EASY Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love a good soup, and this Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup is so incredibly easy and wow is it full of flavor. Best of all, it tastes even better as leftovers as the flavors have a chance to meld together.

While I tend to make more soup in winter, this is a soup I enjoy year round because it isn’t super heavy and creamy. Much as I love my creamy tortellini soup, I just don’t tend to make it in summer.

One of the best parts of this soup is that you simply layer ingredients into the pot and go. By the time it finishes its release, the chicken is so tender, it falls apart practically on its own.

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can also make this recipe in your slow cooker. Grab that crock pot chicken tortilla soup recipe here.

Another great option is chicken enchilada soup for a slightly different variation that you can make on the stovetop. It’s thicker and cheesy and oh so good.

How should I top Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup?

I love to serve this with fresh lime wedges and homemade tortilla strips. It’s simple and delicious, but sometimes I have more fun.

Try shredded cheese or sour cream. Chopped Haas avocado is another favorite complement to this weeknight soup.

You can also add some chopped fresh cilantro, something I leave out of the recipe as so many people in my family have the genetic “this tastes like soap” reaction to it.

Can I thicken this soup more?

Absolutely. I enjoy this soup as is, and I also sometimes add masa harina to it to thicken it, which I list as an optional ingredient.

Masa is a kind of corn flour used to make tamales and other South American dishes like pupusas (yum!). I always have it on hand, as ramekin “tamales” are one of my family’s favorite quick dinners.

Simply add a quarter cup or so to your finished soup. Turn your Instant Pot to saute and stir for a couple minutes, and it quickly thickens.

Alternatively, you can add a couple corn tortillas to your soup before you cook it. They dissolve as the soup cooks and help to thicken it, as well.

Lastly, you can remove about a half cup of the broth with just the black beans and puree that. Return it to the soup, and it helps to make a thicker soup.

Is chicken tortilla soup gluten free?

Yes, this Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup is gluten free. There are no gluten or gluten derived products in it at all.

In fact, there is no dairy in it, either, which makes it even more allergy friendly. (Sorry to my friends with corn allergies though.)

Corn tortillas are thankfully gluten free, and any thickening options we use are also gluten free. Masa harina, for example, is made from corn kernels and not wheat.

How can I make my soup spicier?

I love a richly flavorful soup, and spice is a part of that. Sometimes I want it spicier, and there are many ingredients you can add to up to spiciness here.

You can add your favorite hot sauce directly to the soup, which is the easiest method. I suggest doing this at the end when you can easily taste the finished product to see how much more you want to add.

You can also add cayenne pepper or chili powder to the soup before you cook it. A half teaspoon to two teaspoons works well, depending on how spicy you want it and how spicy your pepper is.

And the enchilada sauce you use also makes a difference. I choose either my homemade enchilada sauce, which is fairly mild, or a can of mild enchilada sauce, because I know my family.

Pick a spicy enchilada sauce, and that immediately makes a spicier soup.

How should I store leftover chicken tortilla soup?

Once your soup completely cools to room temperature, place it in an airtight container in your fridge for up to three days. I like to use a mason jar, as I find it’s easier to pour it from there later.

You can also freeze it for up to three months. If you freeze it, I suggest you make individual portions first in a zip top bag or container first.

When you want to enjoy your soup, you can either let it thaw overnight in the fridge or place it in warm water to heat up faster. Then microwave it or heat it on the stove in an appropriate vessel.

Can I use canned beans?

Yes, you can, but I prefer to use dried beans.

Why? The pressure cooking cooks everything more, and canned beans are already fairly soft. They’re too soft for my preference to pressure cook them with this simple soup.

If you do use them, be sure to rinse them thoroughly before you add them to the pressure cooker to ensure that you remove the extra sodium that otherwise will impact your soup.

If you use cooked beans, I undercook mine slightly the day before or just before I plan to make this soup. This lets them finish cooking with the tortilla soup for a perfect texture.

What kind of chicken can I use in chicken tortilla soup?

I love to use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, but you can use pretty much any cut of boneless chicken you have on hand.

I have made this with boneless skinless chicken breast and with cutlets before, and it works well. Because you braise the chicken in the liquid, it doesn’t turn dry like other chicken recipes can.

I have even used frozen chicken before, and it works well. Simply add an extra two minutes to the cook time (three if they are thicker pieces of chicken), and you are all set.

You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken. Chop it into small pieces or shred it, then add this at the end, as you just want the fully cooked chicken to heat through.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cook the black beans

If you plan to use canned beans, skip this step and simply rinse them well.

Cook your beans using your preferred method, and undercook them slightly. You can do this up to two days before you make your soup and store them in an airtight container in your fridge.

One half cup dried beans is equivalent to a can of black beans if you don’t cook them yourself.

I like to add a half cup of black beans, three cups of water, and a bay leaf to my Instant Pot and pressure cook them for 25 minutes. Note that if I use these for another purpose, I would add onion and other seasonings.

Drain the beans, and dry your insert, if necessary.

Prep the soup

Chop your yellow onion, and mince your garlic cloves.

Turn your Instant Pot to saute. Once it’s hot, add the oil, then saute the onions for three minutes.

Turn off saute and add the garlic, stirring it just a bit so the garlic gets fragrant without burning. Add the fire roasted tomatoes and scrape the bottom to ensure no bits are stuck on.

If you are in a hurry, you can skip the step to saute the onions and garlic and make this a true dump and go meal and simply add all the ingredients at once and pressure cook them.

Add the chicken, enchilada sauce, chicken stock, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, frozen corn, and black beans. Do not stir again.

I use frozen corn because it’s already off the cob, and I know it’s fresh all year round. I prefer frozen corn to canned corn for the taste and texture.

Pressure cook for 8 minutes, then let your pot do a natural pressure release. If you need to release the pressure to enjoy this faster, let it NPR for 10 minutes, then carefully do a controlled quick release to ensure you don’t get sprayed with any hot liquid.

Pull the chicken from the soup, and gently shred it. The meat will literally fall apart, it’s so tender and yummy.

I just used the back of a spatula to shred it. Add the chicken to the crock pot again, and stir.

Squeeze the fresh lime juice straight into the pot, and taste for seasoning. Add additional salt, chili powder, etc to meet your preference.

If you plan to thicken your soup, add the masa harina now. Turn the pot to saute and let cook for two minutes, stirring periodically.

Serve immediately with your favorite garnish.

Make homemade crispy tortilla strips

To make the tortilla strips, brush the corn tortillas lightly with oil. Place one atop the other and cut into thin strips, then cut the strips into the length you like.

Place them on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper or silpat. If you have a wire rack that fits inside your jelly roll pan, place the strips on that, as they get crispy all around faster.

Bake at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes until they’re golden and crispy. You can do this while your soup cooks or even a day or two in advance.

Place the crispy tortilla strips atop your soup as you serve it. Any extra strips, save in an airtight container on your counter for up to three days.

Let any leftover soup cool to room temperature, then store in a tightly sealed container or jar in the fridge for up to three days.

Save this delicious Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup to make again!

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