I've been told by everyone who's had this recipe that it's literally The Best Chicken Tortilla Soup ever. I use a couple of easy tricks to maximize the flavor while keeping the prep time down and it can be made either in your crockpot or on your stovetop. It's a healthy and delicious slow cooker Mexican recipe that's a true crowd pleaser.
You know that when your latino bestie tells you this is the best chicken tortilla soup he's ever eaten, that it truly deserves The Best part in the title.
I've always been a huge fan of chicken tortilla soup. In my meat-free days, I would sneak down to my fav Mexican restaurant and order a bowl. I told myself that if I didn't eat the pieces of chicken, it must be vegetarian. ← I was really good at that vegetarian thing. Ha!
I made a few (disappointing) chicken tortilla soup recipes at home before deciding to figure out how to nail the recipe so that it is absolutely the best. My friends, THIS is the best chicken tortilla soup recipe there is. Hands down.
Don't worry, it's also super easy to make.
I've used three simple and easy tricks to transform this chicken tortilla soup from good to freaking awesome. Want to know what they are?
1. Bone in chicken. ← This is a trick.
The thing that makes most soup recipes fail is store-bought broth. Sure, it's convenient, but it's a pretty sad replacement for deliciously rich homemade chicken stock.
To keep the convenience factor high and the workload low, we're boosting thin and watery store-bought stock with chicken bones. In other words, we're making our own chicken stock.
The difference this simple trick makes cannot be understated. By slowly simmering the bones for hours, the soup takes on an almost creamy feel and is absolutely bursting with flavor.
Keep this trick in your back pocket when making other soups, too!
The second trick for making this the best chicken tortilla soup recipe ever is also super simple.
2. Dried peppers. ← This is also worthy of being classified a trick.
Most chicken tortilla soup recipes call for chili powder. The problem with that is most chili powder is not awesomely flavorful. I mean, it's ok and it works in a pinch. But if you want to add The Best title to this soup, pick up some dried peppers.
You can find a variety of dried, Mexican peppers in most supermarkets. Bonus points that they're also super inexpensive and will last (nearly) a lifetime in your pantry.
Three peppers seem to be the magic number in this soup, but it's not super important which types of peppers you use. For the soup in the pictures, I used guajillo, pasilla, and ancho. In other versions, I've used two guajillos and one pasilla or two anchos and one guajillo. You get the point. Three mildly spicy and delicious peppers will do the trick.
WARNING: don't use three dried chili peppers. These are all heat with very little flavor. If you'd like a spicier soup, add one chili pepper to your mix of peppers.
How to make the best chicken tortilla soup tip #3.
3. Blend the onions and garlic. ← What a sneaky little trick.
That's right, my friends, we're blending our two favorite flavor enhancers right into the soup.
First, we saute them until the onions are golden and caramelized. Then, we put them in the blender with the dried peppers we've soaked and a little water and blend them until they become a delicious liquid gold.
This means that every single sip of you take will have all sorts of flavor. It works like magic.
If you love this Chicken Tortilla Soup as much as I do, don't forget to give it a 5-star rating in the comments below!
The Best Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
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I've been told by everyone who's had this recipe that it's literally The Best Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup ever. I use a couple easy tricks to maximize the flavor while keeping the prep time down. It's a healthy and delicious slow cooker Mexican recipe that's a true crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
- 3 dried Mexican peppers – guajillo, pasilla, ancho (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 8 skinless bone-in chicken thighs (see notes)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 – 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 1 – 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 4 large tortillas cut into thin strips (use gluten-free, if needed)
- Optional toppings: sour cream, queso, limes, cilantro
Instructions
- Place the dried peppers in a bowl and cover them with about a cup of hot tap water.
- Heat the tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it is well browned, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for 1 minute more.
- Pull the stems off of the peppers. Add the peppers and the water they're soaking into your blender. Add the cooked onion and blend until smooth. If it is too thick to blend properly, add some of the stock. Pour this into your crock pot or a large pot.
- Add the chicken thighs, chicken stock, water, sea salt, and tomatoes. Set the crock pot to high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. If cooking in a pot, you want the pot to barely be simmering. Only heat it enough so that there are a few bubbles.
