Go Back

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Creamy chicken tortilla soup with a rich orange-cream broth, tender shredded chicken, and melty cream cheese. Simmered until velvety, then finished with crunchy tortilla strips and fresh toppings.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and soup base
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast cooked and shredded
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 pepper to taste
Toppings
  • 1 sour cream
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1 tortilla strips
  • 1 Tbsp cilantro
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 lime

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté aromatics
  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat, then sauté the onion for 4 minutes, stirring until softened and fragrant.
  2. Add the garlic and taco seasoning, then cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly until aromatic.
Build the soup
  1. Add the Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, black beans, corn, and cumin; bring the mixture to a boil.
  2. Reduce the heat and stir in the cream cheese until completely melted, creating a smooth, creamy base.
Finish with chicken
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken and heavy cream, then simmer for 10 minutes until the chicken is heated through and the soup is rich.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot with sour cream, shredded cheddar, tortilla strips, cilantro, avocado, and lime.

Notes

Pro tip: To keep the soup silky, lower the heat before adding cream cheese and stir until fully melted. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently, adding a splash of broth if it thickens. Freezing is not ideal due to dairy separation, but you can freeze without toppings and re-stir on reheating. For a lower-fat option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and half-and-half instead of heavy cream.