Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable)

Rich, velvety soup with tender chicken, spicy peppers, and zesty salsa verde base.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound)
02 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
06 - 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Soup Base

08 - 1.5 cups salsa verde
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Creamy Elements

13 - 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened
14 - 0.5 cup heavy cream

→ Toppings

15 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
16 - 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, poblano peppers, and jalapeño. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour chicken broth and salsa verde into the pot. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Add chicken breasts to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 to 18 minutes until chicken is fully cooked through.
05 - Remove chicken breasts from the pot and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the soup.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Add cream cheese, stirring constantly until melted and fully incorporated into the broth.
07 - Stir in heavy cream and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with diced avocado, crushed tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It captures the zesty spark of salsa verde without being overly spicy.
  • The cream cheese addition creates a velvet texture that beats traditional broth versions.
02 -
  • Adding the cream cheese at a high boil will cause it to curdle or separate.
  • Seeding the jalapeños thoroughly ensures the heat stays mild enough for everyone at the table.
03 -
  • Temper your heavy cream with a splash of hot broth before pouring it into the pot.
  • Crush your tortilla chips by hand for various sizes that provide different levels of crunch.
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