Small Batch Creamy Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup
This cozy small-batch cheesy chicken tortilla soup is rich, creamy, and loaded with tender chicken, vegetables, black beans, sweet corn, and plenty of cheese. It's the perfect weeknight dinner when you're cooking for one or two and don't want a huge pot of leftovers.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of cayenne pepper optional
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup diced cooked chicken
- ½ cup canned black beans rinsed and drained
- ½ cup frozen corn
- ½ cup Rotel or diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- Crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Sliced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Sliced jalapeños
Instructions
Sauté the vegetables
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the seasonings
- Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne. Stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Simmer
- Pour in the chicken broth. Add the cooked chicken, black beans, corn, and Rotel. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Make it creamy
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the softened cream cheese until completely melted.
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream and stir until smooth.
- Add the cheese
- Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and creamy.
- Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve
- Ladle into bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, additional cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
- For an extra cheesy finish, sprinkle additional cheddar over each bowl just before serving.
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken makes this recipe incredibly quick.
- Shred your own cheese for the smoothest, creamiest soup.
- Keep the soup below a boil after adding the dairy to prevent curdling.
- Want more heat? Add diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often.