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:
First sauté the onions and peppers in the Instant Pot. Add the garlic and Homemade Chipotle Seasoning (paid link) (or use store bought).
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.
Release pressure on Instant Pot after 10 minutes when done. Take out chicken pieces and shred chicken. Add it back into the soup.
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
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.
