The BEST Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup – made from scratch, in a fraction of the time! Delicious and healthy, loaded with chicken and veggies, this soup will warm you to your bones! Can also be made on the stovetop or slow cooker! With a video!
Hey friends, I’m so excited to share this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup with you! Full of flavor it can be made in a fraction of the time- perfect for busy nights. Delicious and hearty, it is loaded with chicken and veggies, so comforting and soul-warming!
Perfect for cool fall and winter days this version is highly adaptable. Make it with dry beans, canned beans or no beans at all, it’s totally up to you. Top it with cheese and sour cream, or keep it dairy-free and add avocado. Make it as spicy as you want! Lots of options here friends!
The best part is after you saute the onions, you can just dump everything else in the pot and let the pressure cooker work its magic. No pressure cooker? No problem….make it on the stove or in a slow cooker (see recipe notes).
The nice part is you don’t even have to touch or cut the chicken, just drop it in whole. You can use fresh or frozen boneless, skinless thighs or use chicken breast, up to you!
So easy! Very tasty and satisfying, and the left-over soup just gets better and better over the next few days- perfect for midweek lunches or dinners.
Chicken Tortilla Soup!| a 60-second video
How to make Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Set the Instant pot to the Saute function. Saute onions in the oil while you prep the garlic, carrots and celery. Add them to the pot, and saute.
- Add the diced tomato, green chilies, chicken thighs (whole), dry black beans ( or canned, drained), chicken stock, water, salt and all the spices.
- Give a good stir, and set the Instant pot to pressure cook on high. If using dry black beans, pressure cook 25 minutes. If using canned black beans, pressure cook for 14 minutes (same for either fresh or frozen thighs).
- Manually let the pressure out, covering steam with a kitchen towel.
- Shred chicken thighs with two forks. Squeeze with a generous amount of lime juice and taste for salt, adding more if necessary- especially if you used dry beans, you will need to add more.
- Divide among bowls and top with tortilla strips, cheese, sour cream, scallions or avocado and cilantro. Add hot sauce for added heat.
Homemade tortilla chips:
For the healthiest, tastiest tortilla chips, spray strips of fresh tortillas with olive oil spray and a sprinkle of salt, and bake until crisp, or feel free to use store-bought tortilla chips, or leave them off completely for a lower carb version.
When the soup is done, shred the chicken, right in the pot with two forks.
Feel free to add corn or beans in this recipe- or both!
Tortilla Soup Toppings:
Make sure to garnish the Instant Pot Tortilla soup with either avocado or sour cream, and a squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro! The garnishes really make this! Garnishes: avocado, optional cheese (cotija or shredded), sour cream, cilantro, tortilla chips, fresh jalapeño or hot sauce for heat.
More recipes you may like:
- Our top 25 Instant Pot recipes from around the Globe
- Feel Better Chicken Soup
- 20 Healing Broth Based Soups!
- Mexican Noodle Soup! (vegan-adaptable)
- Turmeric Detox Broth (customizable)
So simple, so easy. So tasty! Make this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup and save the left-overs for mid-week meals.
Have a delicious week!
xoxo
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup – a fast and flavorful recipe that can be made using dry or canned beans, and using fresh or frozen thighs, or breast meat. Very adaptable! Very easy. Read the Notes!!!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8
- Category: soup
- Method: instant pot
- Cuisine: mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, rough chopped (or sub 1–2 tablespoons granulated garlic)
- 1–2 cups carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 x 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, and juices (preferably fire-roasted) or 1 ½ cups diced tomatoes w/juices
- 1 small 4-ounce can, mild green chilies (or sub 1 poblano chili, diced)
- 2 lbs chicken thighs (boneless, skinless, fresh or frozen) left whole (or breasts -see cooking notes)
- 1 cup dry black beans or sub 1-2 cans black beans, or sub corn-see notes ( do not use dry beans with chicken breast as breasts will overcook.)
