Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup (Toss It In and Walk Away)

My middle son went through a phase in high school when he ordered chicken tortilla soup at every restaurant we visited, then graded it out loud on a scale of one to ten. Nothing ever scored above a seven. So one cold January, mostly out of stubbornness, I set out to make a version that would finally earn a ten. It took four tries and a lot of taste testing, but he gave this one a nine and a half, and from that kid, that is practically a standing ovation.

Now he brings his own kids home and they ask for it by name. The soup is warm, zippy and a little smoky. Chicken cooks right in a spiced tomato broth alongside black beans, corn, onion, garlic and a jalapeno. Once it is tender, you pull it apart, return it to the pot with fresh lime and cilantro, and set out the fixings. On LOW it needs about 6 hours, or roughly 3 on HIGH.

The real fun is the toppings spread. Everybody dresses their own bowl, so the grandkids who fear anything green are happy and the grownups can pile on the heat. While the soup finishes I bake a pan of tortilla strips, and the kitchen ends up smelling like our favorite taco truck.

Why this recipe works

• No precooking. The raw chicken goes right into the pot and gently poaches in the seasoned broth, which keeps it moist and easy to shred.
• Big flavor from a few spices. Chili powder, cumin, oregano and smoked paprika build a warm, smoky base with the depth of an all day stovetop pot.
• Canned tomatoes with chiles. One can brings body, tang and a gentle kick, with zero chopping.
• A bright finish. Lime juice and cilantro added at the very end lift the whole pot after its long, slow cook.
• Homemade crunch. Oven baked corn tortilla strips hold their crunch on top of hot soup and taste far better than store bought.

Ingredients you’ll need

Nearly everything here comes from the pantry or the freezer. Look to the recipe card for amounts.

• Boneless skinless chicken, breasts or thighs
• An onion, garlic and one jalapeno
• A can of diced tomatoes with green chiles
• A can of tomato sauce
• A can of black beans
• Corn, frozen or canned
• Low sodium chicken broth
• Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt and pepper
• A fresh lime and a bunch of cilantro
• Corn tortillas plus a little oil for baking the strips
• Your favorite toppings, such as avocado, cheese and sour cream

Ingredient notes and smart substitutions

Chicken

Breasts are my default because they shred into nice lean pieces, but boneless thighs are just as good and come out even juicier. Thighs are also more forgiving if your day stretches long and the soup cooks an extra hour. A combination of the two works great.

Tomatoes with green chiles

Look in the canned tomato aisle for diced tomatoes mixed with green chiles. They usually come in mild, regular and hot. I grab mild so the little ones can enjoy it, and the adults reach for hot sauce at the table. No luck finding them? Combine a can of plain diced tomatoes with a small can of chopped green chiles.

Black beans and corn

Give the beans a good rinse in a colander so the broth stays clear and bright instead of murky. Pinto beans can stand in for black beans. Frozen corn can go in straight from the bag. In late summer I use kernels cut from two fresh ears from the farm stand down the road.

Jalapeno

Scraping out the seeds and pale ribs keeps the heat gentle. If your crowd likes spice, keep some of the seeds or add another pepper. For anyone who cannot handle any heat at all, leave it out and use half a green bell pepper, diced.

Chicken broth

Choose low sodium broth for this one. The canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and beans all carry salt already, so starting with a lighter broth lets you season to taste at the end without overdoing it. If you keep homemade stock in the freezer, this is a great place for it. Vegetable broth is fine too.

Spices

This little blend of four spices is what gives the soup that restaurant quality depth. Make sure yours are not ancient, since ground spices fade after about a year in the cupboard. Mexican oregano is worth seeking out if you can find it, because its earthy, faintly citrus flavor suits this soup so well. In a real pinch, a packet of taco seasoning can replace all four, but cut back on the added salt.

Corn tortillas

Corn tortillas bake into sturdy, crunchy strips. Flour ones can be used, but they come out chewier and go soft in the broth more quickly. If you have no tortillas at all, crumble a handful of plain tortilla chips over each bowl.

How to make it

Step 1. Load the slow cooker

Put the onion, garlic and jalapeno into a 6 quart slow cooker. Add the canned tomatoes and chiles, the tomato sauce, beans, corn and broth. Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Stir well so the spices dissolve into the liquid rather than floating on top in little islands.

