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Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Mexican bowl with Chipotle Chicken Soup, wooden spoon, tomatillos and peppers

Looking for a quick comfort soup? This healthy Instant Pot Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup is perfect when you want a hot, slightly spicy, comfort soup. It’s definitely similar to a chicken noodle soup but with a Mexican flair and uses tortillas instead of noodles. There’s not much prep work involved, basically you chop the onions, throw in the spices and other ingredients, press the soup button for 30 min and that’s it!

Can you make it on the stove?

Yes definitely! I’ve included notes at the bottom of the recipe on how to do it. It’s pretty much the same but you need to cut up the chicken before you cook it and the soup needs to cook longer than the Instant Pot version.

Can you use a whole chicken instead of chicken thighs or breasts?

Yes, definitely! Keep the cooking time the same, but after it’s finished, pull out the chicken, take off the bones, skin, etc and shred the meat and place back into the soup. Deboning chicken while not hard, does take some time.

Originally I did use a whole chicken for this recipe but decided to make it a quicker soup by using boneless, skinless thighs or breasts. You don’t need to cut them into pieces before cooking, just leave them whole. Then after it’s all done, shred the chicken and plop it back into the soup.

How do you freeze chicken soup?

Freeze this soup into 1 c. portions and you’ll always have a nice comfort soup in the freezer whenever you need it. I usually let the soup cool in the refrigerator first (usually overnight) and put it into bags the next day. Use a Food Saver (paid link) or vacuum sealer (paid link) but don’t actually vacuum seal, just use the sealer (paid link) part. Place about 1 c. chicken tortilla soup in the bag and then seal it twice. Lay the bags flat on a cookie sheet, then flash freeze.

When finished, I store mine in a box in my freezer labeled, “Soup.” When anyone is sick at my house, I pull one out and heat it in the microwave until hot. I started doing this when I made homemade chicken noodle soup as my kids would get my homemade soup when they were sick, but when I was sick, I was stuck with canned soup.  Now I have something nice and healthy to eat if I’m ever sick.

How to make Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup in pictures:

Onions and peppers cooking in an Instant Pot with wooden sppon

First sauté the onions and peppers in the Instant Pot. Add the garlic and Homemade Chipotle Seasoning (paid link) (or use store bought).

Instant Pot with chicken, broth, spices

Add the chicken (do not cut), remaining spices and ingredients (except for tortillas). Use “soup,” setting on Instant Pot or press “manual, high pressure” for 30 minutes.

Cooked chicken chopped on a white cutting board with knife

Release pressure on Instant Pot after 10 minutes when done. Take out chicken pieces and shred chicken. Add it back into the soup.

2 bowls of chicken tortilla soup with tomatillos and poblanos on a wooden board

Tear corn tortillas into small pieces and add to soup before serving. Serve immediately or freeze (without tortillas) in small portions. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

Amy Lawrence
Looking for an easy Instant Pot comfort soup? This healthy Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup is perfect!  Similar to that coziness of chicken noodle soup but with a Mexican flair using tortillas instead of noodles. Not much prep work involved -basically chop the onions, throw in the chicken and spices, press the soup button for 30 min and that's it!
You can also make it on the stove, see notes at the bottom of recipe for directions.
I like to make this soup and freeze it into portions - in vacuum sealed bags or use Souper Cubes . Whenever I want soup, I just take a portion out and reheat it in the microwave.
Weight Watchers Points: 2 Smart Points ; Green: 5 Smart Points; Purple: 2 Smart Points when using chicken thighs
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Plus time for Instant Pot pressure to build 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Soup
Cuisine American/Mexican
Servings 10
Calories 224 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 onions chopped
  • olive oil spray or 2 t. olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 T. homemade chipotle seasoning
  • 2 t. kosher salt
  • 1 t. chili powder
  • 1 1/2 t. coriander
  • 1 T. smoked paprika
  • 1 T. cumin
  • 1/4 t. chipotle powder
  • 1 t. oregano
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, breasts or use about a 3 1/2 lb. whole chicken
  • 2 c. Parmesan chicken broth or regular chicken broth
  • 1 c. tomatillo salsa or green salsa optional
  • 2 to matillos husks removed, then chopped (optional)
  • 3 c. water or you can use all broth
  • 2 cans black beans drained
  • 1 can corn drained
  • 1 can green chiles mild
  • 2 pasilla peppers or poblano peppers seeded and chopped
  • 4 small corn tortillas torn into pieces (optional)
  • cilantro for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Press "Sauté" on the Instant Pot, heat until hot. Spray liner pot with olive oil spray and add chopped onions and peppers. Cook for a few minutes until softened. Add garlic and 1 T. homemade chipotle seasoning and brown a bit more. Turn off Instant Pot.
  • Add remaining spices, Parmesan chicken broth or broth, water, tomatillo salsa, tomatillos, black beans, corn, and green chiles.
  • Add chicken thighs (or breasts or whole chicken). 
  • Press "Soup," and cook on high pressure according to setting or do manual and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.
  • Allow to natural release for about 10 minutes, then release pressure.
  • Serve with torn tortillas.

Notes

To make this Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup on the stove:
Heat a big stock pot on medium heat.  Add the chopped onions and sauté until soft. Add garlic and chipotle seasoning.
Add chicken (for stove top, cut chicken into bite sized pieces) and brown for a few minutes.
Add remaining ingredients (except tortillas). Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil for about 5 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer on low with lid partially closed for 45 minutes. Serve with torn tortillas and garnish with cilantro.
Other helpful hints:
I keep Parmesan Chicken Broth and Tomatillo Green Salsa packaged in 1 c. portions in my freezer. When I need them, I just thaw them out or microwave them a bit.
If you're using a whole chicken, no need to use broth. Just add enough water to fill the pot up to max line on Instant Pot. 
Freeze this soup into 1 c. portions (try the new Souper Cubes ) or use vacuum sealed bags and you'll always have a nice comfort soup in the freezer whenever you need it.  I started doing this when I made chicken noodle soup as my kids would get my homemade soup when they were sick, but when I was sick, I was stuck with canned soup.  I started freezing soup so I had a nice homemade one if I'm ever sick.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 29.2gProtein: 18.9gFat: 4.1gSaturated Fat: 1.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.9gMonounsaturated Fat: 1.1gCholesterol: 53.1mgSodium: 1274.9mgPotassium: 589.3mgFiber: 8.8gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 91.6IUVitamin C: 28.9mgCalcium: 67.3mgIron: 2.9mg
Keyword Chicken Noodle Soup, healthy, Instant Pot
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