Description
A comforting, creamy, and smoky chicken tortilla soup made in a slow cooker with minimal active prep time. Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe features tender shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and a rich finish of cream cheese and fresh lime.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 32 oz chicken broth (low-sodium recommended)
- 16 oz salsa (medium or roasted tomato)
- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn (frozen or canned)
- 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
- Juice of 2–3 fresh limes
- Toppings: Sliced avocado, sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips, chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts at the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Pour in chicken broth and salsa. Add rinsed black beans, corn, and diced green chiles.
- Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the ingredients. Stir gently to distribute spices.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until chicken reaches 165°F and shreds easily.
- Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred using two forks. Discard any excess fat or skin.
- Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the cubed cream cheese until fully melted and the soup is smooth.
- Stir in fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve with desired toppings: avocado, sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips, and cilantro.
Notes
[‘Do not overcook chicken on HIGH to prevent dryness; LOW and slow is preferred.’, ‘Soften cream cheese before adding to prevent lumps.’, ‘Always taste before adding toppings, as they add salt and fat.’, ‘Use fresh lime juice for best flavor; bottled juice can taste bitter.’, ‘Freeze soup without toppings. Add fresh avocado and sour cream upon reheating.’, ‘For a vegetarian version, skip chicken and add extra beans/corn or potatoes.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 32
Keywords: slow cooker, chicken tortilla soup, easy dinner, meal prep, comfort food, creamy soup, 5-ingredient recipe, weeknight dinner