This dump-and-start Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup features tender chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, creamy beans, and sweet corn swimming in an earthy, zesty broth. It's a great recipe for a gluten-free Tex-Mex delight from scratch in under 30 minutes.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
This chicken tortilla soup recipe is a regular in my home, especially on weeknights! It's a stress-free meal for me since I just dump all the ingredients in my Instant Pot and let it make dinner, and my daughters love it. Here's why we love it:
- It's a one-pot, dump-and-go meal that delivers bold, comforting flavors in just 30 minutes!
- It's weeknight-friendly, requires minimal prep, and is packed with hearty, wholesome ingredients.
- Plus, it's incredibly versatile-I can customize the spice level, load it up with toppings, or add more veggies.
Jump to:
Let's get started on this easy weeknight dinner!
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
Here's what you need to make this tasty Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup. You can find all of these ingredients in the Mexican food aisle of your local supermarket. Let's take a look at what we need.
- Canned Tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes with green chilies add an extra layer of smokey flavor. They can be found in the Mexican section of grocery stores - right next to the chips and salsa. Alternatively, regular canned diced plum tomatoes or two fresh Roma tomatoes can also be used.
- Corn: Frozen corn allows me to make this easy soup recipe year-round. But if corn is in season, by all means, use fresh corn kernels sliced from the cob!
- Beans: My family prefers black beans, but feel free to use pinto or red kidney beans. Just make sure to rinse and drain the canned beans beforehand.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts come in a variety of sizes. You will need 1-pound total or roughly two 8-ounce chicken breasts. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are another great substitute.
- Spices: A special blend of chili powder, coriander, cumin, and paprika adds spice, depth, and aroma. If you want to make it spicy, add a pinch of cayenne.
- Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth or stock works best since it helps to control the salt. This recipe requires one 32-ounce box for cooking! If using water instead, add ¼ teaspoon extra of each seasoning.
- Toppings: Finish the soup with any of your favorite Mexican toppings - shredded cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, and tortilla chips.
How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup - Instant Pot
This easy Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup recipe is part of my dump-and-start, one-pot meal series. Here's how this delicious dinner is ready in under 30 minutes!
1. Add All Ingredients & Pressure Cook
- Turn ON the Instant Pot. Add the olive oil, tomatoes, corn, and black beans (Pic 1).
- Next, add the carrot and celery, if using, along with the garlic. Add the chicken breasts and all the spices. Pour in the chicken broth and stir well (Pic 2).
- Close the lid. Set Manual/Pressure Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes on sealing mode (12 minutes for thicker breasts). After cook time, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure. Once the pin drops, open the lid (Pic 3).
2. Shred the Chicken, Garnish & Serve
- Remove chicken breasts and shred them using two forks (Pic 4).
- Put the shredded chicken back in the soup (Pic 5).
- Finish with chopped fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime (Pic 6).
Using Rotisserie Chicken: You can use shredded rotisserie chicken in this soup. Add that instead of the raw chicken, reduce the pressure cooking time to 4 minutes, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
What I love most about this chicken tortilla soup is the variety of garnishing choices. It works out really great in a household like mine, where one kid loves sour cream, and the other one absolutely dislikes it 🙂
Everyone picks their garnishes straight from the fridge - shredded cheese, sour cream, pickled jalapeños, and chopped avocados are some popular choices.
And, of course, our favorite garnish is tortilla chips. I love to serve them on the side, and we all crush them in our soup bowls just before eating. The chips become slightly tender but retain a bite, giving this soup its iconic taste.
Homemade Tortilla Strips for Topping: Cut fresh corn tortillas into thin strips, spray olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake in 300 degrees F oven for 5-8 minutes or until crisp.
How to Store, Meal Prep & Freeze
This Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup makes meal prep a breeze! The soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This makes for a filling lunch throughout the week, too.
For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then, reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, while stirring occasionally, until hot and bubbly.
Note: If planning to freeze, omit the garnish and toppings. Reserve for the day you are going to serve!
