What I got wrong about Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup
Ok, tell me dinnertime doesn’t sneak up on you the second the weather starts to turn. It happens here every fall, and I end up making something super fast and simple.
My Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup has been a Fall and Winter favorite in our house for years. But a slow cooker means deciding on dinner at 9 in the morning, and some weeks I just don’t get there.
One of the initial concerns I had with turning that recipe into this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup was the tenderness of the meat. Eight minutes under pressure sounded way too fast for chicken breasts that actually shred.
And ya’ll… it came out JUST as delicious, tender, and juicy as the Crock-Pot version, in a fraction of the time.
It works because a whole jar of salsa is the flavor base, the chicken cooks fully submerged so it stays juicy, and the lime juice goes in after cooking instead of before. That last one matters more than you’d think, since lime turns bitter under pressure.
Now it’s what I reach for when I’ve forgotten to plan anything at all. Which, let’s be real, is most Tuesdays.
I have made this recipe at least 25 times. It is easy and delicious. I make a side portion with quinoa instead of chicken for my vegan and vegetarian family members too.
– Leslie
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Chicken breasts: These are the easiest cut to find and they shred easily after a natural release. Boneless, skinless thighs work too, and they’re more forgiving if you tend to overcook chicken.
- Salsa: A whole jar is the flavor base here, so pick one you’d happily eat with chips. Mild, medium, or hot lets you set the spice level without measuring out a single extra spice.
- Taco seasoning: Homemade taco seasoning lets you dial the cayenne up or down. Store bought works too, just check the label if you’re gluten-free.
- Chicken broth: Regular sodium broth makes up most of the liquid in the pot. Reduced sodium is fine if you’re watching it, and vegetable broth turns this into a vegetarian soup.
- Bell pepper and onion: Both get finely diced and sautéed before anything else goes in. That’s the one step doing real flavor work before the lid closes.
- Black beans: Canned is the easy call here. Rinse and drain them well so the broth stays clear instead of cloudy.
- Corn: Canned or frozen both work. Drain the canned kind so you’re not adding starchy liquid to the pot.
- Lime: The juice goes in at the very end and brightens everything up. Lemon works if that’s what’s in the fridge.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Sauté the veggies.
Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to the sauté function and add the oil, onions, and bell pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until they’re tender.
Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom.
Add the chicken broth, then drag a spoon or spatula across the bottom of the pot until nothing is stuck to it.
Pro Tip: This is the step that prevents a burn notice. Anything stuck to the bottom scorches once the pot comes up to pressure, and a salsa and tomato base is exactly the kind that catches. A few seconds of scraping now saves you restarting dinner later.
Add the salsa, chicken, corn, and beans.
Stir in the salsa, taco seasoning, and salt, then press the chicken breasts down until they’re completely submerged. Add the drained corn and the rinsed black beans on top.
The Instant Pot I L❤️VE!
Not all pressure cookers are the same. The 6-quart Duo Plus is the one I reach for, since the sauté function does real work before the lid goes on and the controls are simple enough that you don’t need the manual.
Pressure cook for 8 minutes.
Lock the lid, move the valve to sealing, and set the pot to high pressure for 8 minutes. When the timer goes off, let it sit for 10 minutes before you move the valve to venting.
Pro Tip: Don’t skip the 10-minute natural release. Chicken breasts hit with an immediate quick release seize up and turn stringy, and letting the pressure come down on its own is what keeps them shreddable. It also keeps soup from spitting out of the valve.
Shred the chicken and finish with lime.
Shred the chicken right in the pot with two forks, or pull it out onto a cutting board first. Stir in the fresh lime juice just before serving, never before cooking, since it turns bitter under pressure.
Oops! What went wrong?
My Instant Pot flashed BURN. Something was stuck to the bottom before the pot came up to pressure, so release the pressure, stir everything well, and scrape the bottom clean before starting it again. The soup is almost always fine.
The soup came out too spicy. Mix in a splash of milk, a spoonful of sour cream, or a little more broth. Dairy and extra liquid both pull the heat back down.
My chicken won’t shred. It just needs a little more time. Put the lid back on, give it another 2 to 3 minutes at high pressure, and let it release naturally again.
The soup is thinner than I wanted. Simmer it on the sauté setting with the lid off for a few minutes, or try one of the tricks in How to Thicken Soup. A handful of crushed tortilla chips stirred in does the job too.
FAQs
Eight minutes at high pressure, followed by a 10-minute natural release. The pot also needs roughly 10 minutes to come up to pressure before the cook time even starts, which is why the honest total is closer to 40 minutes than 30.
This recipe was written and tested in a 6-quart Instant Pot. An 8-quart model works too, and if yours is smaller you may need to hold back a cup of broth to stay under the max fill line. New to pressure cooking? Learn How to Use an Instant Pot first.
Yes. Leave the black beans out and add another cup of corn, or some diced zucchini, so the pot still feels full. Nothing else about the recipe changes.