- Remove the chicken from the crock pot or pot. Remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and shred the meat. Return the meat to the pot and add the black beans and corn and let them heat through.
- While the beans and corn are heating, make the tortillas. Set your oven to 350 degrees. Put the tortilla strips on a baking sheet and toss them with the teaspoon of oil. Spread them out on the baking sheet then put them in your oven. Let them toast for about 10-15 minutes, tossing once or twice until lightly browned. Remove them from the oven. Note: they will continue to crisp as they cool.
- Serve the chicken tortilla soup with the tortillas on top and any or all of the optional toppings.
Notes
I've tried different combinations of peppers and every time this soup turns out great. The important part seems to be that you use dried peppers, not necessarily which types of peppers you use. If you would like a spicier soup, add a chili pepper into the mix.
Make sure you use bone in chicken. The bones are what make the soup extra flavorful. Usually, bone in chicken is sold with the skin on, simply pull the skin off before putting the chicken in the pot.
Kristen Stevens
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Hi, I’m Kristen! 
I am about to make your recipe but purchased dried arbol chiles. I’ve know read they are super hot.
Also, do I grind the dried chiles with the sautéed garlic and onions or throw the pod in the pot and remove it later?
Yes, arbol chilis are quite spicy. That’s why I like to use a mix of chili peppers so it’s not too spicy but still very flavorful. And yes, you blend the chilis with the onions and garlic. 🙂
I am a little confused, this is calling for 4 cups of stock and 3 cups os water, however it appears you are making the stock using bone in chicken at the time of making the soup. Where are you getting the 4 cups of stock when the stock is made while the soup is made? Are you implying using remade home made stock and then again using bone in chicken which would be like doubling the stock in the soup?
Basically where do you get the 4 cups of stock if the stock is made while the soup is cooking?
Thanks Bill
When I make this recipe, I usually use a 1 liter (4 cup) carton of store-bought stock. If you don’t have any on hand, you can simply use water (7 cups total) instead as the bones add tons of flavor. Hope that makes sense!
Awesome recipe, followed nearly exactly. Wife prefers breast so mixed in both bone in breast and bone in thighs (she didn’t notice) only thing I will do different next time is use a few more dried chili’s. The fast was amazing, thinking a couple more for more depth. Thank you!
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
Oh, this was wonderful, just made it today!
I already had chicken breast “tenders” so I used those (8). I even put them in the crock pot frozen.
I used 2 Pasilla/Ancho peppers and 1 guajillo. The pasilla/ancho is how the bag was marked (I’m a little confused on that)
The only other change I made was that I used 1 cup of water only. I was concerned that 3 cups of water would water down the flavor. Perhaps it wouldn’t have, but I don’t regret just using 1 cup of water.
I also used an extra glove of garlic
I sliced a few chunks of fresh avocado and added to my bowl. Also used a blob of sour cream. But, it’s perfect without either of those additions! I didn’t even do the tortillas; this soup was good enough without them..
This soup is marvelous!!
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear you loved the soup! It’s one of my all-time favorites. 🙂
Made it today, sans beans, using three anchos, and it absolutely rocks! I needed to add extra salt since I used low salt broth. Also used a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Next I’m gonna throw in a single chipotle in adobo. Bone-in thighs are the bomb. Thanks for sharing this!
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
Just wonderful and it has body. I used a store bought chicken and deboned it and used a pressure cooker to get a flavorful broth. Great. Thanks for this recipe for a cold winters day.
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear the recipe was a hit!
I have not tried this yet but excited to do so. One thought….It seems like it would be really good if carrots and celery were added. If so what amount would you suggest?
They would be good additions! I would suggest 2 of each. 🙂
I did it a bit differently since I started late today! I insta-potted the chicken, stock, water, salt, and tomatoes… I blended all the rest together and I am planning on throwing it all in and changing the inst=a setting to slow cook for the rest! 🙂
That’s so good to know it can be done in an instant pot! I recently got one myself so will have to try it!
Very tasty. I did add one chicken breast with thighs, and more peppers, we like it spicy, oh, and a touch of chili powder, and sprinkled a little dried cilantro in. Excellent! Thank you for doing all the testing.
★★★★★
I’m so happy you like the recipe!!
Im going to make this recipe over the holidays for my family. It sounds so GOOOOOOD.
