This easy slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is simple to make with basic pantry ingredients, is packed with juicy chicken, vibrant veggies, and hearty beans; topped with crispy tortilla strips (no soggy tortillas here!), and is a 5-minute prep, dump-and-go crockpot that’s bound to become a new family favorite.

Ladle scooping some crockpot tortilla soup topped with fresh herbs, out of a black slow cooker.

5 star review

“Best tortilla soup I’ve made at home by far! So easy too.”

– Tuesday
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Say Hello the to BEST Chicken Tortilla Soup!

This easy dump and go crock pot chicken tortilla soup is packed with protein, veggies and tastes oh-so satisfying! Since it’s made with everyday pantry ingredients, it’s a great recipe to keep in your back-pocket for dinner on busy weeknights. My family loves it because it’s loaded with sweet corn, hearty chicken & black beans, and fire roasted tomatoes (and let’s not forget about those crispy, crunchy tortilla strips on top). And I love personally love this crock pot chicken tortilla soup because there’s no browning or sautéing required, keeping prep super easy with very little hands-on time. Plus, once it’s ready, everyone gets to go wild with any toppings they want – like fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, or sliced jalapeños!

Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Jump to Recipe Instructions
Overhead shot of the following ingredients: broth, tortilla strips, oil, spices, black beans, corn, canned tomatoes, salt, diced onion, limes, and raw chicken breasts.
Gather ingredients.
Overhead shot of slow cooker with roasted tomatoes, black beans, corn, spices, raw chicken breast, and chopped onion. A jar of broth is off to the side.
Add chicken, spices, beans, onion, corn & tomatoes to crockpot.
Overhead image of pouring broth into a crock pot of roasted tomatoes, corn, diced onion, black beans, spices, and raw chicken breast.
Add broth to crockpot.
Overhead shot of a slow cooker with broth, diced tomatoes, diced onion, and corn.
Cover and cook.
Overhead image of corn tortilla strips on a baking sheet.
Optional: make crispy tortilla strips.
Overhead shot of shredded cooked chicken on a white cutting board with forks on the side.
Remove the chicken and shred.
Overhead image of a slow cooker with red broth, corn, and diced onions, and shredded cooked chicken on top.
Add chicken back to the slow cooker along with lime juice.
Overhead shot of a ladle in a crockpot filled with broth with beans, corn, shredded chicken, and tortilla strips. Crockpot is surrounded by bowls of lime wedges, shredded cheese, tortilla strips, sour cream, and green onion.
Serve with tortilla strips and desired toppings.
Top down view of a black slow cooker filled with chicken breasts, black beans, corn and other fresh ingredients.
Top down view of a white bowl filled with crockpot tortilla soup with a striped blue napkin on the side.

Time-Saving Tip

You can crisp up your tortilla strips while the soup cooks away in the slow cooker. Or to make it even easier, use store bought tortilla strips or chips in place of homemade.

Close up of a black crockpot filled with chicken tortilla soup.

Testing Notes & Ingredients

  • Chicken breasts: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe but chicken thighs also work great in their place.
  • Chicken stock: Use homemade chicken stock or store bought chicken stock. If I’m looking to bump up the protein I even like to swap in chicken bone broth.
  • Corn tortillas: I used corn tortillas to make the crispy tortilla strips, but you could also use flour tortillas in their place. They may cook quicker than the corn tortillas so keep an eye on them. Or skip this step and use store bought corn chips instead.
  • Avocado oil: I used avocado oil to make the crispy tortilla strips. But any neutral oil will work in this recipe, such as vegetable oil or canola.
  • Canned black beans: I love the ease and convenience of using already cooked canned black beans. I always have at least one can on hand in my pantry. Just be sure to drain and rinse them before using.
  • Corn: This recipe works great with either fresh corn or frozen defrosted corn kernels, so feel free to use whichever you have on hand.
  • Diced tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes are a pantry staple for me, they’re so convenient and add so much flavor without any extra prep steps besides opening the can.
  • Diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chilis: I love the extra flavor that the canned fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies add to this soup. For a completely mild version, replace the tomatoes with green chilis with regular diced tomatoes. 
  • Mild chili powder: The chili powder (along with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cumin) is the base for the tortilla soup spices & flavors. Mild chili powder doesn’t add much heat to your recipe but does add lots of flavor.
  • Smoked paprika: The smoked paprika adds (you guessed it) some smokey flavor to this soup, so I don’t recommend skipping it.
  • Fresh lime juice: Fresh lime juice adds a refreshing brightness to the soup, adding it at the end lifts up all the flavors after the low & slow cook time. I definitely recommend this little extra step, it really elevates the final soup!
A spoon in a white bowl of soup, topped with fresh avocado and herbs, on a white background.
Ladle scooping some crockpot tortilla soup topped with fresh herbs, out of a black slow cooker.
4.99 stars (53 ratings)

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup (Dump-and-Go!)

Developed and tested by A woman with long blonde hair, smiling, holds and pours a bottle of oil in a modern kitchen setting.Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 6
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 5 minutes
This easy slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is simple to make with basic pantry ingredients, is packed with juicy chicken, vibrant veggies, and hearty beans; topped with crispy tortilla strips (no soggy tortillas here!), and is a 5-minute prep, dump-and-go crockpot that's bound to become a new family favorite.
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Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 ½ cups cup fresh or frozen defrosted corn kernels
  • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15-ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chilis (such as Rotel)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon mild chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cups chicken stock

Crispy Tortilla Strips

  • 4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or other neutral flavored oil
  • 1 pinch kosher salt

To Add at the End

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Optional Toppings

Equipment

Instructions 

  • To a 6-quart slow cooker, add the chicken onion, beans, corn, diced tomatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, cumin, garlic power, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and stock, stirring to combine.
  • Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork. Do not uncover during this time.

Optional Crispy Tortilla Strips

  • While the soup is cooking, make the Crispy Tortilla Strips by preheating the oven to 400F. Add the tortilla strips to a rimmed baking dish, along with the oil and a pinch of salt, tossing to combine. Bake until the strips are golden and begin to crisp, about 8-10 minutes, tossing half way through. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and allow to cool.

To Serve

  • When the soup is ready, uncover and remove the chicken to a cutting board. Shred with a fork or cut into chunks.
  • Add back to the slow cooker along with the lime juice, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt or lime juice if desired. Serve the soup with the Crispy Tortilla Strips, along with any toppings you like.

Notes

  • Tortilla Strips: If you’d like to skip the crispy tortilla strips, simply serve the soup with store bought tortilla chips.
  • Optional Toppings: Cilantro, avocado, Mexican cheese blend, sour cream, sliced jalapeno.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 6), Calories: 355kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 784mg, Potassium: 1068mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 750IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 108mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition disclaimer
Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

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