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Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup: Best Cozy Recipe

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This cozy slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is the ultimate comfort food—easy to make with simple ingredients, packed with smoky, savory flavor, and perfect for busy weeknights or cold weather. Let the slow cooker do the work while you enjoy a bowl of pure satisfaction.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper)
  • Crunchy tortilla strips or chips (for topping)
  • Shredded Mexican blend cheese or cheddar (for topping)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (for topping)
  • Diced avocado (for topping)
  • Lime wedges (for topping)
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and jalapeño (if using) and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Transfer to slow cooker.
  2. Build the flavor base: Add fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained black beans, drained pinto beans, frozen corn, diced green chiles, and chicken broth to the slow cooker. Stir gently.
  3. Add the seasoning: In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over the liquid and stir well.
  4. Add the chicken: Nestle chicken breasts or thighs into the liquid, ensuring they are mostly submerged.
  5. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until chicken is tender and shreds easily.
  6. Shred the chicken: Using two forks, shred the chicken right in the slow cooker. Stir shredded chicken back into the soup. Add more broth if needed to reach desired consistency.
  7. Taste and adjust: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with more salt, lime juice, or cumin as desired.
  8. Serve with toppings: Ladle soup into bowls and let everyone customize with tortilla strips, cheese, avocado, cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges.

Notes

For best flavor, sauté aromatics before adding to slow cooker. Do not add tortilla strips to the soup during cooking—they will become gummy. Soup tastes even better the next day. To thicken, mash some beans against the side of the slow cooker before serving. For a vegetarian version, omit chicken and use vegetable broth with extra beans and zucchini.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chicken tortilla soup, easy chicken tortilla soup, cozy soup, slow cooker soup, chicken soup, tortilla soup, Mexican soup, comfort food

Find it online: https://lumalunch.com/easy-slow-cooker-chicken-tortilla-soup-best-cozy-recipe/