Did you know tortilla soup is called tortilla soup because it's thickened with tortillas??
It's true. I read it on the internets somewhere once so it must be culinary fact.
And even if not, I tried it and tortilla soup with corn tortillas cooked in it is GOOD, so that's more than enough reason for me to keep doing it.
This is so easy in the crock pot. You put the tortillas right in the slow cooker with the rest of your soup, and by the time you're ready to shred your chicken, the tortillas will be broken up and so soft. Just stir it for a minute and they will dissolve and make your soup so silky smooth with a delicious corn tortilla flavor!
This blew my mind the first time I tried it. And now I can't stop doing it.
Top with all your favorites! (Here, it's Monterrey cheese, jalapeño, sour cream, and tortilla strips)
What kind of tortillas do I need?
Corn tortillas! You want both the corn flavor and the easily-dissolving quality of corn tortillas here, so flour tortillas WILL NOT work for this recipe.
Corn tortillas are usually sold in taco size (about 5-inch diameter). You'll need 4 for this recipe.
Can I make this on the stovetop?
You sure can, and it is every bit as good! If you're making it stovetop, follow these directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium in a large pot with a lid. Add the onion and poblano and cook until softened - about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook 2 minutes more. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to get any bits off the bottom of the pan. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and fire roasted tomatoes. Top with tortillas and chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook - covered - for 1 1/2 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Stir soup to dissolve the tortillas. Return chicken to the pot and stir to combine. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 poblano peppers, chopped (see note)
- 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained (see note)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 4 corn tortillas
- 2 large chicken breasts
- For topping: jalapeno, shredded cheese, tortilla strips, sour cream
Directions
- Stir together the onion, poblano pepper, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, chicken broth, cilantro, black beans, and fire roasted tomatoes in the basin of a slow cooker. Spread out the tortillas over top and place the chicken breasts on top. You want the tortillas to be submerged in the liquid. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5. Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred. Meanwhile, stir the soup to break up the tortillas. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir to combine. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium in a large pot with a lid. Add the onion and poblano and cook until softened - about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook 2 minutes more. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to get any bits off the bottom of the pan. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and fire roasted tomatoes. Top with tortillas and chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook - covered - for 1 1/2 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Stir soup to dissolve the tortillas. Return chicken to the pot and stir to combine. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Notes
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