Description
This Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup is a flavorful and hearty Mexican-inspired dish that comes together effortlessly with minimal prep. Tender chicken breasts are slow-cooked with black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and aromatic spices, then shredded and combined to create a warming, protein-packed soup. Served with crunchy tortilla strips and optional toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, and avocado, it’s perfect for a cozy weeknight meal or casual gathering.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts (uncooked)
- 15 ounces black beans (drained and rinsed, 1 can)
- 15 ounces corn (drained, 1 can)
- 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes (1 can, diced tomatoes with green chilies)
- 1 cup yellow onion (chopped)
- 48 ounces chicken broth
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
Toppings (Optional)
- Tortilla strips
- Shredded Mexican cheese
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Sliced jalapeños
Instructions
- Add Ingredients to Slow Cooker: Place the raw chicken breasts, chopped yellow onion, minced garlic, Rotel tomatoes, drained corn, and rinsed black beans into the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Pour Broth and Seasonings: Pour the chicken broth over the ingredients. Add the lime juice along with chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper to season the soup evenly.
- Cook in Slow Cooker: Secure the lid and cook the soup on HIGH heat for 4 hours, allowing the chicken to cook through and the flavors to meld.
- Shred the Chicken: Once cooked, carefully remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred them thoroughly using two forks.
- Combine Shredded Chicken: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it well into the soup to distribute evenly.
- Serve with Toppings: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crunchy tortilla strips and any of your favorite toppings such as shredded Mexican cheese, a dollop of sour cream, diced avocado, or sliced jalapeños for an extra kick and creaminess.
Notes
- For added heat, include sliced jalapeños either cooked in the soup or as a garnish.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control salt content if preferred.
- For a thicker soup, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow some liquid to evaporate.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- To make this recipe gluten free, ensure tortilla strips are made from corn tortillas without gluten-containing additives.