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth (or water with 4 chicken bouillon cubes)
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- juice from 1–2 limes
- optional: for a smoky heat, add a little chipotle (either the adobo sauce from canned chipotles, or a little ground chipotle powder to taste. )
Garnish with any or all of the following: tortilla strips, grated cheese, sour cream, avocado, hot sauce, cilantro, fresh jalapeño, scallions
Instructions
- Set the Instant pot to the Saute function. Saute onions in the oil for 3-4 minutes while you prep the garlic, carrots and celery. Add them to the pot, and saute 3-4 minutes. (If using granulated garlic, add later with the spices)
- Add the diced tomato and their juices, green chilies, chicken thighs (whole), dry black beans ( or canned, drained), chicken stock, water, salt and all the spices. Give a good stir, and set the Instant pot to pressure cook on high. If using dry black beans, pressure cook 25 minutes. If using canned black beans, pressure cook for 14 minutes (same for either fresh or frozen thighs).
- Manually let the pressure out, covering steam with a kitchen towel. (Or feel free to let the pressure release naturally.)
- Shred chicken thighs with two forks (either right in the pot, or on a cutting board). The soup will thicken. (At this point you could add corn, and return to saute setting for a few minutes.) Squeeze with a generous amount of lime juice and taste for salt, adding more if necessary- especially if you used dry beans, you will need to add more. You want a good balance between lime and salt. ( If the soup tastes bland, it probably needs more of each.)
- Divide among bowls and top with tortilla strips, cheese, sour cream, scallions or avocado and cilantro. Add hot sauce for added heat.
- Enjoy!
Notes
I used a 6-quart Instant Pot.
For a more brothy soup, use only 1 can of beans vs. two. ( I prefer this brothy.)
Blackbeans: If your dry blackbeans are very old, I would recommend soaking first or extending the pressure cooking time to 30 minutes.
CHICKEN BREASTS If using whole chicken breasts, lower pressure cook time to 8-12 minutes and do not use dry beans (you will overcook the breasts). Set at 8 minutes for smaller breasts or 12 mins for extra-large breasts.
The toppings really add to the soup. Use them!
For the tastiest tortilla chips, spray strips of fresh tortillas with olive oil spray and a sprinkle of salt, and bake in a 300 F oven until crisp.
STOVE TOP: Use a big pot or dutch oven– follow the same directions, sauteeing over medium heat, then simmering covered until chicken thighs are cooked through and easily shreddable, and beans are tender, about 40 minutes. Soaking the beans first shortens this time!
For a bean-free version you could swap out 3 cups corn for the beans ( Trader Joes, frozen fire-roasted corn is great) adding it to the soup after you release the pressure.
For slow cooker version, cook as stated above then cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or on High for 3 to 4 hours.
If doubling the recipe, this will not fit in a 6 quart Instant Pot. I recommend making in a big pot on the stove.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 3/4 cups
- Calories: 392
- Sugar: 3.9 g
- Sodium: 729.2 mg
- Fat: 22.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 23.6 g
- Fiber: 6.5 g
- Protein: 25.3 g
- Cholesterol: 111.3 mg
Keywords: instant pot chicken tortilla soup, chicken tortilla soup, instant pot chicken soup recipes, instant pot tortilla soup, chicken tortilla soup instant pot,
I’ve had my IP for years and I was *this close* to giving it away- the only thing I could make consistently well were hard-boiled eggs! Thank goodness I stumbled upon this recipe- it’s the best tortilla soup recipe I’ve ever served my family. I’m so excited to try your other recipes!
★★★★★
Thanks and glad you enjoyed!
Makes some yummy soup
★★★★★
Question: Does the soup freeze well? Thanks!
Yes, but without the garnishes and tortilla chips. 😉
This was easy and yummy. Since our nest is now empty, there’s only 2 of us and there was enough for 3 meals. It just got better as time went on and the flavor developed! A definite keeper!
★★★★★
Liann, glad you enjoyed this!
Delicious. Made with my home made chicken bone broth. Tasty and satisfying. Will make again.
★★★★★
Wonderful Susan, so nourishing!
Hi Sylvia – I made your chicken tortilla soup last night (stove top) and it came out wonderful. Just want to say THANK YOU!
★★★★★
You are so welcome! xo
My husband and I both love this recipe! It is definitely a staple in our household now. The chicken comes out perfectly tender and needs very little effort to shred. I usually thicken the soup a little more by adding in tomato paste as the onions cook. Otherwise this is a great recipe!!!
★★★★★
Thanks Chris- love the addition of tomato paste! Great idea. 😉
Does the lime juice go in with the spices? Or later?
Add at the end, to taste. 😉
Best soup ever! Easy and absolutely delicious. The lime is key!!! I’ve made it many times, and today I try with frozen thighs! I’m sure it’ll turn out great.
