My Favorite Chicken Tortilla Soup

Name: My Favorite Chicken Tortilla Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 dried pasilla chiles; 2 dried guajillo chiles; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 white onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes; 6 cups chicken broth; 2 cups shredded cooked chicken; 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed; Salt to taste; Corn tortillas for frying; Toppings: avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream or crema, fresh cilantro, lime wedges

A rich and authentic tomato chile soup inspired by traditional recipes from Mexico City.

By Enzo81 Kitchen· Mexican· October 17, 2026

enzo81.xyz

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

30 minutes

Total

45 minutes

Serves

I have spent years perfecting this recipe and it has truly become my favorite way to make tortilla soup. The secret is using dried pasilla and guajillo chiles to create a deep and complex broth that tastes so much better than the basic versions I grew up eating.

Using fire roasted tomatoes is a great shortcut that saves time without sacrificing any flavor. I also love adding black beans to make it a bit heartier, and I always serve it with plenty of fresh toppings like avocado and lime.

Ingredients

2 dried pasilla chiles
2 dried guajillo chiles
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Salt to taste
Corn tortillas for frying
Toppings: avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream or crema, fresh cilantro, lime wedges

7Instructions

1
Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles and toast them in a dry pan for about a minute until fragrant.
2
Soak the toasted chiles in warm water for ten minutes, then blend them with a little bit of the soaking liquid until smooth.
3
Heat the oil in a large pot and cook the onion until soft, then stir in the garlic.
4
Pour in the fire roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, and the blended chile mixture, then bring to a simmer for fifteen minutes.
5
Stir in the shredded chicken and black beans, simmering for another five minutes to heat everything through.
6
Fry strips of corn tortillas in a small amount of oil until crispy.
7
Place the crispy tortilla strips into bowls and ladle the hot soup directly over them before adding your favorite toppings.

Tips

Store any leftover soup in the fridge for up to three days, but keep the tortilla strips separate so they stay crunchy. You can use store bought tortilla chips if you are short on time.

#soup #chicken #mexican #dinner #high protein

Made this recipe? Let us know how it went.