Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Nachos
This smoky, tangy, spicy soup is healthy, hearty and so delicious! The entire family will love the nachos either as a topping or on the side!
This recipe is adapted slightly from this one I found on Epicurious.
The best way to prepare this is to make the soup broth while the oven preheats. Let the broth simmer while you make the nachos, then add the chicken while nachos are cooking. That way, everything gets done at the same time!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Soups
Ingredients
Scale
For the Soup:
- 2 T neutral-flavored oil (olive, safflower, grape seed)
- 4 (6”) Corn tortillas
- 1 Small-Medium Yellow Onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 t Ground Cumin
- 1 t Kosher Salt
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 c Low-sodium Broth (I used Chicken)
- 1 – 14oz. can chopped tomatoes, fire-roasted
- 1 seeded chipotle chile, chopped, from can of Chile in Adobo plus 1 t adobo sauce
- 1/2 t ground Black Pepper
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2” thick strips and cut lengthwise if large
- 2 T fresh lime juice (1–2 limes’ worth) plus 1 lime, cut into wedges
- (Optional for serving) Sliced or cubed avocado, sliced radish, chopped cilantro leaves
For the Nachos:
- 4 (6”) Corn Tortillas, cut into 1” pieces
- 1 T Neutral-flavored oil (olive, safflower, grape seed)
- 1/2 c Refried Beans (I used jalapeno-flavored, but any type will do)
- 3/4 c Shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack Cheese
- 1/2 t Ground Cumin
Instructions
Prepare the Soup Broth
- Preheat oven to 425F. Oven is for preheating for the Nachos, but you can make the soup broth while the oven preheats.
- In a large saucepan or a 4-5 qt pot, heat the oil to Medium-High. Then saute the chopped onion and cut tortillas until onions are slightly browned and soft, about 5 minutes. Add a bit more oil if tortillas begin to stick too much.
- Add the minced garlic and cumin and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add the tomatoes, broth, chiles, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer, while you make the Nachos.
Make the Nachos
- Place tortillas on a large sheet pan. Brush a bit of oil on top of each tortilla. Place in oven for 5 minutes. Turn tortillas over, return to oven and bake 4-5 minutes until crisp.
- Spread about 2 T refried beans onto each tortilla. Shake a bit of cumin and a bit of salt over each tortilla, then 1/4 of the cheese. Return tortillas to the oven and bake until cheese is melted and starting to brown.
- Remove to a cutting board. Prior to serving, cut tortillas into quarters.
Finish the Soup
- Uncover the soup pot, add the chicken and cover for about 5 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked through. Add the lime juice, stir.
- Divide broth into bowls, and serve with chopped avocado, radishes and cilantro. Garnish with nachos if desired.