Alternative Method: Stovetop Recipe
Don't have a pressure cooker, no problem! It is as easy and simple to make this delicious and healthy soup on the stove, too. Simply:
- Start by placing a tall stock pot on medium-high heat. Add all the ingredients to the pot, give it a stir, and let it come to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and let it cook for about 20 minutes or until the chicken becomes tender enough to shred.
- Turn off the heat, shred the chicken, and add it back to the pot. Finish with chopped cilantro and freshly squeezed lime juice.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Slice the chicken, if necessary. If the chicken breasts are thicker than 1 inch, slice them through the middle or increase the cooking time to 12 minutes.
- Use chicken thighs. If you prefer dark meat chicken thighs (boneless skinless), reduce the cooking time to 8 minutes.
- Use rotisserie chicken: To use cooked rotisserie chicken in this recipe, shred it add it to the pot, and reduce the pressure cooking time to 4 minutes.
- Make it spicy. If you like spicy chicken tortilla soup, you can add some cayenne while cooking. Alternatively, serve some hot sauce or sriracha on the side.
- Make it bean-free. Use 3 cups of frozen corn (one whole bag) to replace the volume of black beans in the recipe.
- Cook it in the slow cooker or crock pot. Simply add all the ingredients to your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. It will stay in the fridge for up to 5 days or 3 months in the freezer. Reheat as instructed in the post.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Leftover rotisserie, poached or seared chicken breasts are a great option. Simply shred and add when you would add the shredded chicken at the end.
Yes! Corn, beans, and tortilla chips are the big carb contributors in this dish. Skip them depending on how low in carbs you want them to be.
The pressure cooking time of instant pot chicken tortilla soup depends on the thickness of the chicken breast. I typically pressure cook for 10 minutes for 1-inch thick chicken breast and 12 minutes for thicker than 1 inch.
Popular Soup Recipes On The Blog
These recipes are part of the Instant Pot Soup Recipes collection:
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes (14.5 oz)
- 1½ cups frozen corn
- 1 can black beans (15 oz) rinsed and drained
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 lb chicken breast sliced through the middle - see notes
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 32 oz chicken broth low sodium
Optional Add-Ons
- 1 medium carrot chopped
- 1 rib celery chopped
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- juice of 1 lime
Toppings
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- diced avocado
- tortilla chips
Instructions
Add All Ingredients & Pressure Cook
- Turn ON the Instant Pot. Add the olive oil, tomatoes, corn, and black beans.
- Next, add the carrot and celery, if using, along with the garlic, chicken breasts and all the spices. Pour in the chicken broth and stir well.
- Close the lid and set the pressure valve to the sealing position. Select Manual/Pressure Cook and set it for 10 minutes (12 minutes for thicker breast). After cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes followed by a quick release. Open the lid after the pin drops.
Shred the Chicken, Garnish & Serve
- Remove chicken breasts and shred them using two forks. Put the shredded chicken back in the soup.
- Finish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Ladle into bowls and top with your favorite toppings - cheese, sour cream, avocado and tortilla chips!
Alternative Method: Stovetop Recipe
- Start by placing a tall stock pot on medium-high heat. Add all the ingredients to the pot, give it a stir and let it come to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium, cover and let it cook for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender enough to shred.
- Once its done, turn off the heat, shred your chicken and add it back to the pot. Finish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Serve with your favorite toppings - cheese, sour cream, diced avocado or tortilla chips!
Notes
- Slice the chicken, if necessary. If the chicken breast are thicker than 1-inch, slice them through the middle, or increase the cooking time to 12 minutes.
- Use chicken thighs. If you prefer dark meat chicken thighs (boneless skinless), reduce the cooking time to 8 minutes.
- Use Rotisserie chicken: To use cooked rotisserie chicken in this recipe, shred it and add it to the pot and reduce the pressure cooking time to 4 minutes.
- Make it spicy. If you like spicy chicken tortilla soup, you can add some cayenne while cooking. Alternatively, serve some hot sauce or sriracha on the side.
- Make it bean-free. Use 3 cups of frozen corn (one whole bag) to replace the volume of black beans in the recipe.
