Cool the soup promptly and refrigerate it in airtight containers for 3 to 4 days. Keep the tortilla chips separate at room temperature.
The soup thickens as it chills. Reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave in 60-second intervals, stirring between intervals. Add a splash of broth as needed and reheat to 165°F. Add fresh cheese, cilantro, and chips after reheating.
For the best frozen texture, freeze the soup base before adding cream cheese. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then warm it gently and stir in softened cream cheese. Finished soup can be frozen for up to 3 months, but the dairy may look less smooth after thawing; stir well and add broth if needed. Freeze without garnishes.
For another chicken soup with a brighter broth, try Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Spinach.
Nutrition
Approximate per serving (1 of 6 generous bowls, including cheese and chips): 600 calories, 40g protein, 30g fat, and 40g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g: 110 calories, 7g protein, 5g fat, and 7g carbohydrates. Values vary with ingredient brands, the amount of broth added, and portion size.
Equipment
- 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Two forks
- Ladle
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 150 g)
- 1 medium yellow or orange bell pepper, diced (about 150 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 680 g)
- 4 to 5 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 cup red enchilada sauce
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, drained if canned (about 250 g)
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened and cubed (about 225 g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
For Serving
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese (about 115 g)
- 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 to 4 cups corn tortilla chips
Instructions
- Soften the cream cheese and cut it into small cubes. Prepare the shredded cheese, cilantro, and lime juice, and keep the tortilla chips dry until serving.
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the pepper begins to soften.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, and chili powder and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add 4 cups chicken broth, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, and corn.
- Nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid in a mostly single layer. Bring just to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered or partially covered, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F (75°C).
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the softened cream cheese a few cubes at a time, stirring until melted and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not boil the soup.
- Stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining broth a splash at a time if the soup is too thick.
- Let the soup stand off the heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese, cilantro, and tortilla chips. Serve extra chips alongside.
Tips
- Soften and cube the cream cheese before adding it so it melts smoothly.
- Keep the soup at low heat after adding cream cheese; boiling can cause an oily or flecked broth.
- Simmer the chicken gently rather than at a rolling boil to keep it tender.
- Add broth a few tablespoons at a time if the soup becomes too thick.
- Keep tortilla chips out of the pot and add them just before serving so they stay crisp.
- If the soup is too thin, whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water, then simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes.
Variations
- Rotisserie Chicken Shortcut: Use about 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken. Simmer the soup base until the pepper is tender, then add the cooked chicken with the cream cheese and warm gently.
- Spicier Tortilla Soup: Cook a diced jalapeño with the onion and bell pepper, or add chipotle in adobo or hot sauce to taste.
- Bean Substitution: Replace the black beans with pinto beans or hominy.
