Cozy & Healthy Tortilla Soup Recipe

Soup Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 dried pasilla chile, stemmed, seeded and torn into pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2.5 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted whole or diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, preferably rotisserie chicken, super convenient!
• 1–2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Serving & Toppings

• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 cup crumbled feta
• 2 cups tortilla chips, roughly broken
• 3–4 radishes, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• Optional: thinly sliced jalapeño or a pinch of crushed red pepper for extra heat

Instructions

1. Build the flavor base.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, golden and beginning to caramelize.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the torn pasilla chile, cumin and oregano and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Be careful not to let the chile burn—it should smell smoky and earthy, not bitter.

2. Concentrate the tomatoes.

Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes and their juices.

Using the back of a wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes as they cook. Let everything simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture becomes thick, dark and concentrated.

This step is worth it. You’re essentially concentrating the tomato, chile, onion and garlic flavors before thinning them out with broth.

3. Blend for a rich, silky broth.

Carefully transfer the tomato mixture to a blender and blend until very smooth. You can also use an immersion blender directly in the pot.

Return the mixture to the Dutch oven if necessary and add the chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Taste and season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the chicken.

Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer for another 5 minutes, just until the chicken is warmed through and has absorbed some of that delicious broth.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice. Taste again. If the broth needs a little more brightness, add another tablespoon.

Assemble your bowls

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and pile on the toppings: avocado, crumbled feta, tortilla chips, thinly sliced radishes and plenty of fresh cilantro.

Finish with a generous squeeze of lime.

And don’t be shy with the lime—it brings the whole bowl to life.

A few of my favorite tips

Don’t skip the tomato reduction. This is what takes the broth from good to wow. Cooking the tomatoes down before adding the chicken broth concentrates their sweetness and gives the soup a much richer flavor.

Use low-sodium broth. Between the feta, tortilla chips and seasoning, there’s plenty of opportunity to add salt at the end. Starting with low-sodium broth lets you control the final flavor.

Fire-roasted tomatoes make a difference. They add a subtle smokiness that plays beautifully with the pasilla chile.

Add the toppings right before serving. I love the contrast of hot, silky broth with cool avocado, creamy feta, crisp radishes and crunchy tortilla chips.

And the lime is not optional. A squeeze right before that first bite is what makes all of those flavors pop.

Make it your own

Want more heat? Add a little jalapeño to the broth or finish each bowl with sliced jalapeño.

Want it extra hearty? Add black beans or a little corn.

Want to keep it lighter? Go generous on the radishes and cilantro and use just enough tortilla chips for that irresistible crunch.

However you serve it, make extra. This is the kind of soup that somehow tastes even better the next day!

Enjoy every spoonful!