Tex-Mex Chicken Tortilla Soup

Name: Tex-Mex Chicken Tortilla Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 600 g Cooked and shredded chicken breast; 1200 ml Chicken stock; 400 g Chopped tomatoes; 400 g Cooked black beans; 200 g Sweetcorn; 2 Chipotle chiles in adobo; 1 Fresh jalapeño chile; 1 White onion; 3 cloves Garlic cloves; 4 tbsp Sour cream; 6 Corn tortillas (to fry); 1 tsp Ground cumin; 0.5 tsp Dried oregano; 3 tbsp Vegetable oil; 0.5 bunch Fresh cilantro

45 min (15 prep + 30 cook) Easy 6 servings Texas

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 29, 2026 · Updated: May 12, 2026

Creamy chicken soup with crispy tortilla strips and cheddar cheese, Tex-Mex style.

Servings

Custom:

💰 Estimated cost: $12.15

$2.03 per person

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Ingredients

600 g Cooked and shredded chicken breast~$5.00find
1200 ml Chicken stock~$1.50find
400 g Chopped tomatoes~$1.20find
400 g Cooked black beans~$0.80find
200 g Sweetcorn~$0.60find
2 Chipotle chiles in adobo~$0.50find
1 Fresh jalapeño chile~$0.20find
1 White onion~$0.30find
3 cloves Garlic cloves~$0.15find
4 tbsp Sour cream~$0.80find
6 Corn tortillas (to fry)~$0.60find
1 tsp Ground cumin~$0.10find
0.5 tsp Dried oregano~$0.05find
3 tbsp Vegetable oil~$0.15find
0.5 bunch Fresh cilantro~$0.20find

Equipment & tools

What you need to cook this recipe.

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About this recipe

Tex-Mex chicken tortilla soup is a creamy, comforting version of the classic Mexican soup, adapted to the Texan palate with cheddar cheese, sour cream and crispy tortilla strips. A chicken stock enriched with tomatoes, chiles, sweetcorn and black beans becomes a complete meal finished at the table with each diner's favourite toppings. It is the perfect soup for cold days in Texas.

History & Origin

Tortilla soup has deep roots in central Mexican cuisine, where it was prepared with chicken stock, chiles and stale tortillas cut into strips and fried until crispy. When this tradition crossed the border into Texas during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Texan cooks adapted it with whatever they had to hand: American cheddar cheese, sour cream, canned beans and preserved chiles. The Tex-Mex version became creamier, more filling and, for some Mexican purists, more 'American', but for Texans it is simply the tortilla soup they have always known. In Tex-Mex restaurants in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, this soup is one of the most ordered dishes on the lunch menu, served in enormous bowls with a generous mound of grated cheese on top.

Estimated cost

$11.20

Total cost

$1.87

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

420

Calories

32g

Protein

34g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

Fiber

860mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute more.
2
Add the chopped tomatoes, chopped chipotle chile in adobo, cumin and oregano. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring.
3
Pour in the chicken stock, sweetcorn and black beans. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4
Add the shredded cooked chicken and the sour cream. Stir well and heat for a further 5 minutes without boiling so the cream does not split.
💡 If the soup is too thick, add more stock.
5
Meanwhile, cut the corn tortillas into thin strips and fry in hot oil until crispy and golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
6
Serve the soup hot in deep bowls. Top with grated cheddar, crispy tortilla strips, a little sour cream and fresh cilantro.