Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
This Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is a flavorful and hearty Mexican-inspired soup featuring tender shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and a smoky chipotle kick. Ready in under 45 minutes, it combines sautéed aromatics and pressure cooking for a quick, satisfying meal topped with crunchy homemade baked tortilla strips.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Total Time: 38 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
- 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (optional)
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground chili powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Juice of 1–2 limes
Tortilla Strips
- 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into strips
- Olive oil, for tossing
- Sea salt, for sprinkling
Optional Garnishes
- Avocado slices
- Shredded cheese
- Fresh cilantro
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Set the Instant Pot to the Sauté function and allow it to heat. Add the olive oil and diced onions, cooking for about 3 minutes until the onions soften and become translucent. Press Cancel to stop the sauté.
- Layer Ingredients: Add minced garlic, chicken broth, diced tomatoes with juices, diced green chilies, black beans, frozen corn, and chopped chipotle peppers with optional adobo sauce into the pot. Nestle the raw chicken breasts on top, then season everything with salt, pepper, ground cumin, and chili powder.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid and ensure the pressure valve is set to sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual mode on High pressure and set the timer for 11 minutes. Once cooking is complete, allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes before performing a quick release to let out remaining steam.
- Shred & Finish: Carefully remove the chicken breasts and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Stir in fresh lime juice and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Make Tortilla Strips (Optional): Toss the corn tortilla strips with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp and golden.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with the baked tortilla strips. Add optional toppings such as sliced avocado, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, or a dollop of sour cream for extra flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a spicier soup, increase the number of chipotle peppers or include the adobo sauce.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- To make this vegetarian, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth, doubling the beans or adding extra vegetables.
- For crispy tortilla strips without baking, you can air fry them at 350°F for 5-7 minutes.
- Ensure natural release time during pressure cooking to allow the chicken to stay tender and juicy.
Keywords: instant pot chicken tortilla soup, chicken tortilla soup, pressure cooker soup, Mexican soup, easy chicken soup, chipotle chicken soup
