Mexican-Inspired Chicken Tortilla Soup for Chilly Fall Nights

Fall is here! It can get chilly since we live in a mountainous region. In winter, we get snowfall so you can imagine how cold it can get. That’s why it is important to keep warm during chilly nights. What better way to keep ourselves warm than with a bowl of hot chicken tortilla soup! This Mexican-inspired dish has chilly to add more heat. You can have this for a light dinner or serve it with a main course. I like to eat it as is because it is already filling.

Warm Your Nights with Chicken Tortilla Soup

When I want a light dinner, I always opt for soup. I also make this delicious Creamy Cheddar and Ham Soup during cold nights to help me relax. Research shows that a hot bowl of soup has a mild anti-inflammatory effect. This helps relax the muscles, open the airways, and can relieve cold symptoms. Ever wondered why Grandmas always make their famous chicken soup?

I remember when we came down with the flu last month. We were scared because we thought we had COVID. After testing though we were negative for the virus. My friend was nice enough to bring us a pot of freshly cooked chicken soup. It really made us feel good and I think it contributed to our speedy recovery. Of course, as a token of appreciation, I baked her and her kids a batch of Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes.

Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this Chicken Tortilla Soup. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can just cook the soup in your regular soup pot for about 45 minutes. If you ran out of tortillas, you can also serve this with toasted garlic bread or some crusty bread such as French bread or sourdough bread.

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5 from 1 vote

Chicken Tortilla Soup for Instant Pot

Mexican-inspired chicken tortilla soup that's perfect for chilly fall nights.

Course Appetizer, dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword chicken tortilla soup, Mexican dishes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Baking sheet
• parchment paper

Ingredients

For the Soup:

• 1 1/2 lb boneless chicken breast
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 bell peppers chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 can diced tomatoes 14 oz
• 1 can 15-oz black beans rinsed and drained

For the Garnish:

• 1/4 cup cilantro freshly chopped
• 4 pieces small corn tortilla cut into strips
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
• 1 piece avocado diced
• 1 can corn kernels optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Turn on your Instant Pot and set it to sauté. Heat oil until shimmering. Add bell peppers and onion. Stir dry for about 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.
• Add the minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano.
• Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add to the Instant Pot.
• Add the chicken broth, water, diced tomatoes, and black beans. Stir then close the lid. Set the Instant Pot to "soup" and the timer to 7 minutes.
• When the chicken is done cooking and air has been released from the Instant Pot, carefully uncover. Remove the chicken breasts and shred using two forks.
• Return the shredded chicken in the soup and add cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also add the corn kernels as desired.
• Serve with the baked tortilla strips, diced avocado, and shredded cheese.

Preparing the tortilla strips:

• Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Season the tortilla strips with oil and salt.
• Arrange the tortilla strips on the lined baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes or until golden.