The easiest Crock-pot soup for soup season!
Cooler weather + packed schedules = soup season is in full swing
(Anyone else feel that shift the second September hits?)
If you’re like me and craving something cozy but EASY, this Crock-Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is one of the best soups you can make.
It’s inspired by the traditional tortilla soups I used to order at our favorite little Mexican spots growing up.
But this version? It’s lighter, packed with flavor from a homemade taco seasoning, only takes a few simple ingredients, and made easily right in the slow cooker.
Toss everything in, let it simmer a few hours, and then top with crispy tortilla strips, avocado, a little cheese, and maybe a squeeze of lime!
Awesome! My most picky eater ate two bowls 🤤🤤
Cassie
Ingredients and Substitutions
Please see the recipe card for more detailed ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Chicken Breasts – This is the best cut since it consists of lean meat that tenderizes easily while slow cooking.
- Salsa – A medium salsa, instead of diced tomatoes, gives the bulk of the tomato flavor and spice to this soup.
- Taco Seasoning – Using a homemade taco seasoning mix is the quickest way to give your recipe authentic Mexican flavor.
- Sweet Kernel Corn – Canned corn as well as frozen corn will both work great.
- Black Beans – Canned beans are used in this recipe. Make sure you rinse and drain them before adding them into the soup!
- Lime – The juice of a lime gives the taco soup a bit more acidity. You can also use a lemon if that is what you have on hand.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Add chicken, broth, and salsa.
Much like the stovetop version, the steps to make this Crock-Pot tortilla soup are simple and easy to follow.
Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the broth and salsa over the chicken.
Season and add veggies.
Whisk together all of the Homemade Taco Seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Stir in the corn and black beans with the chicken and liquids.
Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the top, then stir until everything is just combined.
Cook, then shred the chicken.
Cover and cook the tortilla soup on High for 4-6 hours or on Low for 6-8 hours.
During the last 30 minutes of cooking, shred the chicken breasts directly in the slow cooker and stir them back into the soup.
Top it off.
Adding a variety of toppings can make it even better!
Here are a few of my favorites:
- Crushed tortilla chips <– A must!!
- You can also make your own fried tortilla strips at home.
- Sliced Avocados
- Sour Cream – Or dairy-free sour cream by Tofutti.)
- Shredded Cheese – Cheddar cheese, Mexican blend, or Monterrey Jack all taste great!
- Fresh Cilantro
- Sliced Jalapeños
FAQs
This Crock-Pot tortilla soup can easily be made in the Instant Pot. You can either check out how in this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup post.
They come in various sizes, but I would highly encourage you to get at least a 6-QT Crock-Pot. This will give you plenty of room to make big batches of White Chicken Chili and Buffalo Chicken Meatballs.
Slow Cooker Liners are a great option to use if you want to make clean-up a breeze. They can be thrown away after each use and keep your Crock-Pot sparkly clean!
Leftover soup will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. This recipe freezes extremely well. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
You absolutely can! Use the Rotel with green chilis and use the same amount.
This main dish is about a 3-4 out of 10 on the spice scale. Use a MILD salsa instead of the medium salsa and decrease the cayenne pepper in the DIY taco seasoning. Use a HOT salsa instead of the medium salsa and increase the cayenne pepper in the DIY taco seasoning. You can also add sliced, fresh jalapenos to give it a spicy kick.
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Crock-Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts
- 1 (16-ounce) jar salsa mild or medium*
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning*
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can corn drained
- 3 tablespoons lime juice or lemon juice
Toppings:
- Tortilla chips optional
- Cilantro optional
- Green Onions optional
- Avocado
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts on the bottom of slow cooker.1 ½ pounds chicken breasts
- Pour salsa and chicken broth into the Crock-pot or slow cooker and make sure to pick up chicken breasts so some liquid gets underneath them.1 (16-ounce) jar salsa, 5 cups chicken broth
- Add beans, corn, seasoning, and lime juice to the slow cooker. Give liquid a good stir, cover, and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high.3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning*, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, 1 (15.5-ounce) can corn, 3 tablespoons lime juice
- Towards the last 30 minutes of cooking, shred the chicken. Let continue cooking for the last 30 minutes.
