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Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Creamy chicken tortilla soup with a rich orange-cream broth made silky by melted cream cheese and a 10-minute simmer. Loaded with shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and crunchy tortilla strips for an easy Tex-Mex main dish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast cooked and shredded
Beans and corn
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
Tomatoes and aromatics
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
Broth and dairy
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.1 salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1 cup tortilla strips
  • 0.25 cup cilantro
  • 0.5 avocado
  • 1 lime

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté aromatics
  1. In a large pot, sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes. Cook until the onion softens and looks slightly translucent.
  2. Add the minced garlic and taco seasoning and cook for 2 minutes. Stir so the spices toast and become fragrant.
Build the soup
  1. Add the Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, black beans, corn, and cumin, then bring to a boil. Look for steady bubbling across the surface.
Make it creamy
  1. Reduce the heat and stir in the cubed cream cheese until completely melted. The soup should look smooth and creamy with no lumps.
  2. Add the shredded chicken and heavy cream. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is heated through.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust so the flavors pop.
  2. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar, tortilla strips, cilantro, avocado, and lime. Top each bowl as desired right before eating.

Notes

Pro tip: cubing the cream cheese helps it melt quickly when you lower the heat. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; rewarm gently over medium-low so the dairy stays smooth. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can separate when thawed. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and half-and-half instead of heavy cream.