Cozy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup: Easy Weeknight Dinner
This cozy slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is a set-it-and-forget-it meal that delivers deep, smoky flavor with minimal effort. Perfect for busy weeknights, it’s packed with tender chicken, black beans, corn, and a bright lime finish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours on LOW or 3-4 hours on HIGH
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 14.5 oz (411g) canned diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred), undrained
- 15 oz (425g) canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (150g) frozen corn
- 4 cups (960ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- Juice of 2 limes
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- For serving: crushed tortilla chips, shredded Mexican blend cheese, diced avocado, sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the aromatics: Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- Layer the ingredients in the slow cooker: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, canned tomatoes (with juices), drained black beans, and frozen corn. Sprinkle the cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper evenly over everything. Add the minced chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Pour the chicken broth over the top. Do not stir.
- Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Shred the chicken: Carefully remove the chicken breasts and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- Finish with lime and cilantro: Squeeze the lime juice into the soup and stir in the chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Prepare the toppings: Crush tortilla chips, shred cheese, dice avocado, and set out sour cream.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, cheese, avocado, sour cream, and extra cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
For a thicker soup, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking. For a thinner broth, add an extra cup of chicken broth at the beginning. The soup can be made in a Dutch oven on the stove: simmer covered over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, then shred the chicken. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cu
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 10
- Protein: 32
Keywords: slow cooker chicken tortilla soup, easy weeknight dinner, chicken tortilla soup, slow cooker soup, Mexican soup, cozy soup