Stir in a splash of heavy cream, milk, or cashew milk at the very end, after the pressure has released. One reader added heavy cream at the end and said it was so delicious.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. This one freezes well for up to 6 months, since there’s no dairy or pasta in the pot to break or go mushy. Freeze it plain and add the chips, avocado, and sour cream after reheating.
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Easy Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons oil avocado or olive oil
- 1 cup onion red or sweet, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- 4 cups chicken broth regular sodium
- 16 ounces jar salsa mild or medium*
- 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning or store bought*
- ½-¾ teaspoon salt to taste
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces can whole kernel corn drained
- 1 lime juiced
Optional Toppings:
- Tortilla chips
- Cilantro
- Green Onions
- Avocado
- sour cream
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to the sauté function and add oil, onions, and bell pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until vegetables become tender.2 tablespoons oil, 1 cup onion, 1 green bell pepper
- Scrape the Pot: Pour in chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure there are no bits or pieces stuck.4 cups chicken broth
- Add Seasonings, Corn, and Beans: Mix in salsa, taco seasoning, and salt. Place chicken breasts down into the liquid, making sure they’re completely submerged. Add rinsed and drained corn and black beans.1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, 16 ounces jar salsa, 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning, ½-¾ teaspoon salt, 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, 15 ounces can whole kernel corn
- Pressure Cook: Ensure the pressure release valve is sealed and set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 8 minutes. Let the contents sit for 10 minutes (10 minute NPR) before releasing the pressure valve.
- Shred Chicken: Shred the chicken breasts when the soup is done cooking. Stir in fresh lime juice just before serving.1 lime
- Serve soup with tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, green onions, sliced avocado, or sour cream. Enjoy!Tortilla chips, Cilantro, Green Onions, Avocado, sour cream
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Notes
- Salsa: A 16-ounce jar is the flavor base. Mild, medium, or hot sets the spice level without any extra measuring.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless thighs can be swapped in for the breasts. For frozen chicken breasts, add 3 minutes to the pressure cook time.
- Rotisserie shortcut: Cook the soup without the raw chicken, then stir in shredded cooked chicken at the end so it just warms through.
- Burn notice: Scrape the bottom of the pot clean after adding the broth. A salsa and tomato base scorches easily once the pot comes up to pressure.
- Lime: Stir the juice in after cooking, never before. It turns bitter under pressure.
- Vegetarian: Leave out the chicken, use vegetable broth, and add extra beans or garbanzo beans.
- Prep ahead: Dice the onions and peppers and mix the taco seasoning a few days early. Or make the whole pot ahead, since the flavors improve with time.
- Store: Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freezes well for up to 6 months. There is no dairy or pasta in the pot to break or go mushy, so the texture holds up. Freeze it plain and add chips, avocado, and sour cream after reheating.
- Reheat: Warm in the microwave, or in a skillet over medium-low heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with chicken tortilla soup
The toppings are honestly half the reason to make this. Crushed tortilla chips are non-negotiable in our house, and Baked Tortilla Chips straight out of the oven beat anything from a bag.
From there, pile on sliced avocado, a spoonful of sour cream, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack, fresh cilantro, and Quick Pickled Red Onions if you have a jar going in the fridge.
If you want to stretch it into a bigger dinner, a scoop of Cilantro Lime Rice right in the bowl soaks up the broth and turns a first course into the whole meal. Instant Pot Mexican Rice does the same job, though you’ll want to make it before the soup since you only have the one pot.
And for a bigger spread, Roasted Tomato Salsa with extra chips on the side is the easy move.
More cozy soup recipes
Soup season doesn’t stop at tortilla soup. These are the four I’d make next once the weather actually turns.
Delicious! I had to drain some of the liquid prior to cooking because I have a smaller pot. Will definitely add this to the lineup!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Caitlin! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
What is the serving size for the nutrition info?
This recipe makes 8 servings, so the nutritional values correspond to 1/8th of the recipe.
I have made this recipe at least 25 times. It is easy and delicious. I make a side portion with quinoa instead of chicken for my vegan and vegetarian family members too. Must try. Thanks for sharing it.
Yay! So happy to hear you and your loved ones have enjoyed it so much, Leslie. Love the idea to add quinoa instead of chicken, too! Thanks so much for your comment and rating!
Made this tonight. Added some heavy cream at the end. So delicious!!
Yay! So happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for your comment 🙂
Made this tonight with ground turkey and it was wonderful!! Just what we needed on this wet windy Northwest evening.
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it, Rhondi. Thanks so much for the comment 🙂
Can this be made in a crockpot? If so, how long and at which temp (hi or lo)?
Yes! It absolutely can. In fact, you can check out this recipe for it here Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup.
I had read your recipe and tried to cook it. Well, I’m not good at cooking but still I able to prepare soup looking somewhere near to the image in this post.
Thanks for the recipe!
Regards,
Yay! So happy you enjoyed the recipe and were able to make it, Maria. Thanks for your comment! 🙂