I’ve printed it out but it doesn’t say how many people it will serve?
Can you please let me know.
Thank you very much!
★★★★★
It will serve 4!
I made this soup on the stove and followed all instructions but used a store bought rotisserie chicken I shredded and added towards the end of cooking. I’m an avid cook and this was EXCELLENT!! I froze some and it was just as good. So good that I’m having a soup party for the holidays and this is the soup I’m making. Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Great call on using rotisserie chicken!
If using rotisserie chicken, do you omit the bone in thighs?
That’s right!
Haven’t made this yet sounds delish! Have a question..Do you leave the chili seeds in or do you remove those with the stem?
I leave them in! But they will add extra heat so if you’re sensitive to heat you may want to remove them. 🙂
Excited to make this tomorrow. If I cook this in a regular pot on my stovetop: how long should it cook before removing the chicken bones?
I made this on the stovetop just the other day! I simmered the soup for an hour an a half and it was great. You could get away with as little as a half hour if you’re rushed for time. I like to let it simmer longer to get as much flavor from the chicken bones as possible. 🙂
I’m making this tomorrow for the first time but I will be using a pressure cooker. Wish me luck. 😉
I’d love to hear how it turned out in your pressure cooker!
I made this exactly as is and it was amazing. The best I’ve ever had. Blending the onions and peppers into the broth makes such a big differece. Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
It’s amazing the difference that makes, isn’t it? So happy you like the recipe!
This soup changed my life Kristen. I had some dried chilis in my cupboard from my last trip to the States, so we made this last week. I hate to admit I have always made mine with chili powder — never again! I will definitely be blending my onions and garlic more often also 🙂
★★★★★
Such a good trick, right? We often do the same with tomato sauce, too. Blending the onions totally changes it!
NEED to make this soup! Perfect for Cinco de Mayo.
★★★★★
Oh girl, you totally do! It’s my all-time favorite soup!
Love this receipe! My only wish is that the soup was a bit thicker. I use the combination of Pasilla, guajillo and ancho peppers and it has a nice kick to it without adding a dried chili pepper.
★★★★
I’m happy to hear you liked the recipe! If you prefer a thicker soup, you could try adding a little cornstarch mixed in cold water at the end of cooking. Or make a roux (butter and flour) and add that to thicken it at the end. 🙂
Another option to thicken the soup would be to dice up about 5-10 corn tortillas. Through them right in the soup and cook them until they fall apart. This will thicken the soup
Good idea!
Tortilla soup is a go-to for me. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to order it at restaurants.
★★★★★
It’s really the best, isn’t it?!!
You say to use three dried chiles and a warning not to use three dried chiles. Can you please clarify?
I’m sorry that wasn’t more clear! What you want to use are dried peppers – but not hot dried chili peppers. The best ones to use are guajillo, pasilla, and/ or ancho. Those three are flavorful but only very mildly spicy. If you like it hot, add a hot chili pepper to the mix. I hope that makes more sense!
Agree. second time I made it I afpdded two chipotles in adobo to the blender. Might add a couple more next time. It added some heat, but nice flavour.
Spicy is always better!
This sounds delicious. I have my own chicken broth, skinless thighs and tenderloins. Can’t wait to make it.
Will probably freeze some for this winter.
If you have your own homemade chicken stock that’s ideal! It freezes very well and such a treat to reheat when you want something cozy and warm but don’t feel like cooking. 🙂
Coincidentally I just made my own version of this soup, which I adapted a few years ago from Sunset magazine (and other sources I don’t remember), and it has always been the best I’ve ever had. So when I saw the title of this recipe, I thought good luck convincing me! But then I saw the blending of dried peppers with the onions and garlic– that’s a great trick Rick Bayless uses in one of his enchilada sauce recipes that’s to die for– and also using bone-in chicken, particularly thighs. Our recipes are quite similar otherwise but I grudgingly had to admit that those two pointers could do nothing but make my version that much more deeply flavorful! I will definitely incorporate them next time. Thanks for the great ideas, Kristen.
P.S. Your beautiful photos sold it as well!
You literally made me laugh out loud! Now I’m off to check out some Rick Bayless recipes. By the sound of it, I like the way he cooks already!