Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Print-Friendly)

Hearty soup with tender chicken, black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, and creamy cheddar finish in 45 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
05 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
06 - 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chilies

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups low sodium chicken broth

→ Dairy

08 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnishes

15 - Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
16 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Lime wedges
18 - Extra shredded cheddar cheese
19 - Sliced jalapeños

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds while stirring frequently.
02 - Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add corn, black beans, Rotel tomatoes, chicken broth, and shredded chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
04 - Stir in cream cheese cubes, stirring continuously until melted and fully incorporated into the broth.
05 - Add shredded cheddar cheese and stir until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips, cilantro, lime wedges, extra cheese, or jalapeños as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely fast, which means weeknight dinner stress just evaporates the moment you taste it.
  • The combination of creamy cheese and zesty Rotel creates this deeply satisfying flavor that feels indulgent without any fussing.
  • It adapts to whatever you have on hand, whether you're doing stovetop speed or slow cooker convenience.
02 -
  • The cream cheese absolutely must be cubed and softened before you add it, or you'll spend ten minutes fishing out half-melted chunks instead of getting silky texture.
  • Don't skip toasting your spices for that one minute—it's the difference between soup that tastes okay and soup that tastes like someone who knows what they're doing made it.
03 -
  • If you're making this for guests, prep your garnish station ahead so people can customize their own bowls and feel involved in the meal rather than just receiving it.
  • The trick that changed my life was using low-sodium broth and tasting before I finished—it lets you control the salt level rather than discovering too late that everything is oversalted and irreversible.
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