Tortilla soup has been around a lot longer than most people realize. Some food historians trace it back to Mexico City, others to the state of Tlaxcala, but most versions of the story agree on one thing: it started as a clever way to use up tortillas that had gone a day or two stale, frying them up rather than letting them go to waste. (And what a delicious idea that was!) Centuries later, that same basic idea – broth, tomatoes, chiles, and some crispy tortilla – has turned into one of the most beloved soups around, and this version is my go-to.

What Ingredients Do You Need for Chicken Tortilla Soup?

• Olive oil.
• Yellow onion and garlic.
• Diced jalapeños.
• Chicken broth and crushed fire-roasted tomatoes.
• Chicken breasts.
• Corn and black beans.
• Chili powder, cumin, and dried oregano.
• Cilantro and lime juice.
• Salt and pepper.
• Corn tortillas and neutral oil, for frying your own tortilla strips.

Can I Use Tortilla Chips Instead of Making My Own Strips?

Absolutely, store-bought tortilla chips work just fine if you want to skip that step. That said, frying your own strips takes less time and effort than you’d think, and it’s really hard to beat the flavor of the homemade version. Either way, make sure to include tortillas of some kind – they’re the backbone of this soup!

How Do You Make Chicken Tortilla Soup?

Start with the tortilla strips if you’re making your own: heat your oil in a pan, cut your tortillas into strips, and fry them in batches until they’re crisp, then drain on paper towels. Set those aside and work on the soup:

Start by heating your olive oil and cooking the onion, garlic, and jalapeños until the onion softens. I like to use canned jalapenos here but you can certainly use fresh instead.

Stir in the broth, crushed tomatoes, chicken, corn, beans, chili powder, cumin, and oregano, then bring it all to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through, then remove the chicken, shred or chop it, and add it back to the pot. Simmer a few more minutes, then stir in the cilantro and lime juice. One of the best things about this soup is how you top it – tortilla strips, some more cilantro, lime, sour cream, or avocado… or all of them, if you’d like!