- Cook it in the slow cooker or crock pot. Simply add all the ingredients to your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. It will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Reheat as instructed in the post.
Nutrition
This recipe has been updated in with latest images, process shots and detailed instructions.
Bob says
Good recipe but I’d recommend tripling the amount of spice and salt - tastes rather bland without doing so.
Aneesha Gupta says
Hi Bob, thanks for trying this recipe, I'm glad you found the adjustments to customize it to your palate. I hope you try more recipes on the blog!
Terri says
does this recipe fit into the smaller instant pot?
Aneesha says
Hi Terri, as long as the total content does not increase the max line in your instant pot, it should be fine.
Linda Rebiger says
What is a serving size?
Aneesha says
Hi Linda, it's 4-6 depending on portion size. Enjoy!
DrB says
Hi, I've only got a 1.3 lb package of boneless chicken thighs. Can I subsitute them for the breasts? If so, How should I adjust the cooking time? Thanks!
Aneesha says
Hi DrB, that quantity will work in this soup. For thighs, adjust the temperature to 6 minutes and for chicken breast, follow the recipe directions for 8 minutes at pressure cook.
DrB says
Thank you for your response. So for boneless chicken thighs, I cook them for 8 minutes - same as breasts?
Aneesha says
Hi again, it's 6 minutes for boneless skinless chicken thighs. Enjoy!
Sara says
We are looking forward to making this for dinner tomorrow. When I looked at the nutrition fact, I noticed that the sodium is 1068 mg. Is that for the whole pot? Seems like a lot for one serving?
Aneesha says
Hi Sara, thanks for pointing that out, that number is incorrect for sure. Sometimes the plugins miscalculates and has to be reset. I will fix it shortly. I hope you enjoy the soup!
.Janette Pilkington says
This is definitely going to be my go to soup recipe . It turned out so much better than I was hoping for. I highly recommend it for the smart part and it was one of the easiest meals I’ve made. Making some more today. Thank you so much, it’s awesome! ❤️
Aneesha says
Hi Janette, thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed this soup, and I agree, this is really the easiest recipe I've ever made too 🙂 Thanks again for your feedback!
Linda Burt says
I used chicken thighs and added extra celery and carrots. My family LOVED it!
Aneesha says
Yay! I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing and rating the recipe.
Elizabeth Goddard says
I made this tonight with frozen chicken thighs. Very good. I think I could use less broth next time. Thank you.
Aneesha says
Hi Elizabeth, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It's really convenient especially with frozen chicken! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Carmen Mostek says
Do you sautee the chicken if it's frozen or just throw it in and adjust time?
Aneesha | Spice Cravings says
Hi Carmen, I've never made this soup with frozen chicken, but you can just add it in the cooker and set it for the 'same' time. The cooker will take longer to come up to pressure, so total time will be more than the mentioned time.
Joan says
Could you use frozen chicken?
aneeshasg says
Hi Joan, I haven't cooked this recipe with frozen chicken yet, but I'm pretty sure you can. The Instant pot will take longer to come to pressure if you use frozen chicken. Hope this helps!
Lindsey says
This recipe was so easy! My pot is coming up to pressure now! Can't wait to see how it turns out! Will make this a staple for meal prepping!
aneeshasg says
Hi Lindsey! Thank you! I am glad you found it easy to make. Its on weeknight-rotation in our home 🙂 Hope you enjoy the flavors. Would love to hear how you like it!
Wallam Smet says
Hi, Thanks for this nice recipe.
Will it be ok if I serve the recipe with some fried chicken?
aneeshasg says
Hi Wallam, You're very welcome! Of course! If you want to have it with fried chicken, go for it! Enjoy!
Bobbi says
Is the cook time 8 minutes as stated in the recipe or 18 minutes as mentioned at the top?
aneeshasg says
Hi Bobbi, Its 8 mins. The 18 mins includes the 10 mins it takes to come to pressure. I can see how that can get confusing. I'll edit it. Thanks for pointing that out. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Deb says
Will be trying this soon!
aneeshasg says
Great! Would love to hear how you like it.