Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printer-friendly)

Rich, velvety soup with tender shredded chicken, salsa verde base, and zesty peppers, finished with creamy avocado and crispy tortilla chips.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 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

# How to Make It:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The salsa verde base creates this incredible tangy depth you cannot get from regular tomato soup
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means maximum flavor and minimum cleanup
02 -
  • Cold cream cheese will seize up and leave you with unappetizing white lumps floating in your beautiful soup
  • Adding the heavy cream last prevents it from separating during the longer simmer time
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze half for those nights when cooking feels impossible
  • The flavors actually deepen overnight, so do not hesitate to make this a day ahead
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