You already know that I think the winter season equals soup season, and I had to get in one more soup before spring. This easy recipe is the perfect blend of a burrito bowl and soup night. This time I am going spicy with a soup popularized by fast food chain Qdoba’s chicken tortilla soup, a seasonal staple with a near cult following.
However, since Qdoba discontinued the tortilla soup, the internet has been on its own to get their fajita soup fix. While this isn’t a replica of the Qdoba tortilla soup recipe, it is a blend of both HelloFresh’s Chicken Tortilla soup (my personal favorite) and Qdoba’s recipe. And the best thing is that, unlike most Qdoba copycat recipes, this one requires no pureeing!
This easy recipe is the perfect blend of a burrito bowl and soup night. It makes a great, quick meal for the whole house.
Loaded Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer optional
- 1 Medium Pot
Ingredients
- 10 ounces chicken I used chicken tenderloins.
- 1 packet sazon or taco seasoning
- 32 ounces chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
Toppings (optional)
- 1 oz Shredded cheese
- 1 oz Tortilla chips Blue corn is my go-to.
- 1 tbsp Sour cream
- 1 tsp Scallions
- 3 slices Jalapeños
Instructions
- Start by cooking your chicken. I like to use chicken tenderloins, put them in the air fryer on top of some foil, and douse with half of the seasoning packet. I cook for 350 degrees for about 12 minutes, flipping the tenderloin over halfway through. You could also bake the seasoned chicken in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes or use leftover rotisserie chicken and increase the amount of seasoning in your soup.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, you'll either shred it or chop it to get small, diced pieces. This is easiest when the meat is still warm.
- Heat soup pot over medium-low heat. Add diced onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Once the onion is fully cooked, add corn, black beans, tomatoes, chicken, and the second half of seasoning packet to the soup pot.
- Add in the broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Taste your soup and add any remaining spices as desired.
- While soup is boiling, begin to wash and prepare your desired toppings. I like jalapenos and scallions, both of which should be rinsed off and then sliced thinly. You might like to add fresh cilantro, avocado, or lime wedges.
- Serve soup hot, with desired toppings. I like mine as a truly loaded tortilla soup with shredded cheddar jack cheese to allow the cheese to melt into the soup, then add a dollop of sour cream, five or six jalapeno slices, a half a handful of crushed tortilla chips, and sprinkle with scallions.
Notes
- The seasoning you use is up to you. Some of my favorites are Trader Joe’s Chili Lime (Mexican oregan) seasoning for a mild taste or use chili powder for more of a medium heat if you prefer spicy food. Or you could use a store-brand taco or fajita season packet.
- Want to top your soup with crispy tortilla strips? Cut corn tortillas or flour tortillas in strips, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and pop in the oven until crispy.
- This recipe can be made in a slow cooker by adding all ingredients into the crockpot and cooking on low for no more than eight hours.
Nutrition
Dietary Adjustments
High calorie/weight gain: Load up on the toppings – cheese, full-fat sour cream, tortilla strips. And you could even add avocado!
High carbohydrate: Add a quesadilla and tortilla chips on the side.
High protein: Use 15 ounces of chicken and 1.5 cans of black beans to beef this soup up!
Dairy-free: Skip the sour cream and cheese toppings and load up on the veggies instead, or consider using a vegan cheese.
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