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Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Instant Pot Recipe 

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Are you a fan of Chicken Tortilla Soup? If so you’re going to love the flavor of this easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Instant Pot Recipe! It’s delicious, simple, and a great way to fill the bellies of everyone sitting around the table. The tender chicken and rich broth combined with the added toppings make this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup a winner.

instant pot tortilla soup

Best Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Everyone knows that making soups in the Instant Pot is one of the best ways to cook soup. The Instant pot is fast and efficient, and it brings out the flavor of this Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

With a cook time of just 20 minutes, it’s hard to believe that a soup this good can be made. But trust me on this one – your Instant Pot can crank out some crazy good recipes!

This easy chicken tortilla soup Instant pot recipe will soon become a family favorite because it is:

  • Fast and simple to come in the pressure cooker.
  • Loaded with flavors such as chili powder.
  • Perfect for having as leftovers – Who doesn’t love leftover soup!

Chicken Tortilla Soup Instant Pot Ingredients

All you have to do to get started is gather up the simple ingredients listed below.

  • Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the onions and garlic.
  • White Onion: Provides a savory and slightly sweet flavor to the soup.
  • Cloves garlic : Infuses the soup with aromatic flavor, adding depth and complexity to the overall taste profile.
  • Diced Green Chiles: Adds a mild heat and a tangy flavor to the soup, enhancing its overall spiciness and adding a subtle kick.
  • Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes: Brings a smoky and slightly charred flavor to the soup, adding depth and richness.
  • Red enchilada sauce: Contributes a rich and tangy taste to the soup, providing a bold and vibrant flavor profile.
  • Chili Powder: Adds a mild spiciness and a rich earthy flavor to the soup, enhancing its depth of taste.
  • Cumin: Infuses the soup with a warm and earthy note, adding complexity and complementing the other flavors.
  • Black Beans: Adds a protein-rich element to the soup, providing texture and substance.
  • Low Sodium Chicken Broth or Stock: Provides moisture and a savory base for cooking the soup, enhancing the overall flavor and giving it a comforting depth.
  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Shredded Chicken: Adds a tender and juicy element to the soup, providing protein and a satisfying texture.
  • Canned or Frozen Corn: Adds a sweet and slightly crisp texture to the soup, contributing a burst of freshness and enhancing the overall flavor profile.
  • Salt and Pepper: Enhances the taste of the soup, bringing out the natural flavors of the ingredients and helping to balance the overall seasoning.
  • Shredded Cheese: Used as a garnish, it adds a creamy and indulgent element to the soup.
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How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup?

Get ready to be amazed at how simple this chicken tortilla soup recipe is!

Step 1: Saute Ingredients in Instant Pot

To start, gather all of your ingredients and set your Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add the oil.

Once hot, sauté the chopped onion for 5 minutes or until lightly brown stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. 

Step 2: Add the Chicken Broth

Cancel the saute function. Add a half cup of chicken broth and scrape the Instant Pot bottom to remove onion and garlic. 

This will ensure there is no burn message while pressure cooking.

Step 3: Add the Remaining Ingredients

Add remaining broth, chicken breast, spices, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, chilies, and beans.

Close the Instant pot lid and seal the pressure valve. Pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.

adding the broth and beans to the instant pot

Step 4: Remove the Cooked Chicken for Shredding

Quick release pressure and remove the chicken. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot. (

You can pressure release naturally if you wish but you don’t have to for this chicken tortilla soup recipe).

adding the shredded chicken back to the pot

Step 5: Serve This Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe With Toppings

Serve and enjoy with your favorite topping such as lime-crumbled tortilla chips (smeared with lime juice) or homemade tortilla strips, sour cream, green chilies shredded cheese and diced avocado.

bowl of instant pot chicken tortilla soup

Using Homemade Chicken Stock or Chicken Broth

You could also use homemade chicken stock for an even richer flavor. But, either way, just be sure to taste the soup before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

If you want to mix it up, another yummy way to use leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup is to turn it into Chicken Tortilla Soup Stuffed Sweet Potatoes!

Just bake some sweet potatoes until they are fork tender and slice them open. Top with your leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup, extra toppings, and enjoy as a new meal option.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Flatbread Pizza

You could also turn it into a Chicken Tortilla Soup Flatbread Pizza by layering it on a flatbread crust with some cheese and extra toppings, then baking it in the oven until the crust is crispy and the cheese is melted.

So many delicious options with Instant Pot tortilla soup leftovers!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Chicken Tortilla Soup?

Chicken Tortilla Soup is a Mexican-inspired soup with shredded chicken, tomatoes, corn, black beans, and spices. It’s often topped with tortilla strips or chips, avocado slices, cilantro, cheese, and sour cream for added flavor and texture.

Can You Freeze Chicken Tortilla Soup?

Yes, you totally can! If you’re a fan of meal prep and freezing soups, this is a great recipe to do that with. All you need to do is make sure that you’re letting the soup cool down all the way before adding it to a freezer-safe bag.
Freezing it in a bag is a great tip because as it freezes, the bag will be flat and easier to stick in the freezer so that it doesn’t take up a bunch of room. If you don’t have a freezer bag use an airtight container.

Can I Use Frozen Chicken Breasts in Tortilla Soup?

