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This easy Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup recipe tastes like it’s been cooked low and slow, but it’s fast and low effort! It has plenty of bold flavor in the rich broth.
Try my Stovetop Chicken Tortilla Soup or Creamy Taco Soup next.
Why you’ll love it
I’m a big fan of how the Instant Pot really concentrates flavors in such a quick timespan. That’s especially true in this richly flavored easy chicken tortilla soup recipe! It’s a no muss, no fuss dinner when you’re craving ultra comforting Mexican-inspired food.
All you need is a few canned goods and spices to make the best Instant Pot Tex-Mex soup. We’ve got plenty of canned corn and beans, and fire-roasted tomatoes make the broth extra flavorful in this chicken tortilla soup! It’s not too spicy and packed with flavor.
What you’ll need
- Olive oil – for sautéing
- Onion and garlic – our tasty aromatics. I like a sweet onion like Vidalia.
- Chicken – we’re using boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Seasoning – my tasty blend includes ground cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder
- Canned goods – we’re using corn, black beans, mild green chilies, and fire-roasted diced tomatoes. So convenient!
- Chicken broth – the savory base of the soup
Pro tip
Note that most chili powder brands are mild, but it can vary. If heat level is a concern, be sure to check yours!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- This is the Instant Pot model I use.
- There’s a good amount of canned ingredients in this recipe, and my trusty OXO can opener makes opening them effortless.
- Mince the garlic quickly with a metal garlic press, and measure the seasonings with this nested measuring spoon set.
How to make Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup
This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Sauté your onion in the Instant Pot. Add the chicken breasts and the rest of the ingredients (except for salt & pepper). Seal it up, and cook on high pressure.
- Let the pressure release naturally, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Shred the chicken with two forks, then add it back into the pressure cooker. Give it a taste, and season with salt & pepper as needed. Serve and garnish bowls as desired.
Substitutions and variations
- If you prefer chicken thighs, you can definitely make the swap. In fact, they may be even more juicy than chicken breasts since they’re more forgiving when cooking.
- This soup isn’t what I’d call spicy. If you do want to add some heat, start with 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and/or use hot green chilies instead.
What to serve with Instant Pot tortilla soup
- My favorite part is the toppings! Try sliced avocado, Mexican blend cheese, chopped cilantro, tortilla chips/strips, lime wedges, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- I like to prepare my Easy Guacamole and chips while it’s cooking.
- For salad pairings, try my Chipotle Ranch Dressing with spring mix or my bright Avocado Corn Salad.
Leftovers and storage
- This Instant Pot tortilla soup is so good that the leftovers always go really fast too. They’re even better for lunch the next day! Use fresh toppings.
- Store in the fridge in a covered container for 3-4 days, and reheat over low until warmed through.
- You can freeze this one (without toppings) for up to 3 months.
If you tried this simple chicken tortilla soup recipe in the pressure cooker, please leave a star rating and review below! You can also tag me in your photos on Instagram.
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 (12 fluid ounce) can corn drained
- 1 (15 fluid ounce) can black beans drained & rinsed
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
- 2 (13.5 fluid ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Salt & pepper to taste
Toppings (optional, to taste):
- Chopped avocado, Mexican shredded cheese blend, cilantro, tortilla chips/strips, lime wedges, sour cream
Instructions
- Sauté the onion in your Instant Pot for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the other soup ingredients, except for salt & pepper, to your pressure cooker and give it a stir.
- Cancel sauté, close the lid, and ensure the valve is on the "sealing" position. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. It'll take about 10-15 minutes for it to get up to pressure.
- Once the countdown has finished, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, and then do a quick pressure release.
- Take the chicken out and shred it with two forks. Add it back into the soup, dish it up, and top each bowl as desired.
Notes
- I use this 6-quart Instant Pot.
- Here is the stovetop version.
- You can use chicken thighs if you prefer (use about a pound or so).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Oh My Gosh, this was SO GOOD! I had to use boneless skinless thighs because that’s what I had, but other than that I was right with you. DELICIOUS!
Thanks so much for letting me know, Russa!! So happy you liked the recipe. And chicken thighs are definitely a great option as well. They tend to be even more tender after cooking. 🙂
Hi! The ingredients sound great and Ive loved the things Ive made from your site so far BUT I dont have an insta-pot – is there anyway you would be able to translate the cook time into either slow cooker OR normal stove top duration?
Thanks and no worries if you cant!
Hi Rachel! I haven’t tested it, but it’s definitely possible to make it on the stove or slow cooker. As far as the Crockpot goes, I’d give it 6-8 hours on low (perhaps use chicken thighs instead if you’re worried about them drying out), and then take the chicken out to shred it, add it back in, etc. You could either add the onions in raw, or sauté them on the stove beforehand as an extra step. On the stove, you’d follow similar steps as I’ve outlined in the recipe, but I am not exactly sure how long the chicken would take to cook to make it easy to shred… you’d have to do a bit of experimenting. I want to say at least 25-30 minutes, but again, I haven’t tested it. Does this help?
Any suggestions on how to make this with frozen chicken? How much time should I add?
Hi! That’s a good question. I’m concerned that increasing the cooking time to compensate for the frozen chicken might make the other ingredients turn to mush. I’m thinking another 4-5 minutes should do it based on other recipes I’ve looked at that use frozen chicken, but definitely use caution and if in doubt, use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is at least 165F in the middle before you go to shred it. Another idea is to thaw the chicken in the microwave prior to cooking it in the Instant Pot if you wish.
I made this soup last night. It’s so good and so easy to make. Thank you for sharing!
So glad to hear, Jude! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
I’m making it tonite so excited! Even have all the extras for topping
I hope you like it, Terry! 🙂
I love my instant pot! This looks so amazing!
Thanks, Karly!!
This looks so flavorful! YUM!
Thanks!!
I really need to get an instant pot!! This looks amazing! PS – I had no idea you lived in Edmonton – so close! I went to U of A for my degree 🙂 Happy to connect with another Albertan!! XO
Thanks so much! Haha it’s a small world!! 🙂
It’s raining all weekend here so this is exactly what I want!
Thanks!! It’s perfect for a rainy day.
I can almost taste it! Looks so perfect!
Thanks so much!
Totally LOVE tortilla soup! Bet this is packed with flavor! Save me a bowl!
Thanks and of course! 😉