- Serve chicken tortilla soup with tortilla chips, sour cream, cilantro and green onions. Enjoy!Tortilla chips, Cilantro, Green Onions, Avocado
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Video
Notes
- Cheese: Leave it out if necessary, or opt for a dairy-free version.
- Seasonings. Make your own taco seasoning for the best flavor.
- Prep-Ahead: Since the flavors will continue to get better over time, this is a great soup to make in advance. Just wait to add the tortilla chips and toppings until serving.
- Storage: Leftover soup will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: This recipe freezes extremely well. Seal in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: Warm in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or microwave, until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Delicious Soup Recipes
If you loved this recipe, you’ll definitely want to try a few more of my cozy and delicious soup recipes that are perfect for weeknight dinners or chilly days.
Can I add a jalapeno to this recipe? Will it work well in a slow cooker?
Hi Michelle! You absolutely can, and I highly encourage it! Just finely dice the jalapeno (removing or including the seeds depending on your desired spice level) and add them to the slow cooker along with the other ingredients. Can’t wait to hear how this recipe turns out for you!
I have uncooked raw black beans. Can I use these instead of canned beans, perhaps if I soak them the night before?
Hi Peter! I would try to at least partially cook them before adding them into the soup. They may take quite a bit longer to cook than the soup will if completely uncooked!
This recipe was amazing! First time having and making chicken tortilla soup and I am so glad I found this recipe. I only had fire roasted corn in my pantry, but I thought it was still amazing and might have added a lil somethin-somethin..maybe not. Either way, thank you for this amazing recipe!
I bet the fire roasted corn gave it some great flavor!! I am so happy you enjoyed it, Heidi! Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂
Hi! I am looking to make this recipe on the stove instead of the crock pot for lack of time. If I cook the chicken seaprately, how long should I heat up the other ingredients on the stove? Thanks!
Hi Lindsey! You should be able to heat up the ingredients in as little as 15-20 minutes over medium-low heat. The longer you can the better, though, since the flavors will really meld together! Also, try to add your cooked chicken in there for at least half of the time so it soaks up some of the flavor, too. Can’t wait to hear what you think 🙂
I’ve made the soup twice now, once over the stove, and once in the crockpot. It is so delicious!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe. 🙂
So happy you have enjoyed it so much, Lindsey!! Thanks for your comment and rating!
This soup is out of this world!!!! I followed the recipe exactly using spicy, chunky-style salsa and extra hot cayenne. Let’s just say my husband will put hot sauce on EVERYTHING and over the years I have developed a spicy palette. I will be making this again and again for a delicious and healthy lunch. Thank you so much for the recipe. I look forward to trying more.
That’s great to hear, Kathy!! I am so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for your review and rating 🙂
I have this in the crock pot right now and omg my house smells amazing! Dinner is about an hour away and I can’t wait to eat! Thanks for the recipe, I’m truly excited to try this soup!
You’re so welcome, Mary!! I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
This is one my husband’s favorite when I make it. Thank you for an easy to follow and yet extremely delicious meal.
Happy New Year 2019
Jose P
Hi Jose! I am SO happy you and your hubby enjoy it so much. Thanks for the comment/rating. Happy New Year 2019 to you too!
If you wanted to make this soup vegetarian could you make it without the chicken? Would that alter cook time/etc.?
Hi Sarah! You totally could make this without chicken. I would suggest adding chickpeas or more beans to keep the volume of ingredients about the same. Since there is no meat to be cooked, it should only take about 3-4 hours. Would love to know how it turns out for you!
If i would like to make this for a potluck can i start it the night before and then refrigerate it until morning so that all it needs is to be warmed up?!
Hi Jessica! Yes, that will work out great! You can heat it up in the Crock-Pot (I would give it at least an hour!) or on the stovetop (max 30 minutes or so). Can’t wait to hear what you think!
If you were going to make this with already cooked chicken breasts would you stil be able to put it in a slow cooker?
Hi Tamzie! Yes! You totally can, but just know the chicken probably won’t be nearly as tender as it would otherwise be. Also, you should only need to cook it on Low for about 2 hours. Would love to hear how it turns out for you!