Best Soup Recipe: My Chicken Tortilla Soup

One thing I love, love, love about colder weather is a good bowl of homemade soup.  I have perfected my best soup recipes over time and I wanted to share a favorite: My Chicken Tortilla Soup.  My husband and I eat on this over a weekend and then I take it a couple of days to work for lunch.  This recipe makes a large pot.  

When ready to serve, pour it over your favorite tortilla chips broken in a bowl.  And if you like, toss some shredded Mexican blend cheeses on top.

Pamela Lutrell of Over 50 feeling 40 Chicken Tortilla Soup

(What makes this soup so good and unique is the homemade stock cooked slow overnight, and the choice of using Fiesta Fajita Seasoning over traditional Taco Seasoning)

The Night Before:

Place a whole chicken in a crock pot.  Cover with water.  Throw in one chopped onion, a cup of chopped celery, two sprigs of rosemary, and three garlic cloves.  Add a teaspoon of salt.

Cook overnight on low.

The Next Day: 

Remove the chicken and set aside to cool.  The garlic cloves will be floating on top so smash them and stir into stock.

In a soup pot, cook about one half cup of chopped onion and one-half cup of green pepper in olive oil until tender.  Then add these ingredients:

1 can of Mexican-style chopped tomatoes

1 large (larger than 14 oz) can of sweet corn (drained)

1 large can of black beans

1 14 oz can of pinto beans with jalapeno peppers

2 small cans of mild Hatch chilis, chopped

(You can also add some rice or broccoli or carrot, but the top is what we usually go with)

Cook the veggies in some of the chicken stock in your soup pot while you de-bone the chicken.  I shred it with my hands and usually hold a little back for some chicken salad during the week.

Add the chicken and the remainder of the chicken stock to the soup pot.  Add in 1 ½ teaspoons of  Fiesta Fajita Seasoning (see slide show at the bottom of the post)…I use this on so many dishes including Fajitas), and depending on how hot you like it, add a couple of dashes of cayenne pepper.

Pamela Lutrell makes soup with Fiesta Fajita Seasoning

Our grocery, HEB, makes a Red Quinoa and Flaxseed Tortilla Chips.  I crumbled those in the bottom of the bowl and serve the soup over it.  We do not put cheese on top…but the Mexican blend of shredded cheese would be could to toss on top.

Yummy….wish I had a bowl right now!  So, what is your favorite soup to make.  Do you eat more during the cold months or is it all year long?  Please share and always……………………………………………………………

KEEP SMILING!!

19 Comments

  1. I definitely cook more soup during cooler months, but like it anytime. I make big pots of vegetable that I share with friends. Grandchildren have their favorites so depending on which one is visiting, I’ll make “their” soup. And anytime anyone is sickly, they want my potato soup. Can’t beat Grandma’s love and soup!

  2. Usually make more in cooler weather, which in Florida is rare!
    Can’t wait to try your seasoning,I usually use ole El Paso taco seasoning.Fla. girls aren’t raised with too many different kinds of peppers,so we are slow on the spicy hot varieties of things. Fortunately NE Flas has had some cool weather so there will be lots of soups in our future!

  3. I love soup! It is always warm and comforting. Chicken tortilla is my favorite. However, I leave out the high carb beans and legumes as they are a no no on my diet. . I can still have the cheese though and I always add cilantro,lime, and avocado as a garnish. I skip the chips too. Your soup has me hungry!
    PS- love your haircut!

  4. Sounds great! I love soup, and make it all year, but more so in the fall/ winter. I don’t usually use a crockpot, although I really should. I make potato soup, bean soup, broccoli cheese soup, chicken noodle. I do agree that homemade stock makes a big difference.

  5. The Fiesta seasoning I showed here is not hot at all, Susan. That is why I add Cayenne Pepper to bring on some heat…which my husband prefers. But, the taste is awesome and you can play with this all you like..I am sure Florida girls would like this!

  6. The crock pot is really the secret to a great stock. I only use store bought stock when in a hurry, but by slow cooking the chicken overnight with the seasoning. The stock is so rich and delicious. I also make turkey stock with turkey legs in my slow cooker at Thanksgiving for a wonderful gravy stock.

  7. HEB is really the best. I have been to many groceries in other places…and they are NOT HEB. Most of the locations have a separate display just for FIESTA seasonings. IF you don’t see it, Renee, ask for it.

  8. I love,love,love soup! I look forward to the first cool week in the fall here in Texas–which takes a while to get here! I have made three pots just this last week–taco soup, wild rice and mushroom soup, and carrot potato soup. It is suppose to get cold again here tomorrow so I look forward to trying your chicken tortilla soup.

  9. Snow has come to parts of Canada and I am craving soup. Thanks for sharing this! Any suggestions for a substituition for these hot peppers? I don’t think I have seen them here.

  10. Hi Janet, there are no hot peppers here. If you do not want it spicy, then don’t add the cayenne pepper. Otherwise it is pretty mild. Stay warm!

  11. your recipe sounds delicious. i like to make clam chowder in the winter. it warms your insides.

  12. So agree, that homemade stock makes for the best soups. Your recipe sounds delicious so shall definitely give it a try. (Thank you!) -Brenda-
    P.S.: Last week as our temperatures really dropped, did up two batches of baked beans which freeze up nicely. Find with them; slow oven baking and using ‘bean pots’ definitely makes a difference in their flavor.

  13. This sounds so yummy! But I think I’ll try cooking the chicken in the Instant Pot. I’ve been making chicken stock with just leftover bones in the Instant Pot. I think the flavor is better then the crock pot and a whole lot quicker. Last time I did it, I had way too many bones in the freezer for one batch, so ended up making 3 batches in an afternoon with the Instant Pot. I also stash carrots and celery that are kind of past their prime or just the ends in the freezer and use that too when I’m making stock.

  14. Your soup reads tasty plus. Now I’ll have to search for Aussie alternatives for several of the more spicy ingredients. Still soup weather here.

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