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Easy Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup: Best One-Pot Meal

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This easy crockpot chicken tortilla soup is the ultimate hands-off meal. Fifteen minutes of prep in the morning, and dinner is ready when you are. Packed with protein from the chicken, fiber from the beans and corn, and loads of flavor without heavy cream or excessive fat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2–3 large breasts)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies (e.g., Rotel)
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • For toppings: tortilla strips or chips, shredded cheese (Mexican blend, cheddar, or Monterey Jack), fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream or Greek yogurt, diced avocado

Instructions

  1. Prep your aromatics: Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  2. Layer everything in the crockpot: Start with the diced onion and minced garlic on the bottom. Place the chicken breasts on top, then add the diced tomatoes (both cans, undrained), tomato paste, frozen corn, and drained black beans.
  3. Add the seasonings: Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and pepper over everything. Don’t stir yet.
  4. Pour in the broth: Slowly pour the chicken broth over everything, pouring around the edges to avoid washing off the spices. Give everything a gentle stir to combine the seasonings into the broth.
  5. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is fork-tender.
  6. Shred the chicken: About 30 minutes before serving, remove the chicken breasts from the crockpot and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir.
  7. Adjust the consistency: If too thick, add more broth or water. If too thin, cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
  8. Taste and adjust: Adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt or a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
  9. Let it rest: Turn off the crockpot and let the soup sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
  10. Serve with toppings: Ladle into bowls and let everyone customize with tortilla strips, cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, avocado, and sour cream.

Notes

Don’t add tortilla strips to the pot; they’ll get soggy. Keep them separate and add fresh to each bowl. For extra flavor, brown the chicken first and toast the spices. This soup tastes even better the next day and freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot chicken tortilla soup, easy tortilla soup, slow cooker soup, chicken soup, Mexican soup, one-pot meal

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