Step 2. Nestle in the chicken

Arrange the chicken pieces side by side in one layer and press them under the broth so they are nearly covered. Keeping them submerged means they cook evenly and do not dry out on top.

Step 3. Let it simmer low and slow

Put the lid on and cook for 6 to 8 hours with the dial on LOW. HIGH takes 3 to 4 hours. You can tell it is ready when the thickest piece reads 165F and falls apart at the touch of a fork. Breast meat can go dry if it lingers too long, so on days when you will be out more than 8 hours, choose thighs.

While it cooks, I usually tackle the garden or fold a load of laundry. It is one of those meals that gives you back your whole afternoon, and by four o clock the house smells so good that Tom starts setting out bowls early.

Step 4. Bake the tortilla strips

Roughly half an hour before dinner, preheat the oven to 400F. Halve the tortillas, then slice them into skinny strips about 1/4 inch across. Toss them right on a sheet pan with the oil and a sprinkle of salt, spread them in a single layer and bake for 10 to 14 minutes, giving them a stir at the halfway point, until golden and crunchy. They get even crisper as they cool.

Step 5. Shred the chicken

Move the chicken to a cutting board and pull it apart with two forks. Add it back to the pot and stir. For a slightly thicker soup, smash a few beans against the wall of the crock using the back of a spoon.

Step 6. Finish with lime and cilantro

Add the lime juice and chopped cilantro and stir. Taste a spoonful and adjust with a pinch more salt, a shake of chili powder or an extra squeeze of lime. Leave it on WARM for 5 minutes so everything blends together.

Step 7. Top and serve

Spoon the soup into bowls and let everyone add tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, a dollop of sour cream and more cilantro. Put lime wedges on the table for squeezing.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Letting breasts go too long. White meat gets stringy if it keeps cooking long after it is done. Start checking at the early end of the range and shred as soon as it reaches 165F.
• Adding lime and cilantro at the start. Hours of heat flatten fresh flavors. Save them for the last few minutes.
• Topping too early. Tortilla strips lose their crunch quickly in hot broth. Add them at the table and store extras on the side.
• Skipping the rinse. The thick canning liquid from the beans clouds the broth and makes it starchy. Rinse them first.
• Starting with frozen chicken. Frozen meat warms too slowly in a slow cooker and may sit at unsafe temperatures. Thaw it completely beforehand.
• Forgetting to taste. Salt levels vary a lot between brands of broth and tomatoes. Always taste and adjust before serving.

Make ahead and storage

Make ahead. The evening before, dice the onion, garlic and jalapeno and keep them in a lidded container in the refrigerator. In the morning, everything goes into the crock in about five minutes. You can bake the tortilla strips up to 2 days early and store them in a sealed container on the counter.

Fridge. Leftover soup keeps in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store toppings on the side.

Freezer. This is one of my best freezer soups. Freeze it plain, with no toppings, in containers or zip top bags. It keeps up to 3 months. Leave a bit of headspace since it expands as it freezes.

Reheating. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight, then heat on the stove over medium until piping hot throughout, or warm single bowls in the microwave a minute at a time. Loosen it with a little broth if it has thickened, and brighten it with a squeeze of fresh lime.

Variations

• Creamy version. When the chicken goes back in, add 4 ounces of cubed cream cheese. Give it 10 minutes to melt and stir until silky.
• Smokier soup. Mince one or two chipotles in adobo and add them along with the spices.
• White chicken style. Skip the tomato sauce, swap in white beans, add more broth and stir in a can of green chiles for a paler, milder soup.
• More filling. Add a cup of cooked rice or one diced sweet potato at the beginning for a heartier bowl.
• Rotisserie shortcut. Use 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken in place of raw, cooking just long enough to marry the flavors, 3 to 4 hours using LOW or 1 1/2 to 2 hours using HIGH.

What to serve with it

With all those toppings this soup makes a hearty meal by itself, but a couple of easy sides turn it into a real fiesta. Cheesy quesadillas sliced into triangles are made for dipping, and the grandkids would live on them if I let them. A skillet of cornbread or a stack of warm flour tortillas never goes to waste either. If you want something fresh, toss a crisp salad with avocado, tomato and a lime dressing, or set out chips with salsa and guacamole. On hectic nights I skip the sides and just serve big bowls with extra strips and avocado slices. When the whole family is here, I line the toppings up in small bowls down the center of the table and let everyone dig in.