Description
This comforting Chicken Tortilla Soup features smoky bacon, tender chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, and a creamy touch of cream cheese, all seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and lime juice. Crisp homemade tortilla strips baked to perfection add a delightful crunch, making this soup a flavorful and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 5 strips uncooked bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 cup chopped onion (about one medium onion)
- 1 cup diced red pepper (about one red pepper)
- 1 finely chopped jalapeno, seeds removed
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (about 4-5 cloves)
- 3 ½ cups low sodium chicken stock (830 ml)
- 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained (396 g)
- 14 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained (396 g)
- 10 oz mild enchilada sauce (283 g)
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn
- 7 oz can diced green chilis (200 g)
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder (½ Tbsp ancho chili powder and ½ Tbsp regular chili powder)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3-4 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken (450 g), rotisserie preferred
- 4 oz cream cheese cut into cubes (113 g)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
Tortilla Strips
- 10 corn tortillas
- Olive oil for drizzling (about 1 Tablespoon)
- Kosher salt for sprinkling
Optional Toppings
- Avocado
- Cotija cheese
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 415F (215C) to prepare for baking the tortilla strips later.
- Cook Bacon: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, cook bacon pieces over medium heat until browned and crisp. Remove and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add chopped onion, diced red pepper, and finely chopped jalapeno to the pot. Cook over medium heat until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Pour in chicken stock, fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with juice), black beans, enchilada sauce, frozen corn, diced green chilis, chili powder, sugar, cumin, kosher salt, paprika, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Add Chicken and Simmer: Stir in shredded or diced cooked chicken. Bring the soup to a simmer and let it cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare Tortilla Strips: While soup simmers, cut the corn tortillas into ¼ inch thick by 2 inch long strips. Spread them evenly on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Toss with a spatula to coat evenly.
- Bake Tortilla Strips: Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until crisp. Allow strips to cool on the baking sheet.
- Add Cream Cheese and Lime: After simmering, add cream cheese cubes and lime juice to the soup. Stir well until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated.
- Return Bacon: Stir the cooked bacon pieces back into the soup.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crispy tortilla strips and optional toppings like avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro, and sour cream as desired.
Notes
- If you prefer to skip bacon, substitute with 2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil, though flavor will be milder.
- You can omit cream cheese for a less creamy soup.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Use rotisserie chicken for a quick, flavorful protein addition.
- Adjust the heat by adding more or less jalapeno or chili powder according to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 350 g)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
