Go Back

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup with tender shredded chicken and a richly spiced broth, finished with crispy tortilla strips. This Tex-Mex crockpot soup simmers hands-off for hours, then gets bright lime and cilantro for a fresh finish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken soup
  • 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 0.25 cup chopped fresh cilantro
For serving
  • 1 Crispy tortilla strips
  • 1 Shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 Diced avocado
  • 1 Sour cream
  • 1 Lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Cook the soup in the slow cooker
  1. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Drizzle with the olive oil to help them stay juicy as they cook.
  2. Add the onion, garlic, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and diced tomatoes with green chiles to the slow cooker. Spread them around so the chicken can cook evenly.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and tomato paste, then add the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir gently to combine, ensuring the chicken is submerged.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours until the chicken reaches 165°F. Look for active simmering in the broth and very tender chicken that will shred easily.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks, then return it to the slow cooker. Stir to distribute the shredded chicken throughout the soup.
  2. Stir in the fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. The soup should look brighter and the herbs should be evenly speckled.
  3. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crispy tortilla strips. Add shredded cheddar cheese, diced avocado, sour cream, and an extra squeeze of lime before serving so the tortilla texture stays crisp.

Notes

For the best texture, assemble toppings right at serving time—tortilla strips soften if they sit in the hot soup. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in an airtight container; reheat gently. Freezing is yes—freeze soup without toppings for up to 3 months, then thaw and rewarm. For a dairy-free option, swap sour cream and cheddar for dairy-free alternatives or skip them and add extra avocado.