Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

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

This Dump and ready Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is so easy to make that it has now become a favorite meal in my family. My children are not only happy to eat this soup but also excited to cook it with this simple pressure cooker recipe.

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, cheeses, and sour cream.

Healthy version

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.

My twist to the recipe:

1. I 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 to scoop up the creamy tortilla soup with.

Variations

• Use taco seasoning instead of paprika
• Substitute chicken with your favorite meat
• 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

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.

How to make homemade Tortilla Chips?

1. Lightly brush the tortillas with oil and cut them into triangle pieces using a pizza cutter.
2. Line them on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway.
4. Allow to completely cool down.

Note: I have a small speed cook convection oven that bakes food much faster than a traditional oven. You may need to increase the bake time to 10 to 15 minutes.

Process

Step 1: Add ingredients to the Instant Pot

• Cut 4 tortillas into small square pieces. 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. Place chicken on the top (photos 5 – 8)
• Add salt, paprika, broth, and close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure cook for 8 minutes 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.

• Enjoy the creamy delicious one-pot meal topped with diced avocados, cilantro, pepper jack cheese, and baked tortilla chips.

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

★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!

4.4 from 46 votes

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: 574kcal

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:

• Cut the remaining tortillas into triangular pieces using a pizza cutter. Line the baking Arrange in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 10-15 mins, turning them once halfway through. Allow cooling.

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: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1172mg | Potassium: 1194mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 937IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 283mg | Iron: 4mg

Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.