Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup with Homemade Baked Chips

This creamy and comforting Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is loaded with tender chicken, black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and smokey jalapeños and has all of your favorite Mexican flavors. Dress it up with cilantro, cheese, squeeze of fresh lime, and serve it with crunchy tortilla chips for a satisfying meal that the whole family is sure to enjoy.

What is a Tortilla Soup?

Traditional Mexican tortilla soup is usually made with fried corn tortilla pieces that are submerged into a spicy broth made with tomatoes, onion, garlic, chilies, and herbs. The soup usually also has beans, chicken, pork, or other meats and is topped with avocado, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

For years, as I have enjoyed this soup in Mexican restaurants, some were absolutely delicious and some not so impressive. I knew this was a recipe I needed to try at home so I can enjoy the flavors I like and cook it more often.

After experimenting with it a few times, I finally have a flavor-packed, EASY Instant Pot Pressure Cooker recipe that everyone who has tried LOVES. I use most of the ingredients from the traditional recipe and also add corn to compliment the flavors and texture.

Recipe Ingredients

• Corn Tortillas - for a creamy texture and earthy flavors
• Fire Roasted Tomatoes - add smoky flavors, you can also add a spicy salsa instead
• Onions - yellow onion melds into the soup adding a hint of sweetness
• Frozen Corn - for sweetness and crunch with a pop of color
• Black Beans - perfect vegetarian protein source
• Garlic and Jalapenos - add flavor, aroma, and a spicy kick

My twist to the recipe

1. Cut up 4 corn tortillas into 1-inch squares and add them to the soup along with other ingredients. The tortilla pieces simply melt in the soup during the pressure cooking cycle, adding a nice creaminess and body to the soup. Do try it and I promise you will enjoy the elevated texture and flavor.
2. While the soup is pressure cooking, I lightly brush the remaining corn tortilla with oil, sprinkle some salt, cut them into triangles (or strips), and bake them in the oven. The fresh-baked homemade tortilla chips are healthier and are perfect for scooping up the creamy tortilla soup.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Make the homemade Tortilla Chips

We love to eat the Chicken Tortilla Soup with some crunchy tortilla chips. I love the healthier homemade baked chips as they can be baked as you wait for the soup to be cooked.

Here are the quick steps to make homemade tortilla chips:

1. Preheat the oven at 350 F.
2. Lightly brush both sides of the tortillas with oil and sprinkle some salt.
3. Cut them into triangular pieces using a pizza cutter.
4. Arrange in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes, turning them once halfway through. Cool them completely before serving.

Cooking The Soup

Step 1: Add ingredients to the Instant Pot

• Place four tortillas on a cutting board and cut them into small square pieces using a pizza cutter or a chefs knife. Rinse and drain black beans.
• Add oil, onions, jalapeños, garlic, tortilla pieces, and black beans to the Instant Pot. Add corn, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and give a quick stir. Add chicken on the top (photos 5 - 8)
• Add salt, paprika, chicken stock, and close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure cook for 8 minutes on high pressue followed by 10-minute natural pressure release (Note: I have started to pressure cook for 13 minutes on poultry mode as it allows the chicken to be shredded effortlessly)

Step 2: Pressure cook, shred chicken & garnish

• Open the Instant Pot and carefully take out the chicken breasts. Shred the chicken using a pair of forks and return it back to the pot. Add cayenne pepper and garnish with cilantro (photos 9 - 12).

• Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and bring the soup to a gentle boil.

Serving

Serve this creamy delicious one-pot meal topped with diced avocados, cilantro, pepper jack cheese, and baked tortilla chips. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Variations

• Use taco seasoning instead of paprika
• Substitute chicken breaste with your favorite meat or use boneless skinless chicken thighs
• Skip cheese for a dairy-free tortilla soup
• Add a dollop of sour cream while serving the soup
• Squeeze of fresh lime while serving brightens up the flavors
• Substitute pepper jack cheese with your favorite Mexican cheese
• To make this soup in a slow cooker simply add all the main ingredients and slow cook(Hi) for 4 hours. Shred the chicken before serving. Garnish and serve with tortilla chips.

Vegetarian Version

To make the soup vegetarian, add another can of red or black beans, 1 cup of diced mushrooms, zucchini, and/or carrots. Pressure Cook for 5 minutes followed by quick release or natural pressure release.  

Storing

Chicken Tortilla Soup can be served immediately or can be made ahead. It can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. To reheat simply microwave or reheat on the stovetop.

Do you enjoy soups that make one-pot meals? Here are some of our other favorite Instant Pot recipes:

• EASY Lasagna Soup
• Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup with kale
• Chicken Cilantro Soup with ginger and jalapeños
• Coconut Curry Noodle Soup loaded with veggies
• Low carb Chicken Mulligatawny Soup
• Chicken Tortellini Soup

And if you love Mexican flavors, here are some Weeknight FAV Mexican Recipes you will love:

• Enchilada Quinoa Casserole
• Chicken Tinga Tacos
• Corn & Black Bean Quesadillas
• Spicy Taco Pasta

Recipe

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

A spicy and comforting Mexican soup loaded with tender cooked chicken, beans, tomatoes, corn, and smokey peppers.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: dinner, Entree, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 5

Calories: 578kcal

Author: Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
• ▢ 4 corn tortillas cut into 1-inch squares
• ▢ 1 cup fire roasted tomatoes or fresh tomato diced
• ▢ ½ jalapeno minced
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 15 oz canned black beans rinsed and drained
• ▢ 1 cup frozen corn
• ▢ 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 pound chicken breasts
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika optional

Garnish

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
• ▢ 1 cup cilantro chopped
• ▢ 1 cup pepper jack cheese shredded
• ▢ 1 avocado diced
• ▢ 1 lime

Tortilla chips

• ▢ 6 corn tortillas
• ▢ 1 tablespoon oil
• ▢ kosher salt to taste

Instructions

• Add oil, onion, tortillas pieces, tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, beans, and corn to the Instant Pot and give a quick stir. Add chicken breasts, broth, salt, and paprika. Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 13 minutes on poultry mode followed by natural pressure release.
• Open the Instant Pot, take out the chicken breasts, and shred them into small pieces with a fork. Add the shredded chicken to the soup. Turn the Instant Pot to saute mode and bring the soup to a boil. Mix well.
• Serve the chicken tortilla soup hot, topped with cilantro, shredded pepper jack cheese, and baked tortilla chips. Add a squeeze of fresh lime while serving.

To make the baked tortilla chips:

• Preheat the oven at 350 F.
• Lightly brush both sides of the remaining tortillas with oil and sprinkle some salt. Cut them into triangular pieces using a pizza cutter.
• Arrange in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes, turning them once halfway through. Cool them completely before serving.

Video

Notes

Substitutes:

• use taco seasoning instead of paprika when pressure cooking the soup
• substitute chicken with your favorite meat, see vegetarian options below 
• skip cheese for a dairy-free tortilla soup
• add sour cream while serving the soup
• substitute pepper jack cheese with your favorite Mexican cheese

Vegetarian Options:

To make the soup vegetarian, add another can of red or black beans, 1 cup of diced mushrooms, zucchini, and/or carrots. Pressure Cook for 5 minutes followed by quick release or natural pressure release.  

Nutrition

Calories: 578kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1172mg | Potassium: 1213mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 950IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 4mg

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