Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

4.91 from 33 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is a dump-it-all-in-and-forget-about-it kind of dish with shredded chicken, black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a flavorful broth. Load it up with tortilla strips, cheese, sour cream, and all your favorite toppings!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American, Healthy

Keyword: Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $16.42

Equipment

Instant Pot or slow cooker

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion diced, 1-1/2 cups
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 3 cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder see note 1
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes fire-roasted (or plain) or whole canned tomatoes
1 pound (16 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, see note 2
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce see note 3
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
1 (15.25-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
1 (15.25-ounce) can corn undrained, fire-roasted (or plain)
1 (32-ounce) container chicken stock or broth works, see note 4
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro optional but recommended!
1 lime optional but recommended!
Toppings as desired see note 5

US - Metric

Instructions

Trim fat from the chicken. If using breasts, cut each one into 2–3 large pieces. Turn Instant Pot on by pressing the “sauté” button to begin warming it up.
Once the Instant Pot is on the sauté function, add the olive oil and sauté the diced onion for 4–6 minutes or until onion starts to soften and turn golden. Add minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds to a minute or until fragrant. Add in the seasonings and tomato paste. Sauté for 1–2 minutes or until slightly darkened and very fragrant (but nothing should be burning!) Add diced tomatoes and continue to sauté, scraping the bottom to release any browned bits (this is important to avoid a burn warning).
Add prepared chicken to the Instant Pot along with all the other ingredients up until salt and pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper; I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Secure the lid, making sure to seal and cook on high pressure (manually select) for 7 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10–15 minutes (10 minutes for breasts, 15 for thighs) before using quick release to release the remaining pressure. Remove the chicken and transfer to a separate bowl. Using two forks, shred chicken, then return to the pot along with the cilantro and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Taste and adjust any seasonings (salt/pepper) to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Serve bowls of soup with your favorite toppings. I love freshly shredded cheese, a large spoonful of sour cream, additional cilantro, chopped avocado or guac, fresh lime, and lots of tortilla strips!
Slow Cooker Instructions: Follow steps 1–2. Sauté ingredients in slow cooker base if your slow cooker has that function; otherwise, sauté in a separate pot, then add everything to the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 3–5 hours on high or 5–7 hours on low or until the chicken is cooked through, tender, and easily shreds. Remove the chicken and transfer to a separate bowl. Using two forks, shred chicken, then return to the pot along with the cilantro and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Taste and adjust any seasonings (salt/pepper) to taste. Remove and discard bay leaf. Follow step 4 for serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: Chili Powder is not to be confused with chilli powder, which is very hot. I use McCormick, which is pretty mild.

Note 2: While chicken breasts will work, I highly recommend chicken thighs. The thigh meat becomes exceptionally tender in the pressure cooker and shreds quickly and easily. It’s also more forgiving if cooked longer; chicken breasts tend to dry out if cooked too long.

Note 3: Enchilada sauce can vary greatly in heat from brand to brand. I love and recommend Old El Paso® mild red enchilada sauce (not sponsored). If you aren’t able to find this brand, I recommend tasting the enchilada sauce first and making sure it isn’t too spicy.

Note 4: A high-quality, flavorful stock adds loads of flavor and allows us to cut down on spices or other additions. I recommend Swanson’s® chicken stock.

Note 5: Toppings: Tortilla strips, freshly squeezed lime juice, freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, ripe avocados, and fresh cilantro. While this soup is tasty out of the pot, the toppings truly seal the deal!

Nutrition Note: Nutrition information is calculated without toppings.

Storage: Store this soup (without toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for 4–6 days. Reheat on the stove over low heat or in the microwave. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Here are some best methods for thawing frozen soup.

Nutrition