Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup is a hearty and flavorful Mexican-inspired dish perfect for cozy meals. Tender chicken breasts are slow-cooked with a blend of spices, bell peppers, tomatoes, black beans, and chipotle pepper for a mildly spicy and smoky taste. Finished with fresh lime juice and served with creamy sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and grated cheese, this soup offers a comforting, nutritious meal with minimal prep and hands-on time.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 3 chicken breasts
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegetables and Beans
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Tomato Base
- 1 (28-oz) can whole or diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilies (such as Rotel)
- 4 oz tomato paste
- 1 whole chipotle pepper in adobo (add 2 to 3 if more heat desired)
Liquids and Finishers
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth (add more for thinner soup)
- 1 lime, juiced
Optional Fixins
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Cilantro leaves
- Grated cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper evenly over the chicken.
- Add Vegetables and Tomatoes: Add the chopped onion, red and yellow bell peppers, canned whole or diced tomatoes with their juice, diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato paste, and chipotle pepper into the slow cooker.
- Pour in Broth and Beans: Pour in the low sodium chicken broth and add the drained and rinsed black beans. Stir everything together gently.
- Cook the Soup: Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours. This slow cooking allows the flavors to meld and the chicken to become tender.
- Shred the Chicken: After cooking, remove the lid and use two forks to break up the chicken into bite-sized chunks or shred it more finely per preference.
- Add Lime Juice and Season: Stir in the freshly squeezed lime juice. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with optional fixins such as sour cream, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro leaves, and grated cheese. Serve piping hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Allow the slow cooker to fully cook the soup for maximum flavor and tender chicken.
- The chipotle pepper adds smoky heat; adjust quantity to suit your spice tolerance.
- Add extra chicken broth if you prefer a soup with more liquid.
- This recipe is great for meal prepping and tastes even better the next day.
- Customize toppings to your liking, adding crushed tortilla chips for crunch is also delicious.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
