Description
A hearty and flavorful Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup featuring tender chicken breasts simmered with black beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, perfect for an easy and comforting meal. Served with classic fixins like sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and grated cheese for a delicious finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 (28-oz.) can whole or diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 (10-oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies (such as Rotel)
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth (more if you prefer a soupier texture)
- 4 oz tomato paste
- 1 whole chipotle pepper in adobo (optional: add 2-3 for extra heat)
- 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 lime, juiced
Fixins (Optional toppings)
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Cilantro leaves
- Grated cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the slow cooker: Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker base. Sprinkle evenly with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to taste. This will season the chicken as it cooks, infusing the soup with robust flavors.
- Add vegetables and liquids: Add the chopped onion, red and yellow bell peppers, the can of whole or diced tomatoes (with juice), the can of diced tomatoes and green chilies, chicken broth, tomato paste, chipotle pepper, and rinsed black beans. Stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly throughout the cooker.
- Cook the soup: Cover with the lid and set your slow cooker to high heat. Allow the soup to cook for 5 hours (alternatively, cook on low for 8 hours for a slower simmer). This slow cooking tenderizes the chicken and blends the flavors beautifully.
- Shred the chicken: Once cooked, remove the lid and use two forks to shred the chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks or finer shreds, based on your preference. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup to combine.
- Finish and season: Stir in the juice of one lime to brighten the flavors. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. This final seasoning step ensures your soup is perfectly balanced.
- Serve: Ladle the piping hot soup into bowls and top with your choice of sour cream, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro leaves, and grated cheese for a restaurant-quality finish right at home.
Notes
- For a spicier version, add 2 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo according to your heat preference.
- The soup can be made a day ahead to allow flavors to meld even more deeply; reheat gently before serving.
- Use low sodium chicken broth to better control salt levels in this dish.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Serve with tortilla chips for an authentic crunchy garnish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