Yes, absolutely! You can add frozen chicken breasts right into the soup and let it cook on high pressure for an extra 5 minutes or so until the chicken breast is cooked through.

Why Does This Chicken Tortilla Soup Use Frozen Corn Kernels?

I like using frozen corn kernels because it adds just the right amount of sweetness and is super convenient. Plus, frozen corn tends to be a bit more tender than canned corn. But if you prefer, you can use canned corn with the same pressure cook time.

Do I Have to Use Chicken Breasts for Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup?

No, you can certainly use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead or a mix of both. Chicken breasts are leaner and will yield more tender meat, but there’s nothing wrong with using boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Just be sure to adjust the cook time as necessary if using thigh meat since it is generally tougher than breast meat.

Can I Use a Rotisserie Chicken for Chicken Tortilla Soup?

Yes, this is an easy shortcut to use a rotisserie chicken. Shred the chicken and add the tender shredded chicken into the Instant Pot at the end of the recipe. It’s a great way to save time and effort while still having delicious soup!
If you have plenty of cooked chicken then this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is a great way to use up your chicken. Either way, whether you use raw chicken or precooked chicken it is sure to taste amazing!

Why Use Low Sodium Chicken Stock?

Using low-sodium chicken stock allows you to control the amount of salt in your soup. Regular chicken broth can often be high in sodium and using a low-sodium version will help keep the sodium levels in check while still providing plenty of flavor.
chicken tortilla soup

Can I Make Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Slow Cooker?

Yes, you can certainly make this recipe in the slow cooker. Just follow all of the steps above but instead of setting your Instant Pot to sauté, set your slow cooker to the brown/saute function or cook on high for about 30 minutes before adding in the rest of the ingredients and cooking on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.

How Do I Make My Own Tortilla Strips?

Making homemade tortilla chips or strips for toppings on this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is super easy.
Take a few corn or flour tortillas and cut them into long thin strips.
Heat up some olive oil in a pan and fry the cut tortillas until they are crispy.
Drain them on a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.
Sprinkle with salt and enjoy as a topping for your soup!

What About Air Fryer Tortilla Strips?

You could also air fry your tortilla strips to get crispy without all the extra oil. Simply add the strips to your air fryer basket and cook for about 5 minutes.

Can I Use Chicken Tortilla Soup in Burritos or Tacos?

Yes, definitely! This Chicken Tortilla Soup is already packed with corn, black beans, and chicken so it makes for a great filling in burritos or tacos. Serve with

What to Do With Leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup?

Leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup can be stored in the fridge for about 4-5 days. It’s also a great option to freeze in individual portions for an easy lunch or dinner throughout the week.

Can I Use Chicken Tortilla Soup in Burritos or Tacos?

Yes, definitely! This Chicken Tortilla Soup is already packed with corn, black beans, and chicken so it makes for a great filling in burritos or tacos.
Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy as a new twist on traditional tacos or burritos.

Can I Substitute Chicken for a Vegan Option?

Yes, absolutely. You can easily make this Chicken Tortilla Soup into a vegan option by substituting the chicken for tofu or vegetables like bell peppers, corn, and black beans.
You can also use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make it a completely vegan option.
Be sure to check the ingredients on any canned items you might be using (such as canned tomatoes) to ensure they don’t have any animal products.

Best Toppings For This Chicken Tortilla Soup Instant Pot Recipe

I love toppings! Some of my favorite toppings for Chicken tortilla soup are:
Crispy tortilla strips or tortilla chips
Shredded cheese
Fresh Cilantro
Diced Onions
Fresh Jalapenos
Lime Wedges
Sliced Avocado
Sour Cream
But you can easily add on anything that you’d like! Putting your own toppings on your chicken tortilla soup bowl is the best.

Should Tortilla Soup Be Thickened?

If you want to thicken it up your Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup can, but I really like the consistency of this soup as is. Making the soup any thicker would make it almost have a chili consistency.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Instant Pot

Chicken Tortilla Soup Instant Pot

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Everyone in the family will love this simple soup recipe!

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup small white onion, diced
  • 1 TBSP cloves garlic (minced)
  • 4 ounce can diced green chiles
  • 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 15 ounces red enchilada sauce
  • 1 TSP chili powder
  • 1 TSP cumin
  • 15 ounce can black beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1-pound boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1 cup canned or frozen corn (drained if canned)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Set the instant pot to sauté and add the oil. Once hot, sauté onions for 5 minutes or until lightly brown. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. 
  2. Cancel the instant pot. Add a half cup of broth and scrape the instant pot bottom to remove onion and garlic. 
  3. Add remaining broth, chicken, spices, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, chilies, and beans. Close the lid and seal the pressure valve. Cook on high for 10 minutes or until chicken is 165° internal.
  4. Quick release pressure and remove the chicken. Shred chicken and return to the pot. 
  5. Serve and enjoy with your favorite topping such as lime crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla strips, sour cream, shredded cheese, and/or avocado.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 472Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 1703mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 13gSugar: 15gProtein: 52g

Did you make this recipe?

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More Instant Pot Recipes

If you love instant pot cooking then why not try more of our delicious Instant Pot Recipes.

The possibilities are endless with the Instant Pot! Happy cooking!

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