Make This Chicken Tortilla Soup in Under 30 Minutes
Perfect for busy weeknights, this easy chicken tortilla soup recipe is loaded with tender chicken, carrots, onions and zucchini, steeped in a flavorful bone broth. Made in one pot and ready in under 30 minutes, it’s a quick and delicious meal the whole family will love!
One of our quick go-to meals is this easy chicken tortilla soup. It’s fresh, hearty and comes together pretty quickly. Plus, it’s toddler-approved! The recipe is simple and can easily be modified to your specific taste.
There is one secret ingredient, though, and it makes a difference…lime vitality essential oil!! If you don’t have a lime EO, you can use some lime zest and lime juice to get a pretty similar flavor.
What is Chicken Tortilla Soup?
Chicken tortilla soup is a flavorful Mexican-inspired dish that’s hearty, warm, and perfect for families who hardly have time to cook, let alone sit around the table during the week. It’s made with tender chicken, carrots, onions, and zucchini, along with a savory bone broth for an added boost of protein. It can be topped off with homemade guacamole and cilantro for extra oomph! It’s a family-friendly favorite that’s both filling and full of flavor.
Why make this Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe?
This easy chicken tortilla soup recipe is perfect for when you want something delicious but don’t have a lot of time. It’s quick, simple, and adaptable to your family’s preferences. Even better, it’s:
- Ready in under 30 minutes.
- Made in one pot for easy cleanup!
- Perfect for weeknight dinners.
- Customizable with your favorite toppings or ingredients.
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Ingredients
- Chicken
- Carrots
- Yellow and red onion
- Zucchini
- Bell pepper
- Taco seasoning: I like to use my homemade taco seasoning instead of store bought.
- Olive oil
- Bone broth: I like to add bone broth for extra nutrients! My go-to brand is Kettle & Fire from Costco or Trader Joe’s brand.
- Lime: I like to use lime vitality essential oil, but you can use lime juice and lime zest, if you opt to make the cauliflower rice.
- Sweet potatoes or uncooked rice
- Cauliflower (optional): If you want to make the optional cauliflower rice, a bag of fresh or frozen cauliflower will work.
- Ghee or grass-fed butter (optional): Only necessary if making the cauliflower rice.
- Fresh cilantro (optional): For use in the optional cauliflower rice, but it’s a good topping as well.
Chicken Tortilla Soup Variations
- Stir in a packet of ranch seasoning and some cream cheese for a creamy, tangy version.
- Add corn and black beans for a zesty twist.
- Use ground beef instead of chicken, add beans and peppers, and serve over corn chips for more of a taco soup feel.
I hope you love this recipe!
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
This easy chicken tortilla soup recipe is a family-friendly, one-pot meal packed with flavor—and ready in just 30 minutes!
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 5 cups cooked chicken, shredded*
- 4 large carrots, chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced (OR just use 1 yellow/red onion)
- 2 cups zucchini, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 4 T homemade taco seasoning
- Olive oil
- 6-8 cups bone broth (depending on how thick/thin you want the broth)
- 10-15 drops lime vitality essential oil
- 1 cup diced sweet potatoes OR 1 cup uncooked rice (cauliflower rice is also an option; see recipe below!)
For the cilantro-lime cauliflower rice:
- 1 bag fresh or frozen cauliflower OR 1 small head fresh cauliflower diced using a food processor
- 1 T ghee or grass-fed butter
- 10 drops lime vitality essential oil OR juice from 1/2 a lime + 1 tsp. lime zest
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
For soup:
- Add olive oil + onions to a dutch oven or large pot and cook over medium heat until translucent.
- Add carrots + sweet potatoes (if using), cover and steam sauté for about 5 minutes to soften the carrots.
- Add zucchini, bell pepper, cooked chicken, seasoning and broth and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Stir well to combine all the ingredients and add more seasoning if you choose. Add lime essential oil (or a healthy squeeze of lime juice + some zest), stir one last time and remove from heat. Alternatively, you can add a little lime oil or juice to individual bowls.
Top with homemade guacamole or sliced avocado and fresh cilantro!
For cilantro-lime cauliflower rice:
- Melt ghee in a pan over medium heat, then add riced cauliflower.
- Sauté for about 5-10 minutes until softened but not completely cooked.
- Remove from heat and stir in lime oil, cilantro and a little extra ghee for good measure!
Notes
- To make with raw chicken, simply add diced chicken in with the onions and carrots and cook until no longer pink. I typically bake my chicken while I’m cutting up veggies (350 for about 25 minutes for 2lb), or I will cook it in the Instantpot during the day.
- To make in a slow cooker or Instantpot, add all ingredients except zucchini and lime oil to the slow cooker and set on low for about an hour (2-3 if using raw chicken). Add in the zucchini for the last fifteen minutes!
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