Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Bold, smoky crockpot chicken tortilla soup with shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and tomatoes. Ready at dinner with zero effort. Pile on the toppings and it's a completely different bowl every time.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bell pepper chopped (any color)
- 1 can 15 oz black beans, rinsed & drained
- 1 can 15 oz corn, drained (or 1 ½ cups frozen corn)
- 1 can 15 oz diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Rotel)
- 1 can 8 oz tomato sauce
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
Toppings (optional but highly recommended)
- Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
- Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Place chicken, onion, garlic, bell pepper, beans, corn, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, and all seasonings into the crockpot. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until chicken is tender.
- Remove chicken, shred with two forks, and return it to the soup. Stir in lime juice.
- Ladle into bowls and pile on your favorite toppings—don’t skip the crunchy tortilla strips!
Notes
Thighs produce more flavorful shredded chicken than breasts. Add lime juice after shredding the chicken, not at the start. Tortilla strips are non-negotiable for texture. For creamy version, stir in cream cheese in the last 30 minutes. Don't use frozen chicken — thaw first. Freeze base soup without dairy toppings up to 3 months.