★★★★★
Thanks so much Katie!
I’m currently making the recipe, so will be able to comment on it soon, however, wanted to let you know about a remark you made about putting a towel over the vent to capture the steam? I wondered about that as I recalled seeing something about not doing that, so checked several sites.
It’s highly discouraged because of the damage it can do to the unit. The steam is supposed to go up to escape and using a towel can create issues. I’ll let you check for yourself, so you’ll know about it & make your own decision, but others might not know either.
Can’t wait for the soup! Smells Lovely!!!
The soup was very good! I did add a tablespoon of low sodium chicken Better Than Bullion to punch up the chicken flavor, but that’s for my tastebuds.
thank you for a fun & delicious recipe.
★★★★
Thanks for the info Tina- I did not know that! I have been covering with a towel for several years now! Ooops! Glad you enjoyed the soup and htanks for the tip.
Made this tonight and it was so fulfilling! My picky eater husband gobbled it up and we’re going a make this a staple in our household 🙂 leftovers save well too. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Perfect Noor! Love it!
Made this last night and it was incredibly delicious! I followed the recipe as written using my Instant Pot (I’m late coming to the IP craze and on the search for recipes I can make in it) and it was probably one of the easiest recipes ever. Intended to add a tsp of chipotle but forget to add it before sealing the IP. No problem: added it at the end while I pulled the chicken apart. I also followed the suggestions for the toppings and used corn tortillas, shredded cheddar, scallions, avocado, and cilantro. I left the tortillas in the oven for a few minutes too long and they were a bit darker than intended but they held up incredibly well in the soup and didn’t get soggy at all. Hubby had seconds and requested this in a regular rotation. I only wish I found this recipe sooner as soup season is winding down here in the Northeast. Thank you Sylvia! All your recipes are winners and I know I can trust your ideas for truly restaurant quality meals
thanks so much Joyce!
Best tortilla soup I’ve ever had. It was a success for my first time making it(:
★★★★★
Awesome Jackie!
I didn’t realize my Instant Pot was half the size, so as I added in full measures, I ran out of room. I was only able to add 1 can chicken stock and no water, but I couldn’t un-add all the spices, etc.
It was delicious! Best screw up ever. I highly recommend going double on all the spices and putting in less stock and no extra water, except the juice from the beans and tomatoes.
Better than the tortilla soup in Mexico…Very tasty, and not at all too spicy.
★★★★★
Oops! Glad you were able to salvage it Joe!
Family loved this. Adapted the recipe to use up leftover chicken and to please my children’s palates. Divided the recipe in two separate pots to reduced the amount of spice in children’s portion. Great, easy recipe for a cold winter night. 🙂
thanks Sophie!
Did you adjust the cooking time using cooked chicken?
Just starting to make the soup. What are the spices and how much???
Scroll down to the recipe card Marilyn!
Easy to make, added all the suggested toppings, amazing flavor! Love it!
★★★★★
Awesome Marie! Glad you enjoyed it!
When I watch the video it doesn’t look like teaspoonful of the spices…it looks like table spoons? Can you please confirm the measurements. Thank you.
Hi Draga- follow the recipe card- in the video I was kind of winging it. 🙂
Hi Sylvia, my daughter had surgery today and I wanted to make her something that would be comforting and the leftovers even better. Your Chicken Tortilla Soup did just that! I have to tell you I was very uneasy about putting the chicken in raw without any seasoning but I was determined to follow your recipe. I am so glad I made double it is absolutely delicious. I added both the canned black beans and some frozen corn when the shredded chicken went back into the broth so that the beans weren’t mushy. I also used fresh oregano that I had.
The best part was after a very difficult week for our family my daughter said “thanks Mom the soup was really good!”.
Thank you so much for sharing your creative gift of cooking and your sweet spirit!
Linda
Awwww Linda, I’m so happy she enjoyed it. Wishing her a very speedy recovery. ❤️🩹
Excellent flavour, so easy to put together! I added red, yellow, and orange bell peppers and zucchini to the veggie mix to make it more hearty. Used frozen breasts so reduced the time to 9 minutes and it was perfect.
I forgot the lime!! Will absolutely be adding it next time, as I can imagine how it would level-up the flavour even more.
★★★★★
Perfect Erin- love your addition of healthy veggies! Yes, don’t skip the lime- truly elevates!