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Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup is a delicious, quick and easy dinner that you can throw together in less than thirty minutes.

Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup in two white bowls shot overhead with tortilla chips, limes and cilantro

Did y’all catch the Amazon deals on the Instant Pot over the holidays? There were some CRAZY good deals! (Amazon affiliate)

If you are an Instant Pot newbie, welcome to the world of pressure cooking. There is a little bit of a learning curve, but once you get a few home run recipes under your belt, you will never look back. Check out my full Instant Pot recipe collection if you are interested.

No Instant Pot? No problem! If you want to make this same recipe in the slow cooker, you can get that recipe here.

But back to this Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup recipe!

Instant pot chicken tortilla soup in the inner pot with ladle and red towel

My whole family loved it. And it was one of those throw-it-all-in-and-press-a-button recipes that is totally hands off. My favorite kind of recipe!😎👌🏻 Also known as “dump recipes.”

The one thing you have to do is shred the chicken when it is ready, but that is no biggie.

two hands shredding cooked chicken breasts on a white plate with a green towel underneath

It takes like three minutes tops. Then you just return all that yummy chicken to the pot, and serve it.

shredded chicken breast on white plate with two forks, used to make Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup

My preferred cut of chicken for the Instant Pot is usually the chicken thigh. Why? Because it is least likely to dry out.

But! I wanted to do a chicken breast recipe for y’all because so many of y’all have been asking about recipe adaptions for chicken breasts. So this fits the bill.🙌🏻 And it turned out great, y’all! The chicken was so tender and juicy.

Instant pot chicken tortilla soup in white bowl with spoon

That being said, you can make this recipe as written with chicken breasts. Or you can opt to make it with chicken thighs instead, if you just adjust the cooking time to about 13 minutes.

Quick release for fresh chicken thighs, or add ten minutes of natural release for frozen thighs. (Note: you will have to separate out the individual thighs because one big block of thighs will not cook all the way).

A note about those chicken breasts: You may need to adjust cook time if the size of your chicken breasts is significantly bigger or smaller than the ones I used. Mine were around 7 to 8 ounces each, FYI. I have not tested this recipe with frozen chicken breasts. But if I do, I will come back and update this!

Tools Used to Make Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Note: These are Amazon affiliate links, which support this blog a no additional cost to you.

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

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Instant pot chicken tortilla soup in white bowl with spoon
5 from 21 votes
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Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Instant Pot

Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup is a delicious, quick and easy dinner that you can throw together in less than thirty minutes.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword chicken tortilla soup, instant pot
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 197 kcal
Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

  • 5 cups chicken stock or broth (or 5 cups water + 1.5 Tablespoon Better Than Bullion chicken base)
  • 14.5 ounces (1 can) diced tomatoes undrained
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coriander (ground)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 14.5 ounces (1 can) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups frozen corn kernels
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
  • Optional toppings: tortilla chips, diced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream or guacamole. (not included in nutritional info)

Instructions

  1. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, onion and garlic to the pot. 

  2. Place the chicken breasts on top, and sprinkled the spices on top of that.

  3. Last, add the black beans and corn on top, and do not stir.

  4. Place the lid on, lock it, and cook the mixture on manual high pressure for 5 minutes. (Note: It will take several minutes to build pressure)

  5. Let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes (do not use the quick lever for 10 minutes). Then quick release the rest, using the release lever.

  6. When the pot has depressurized, remove the chicken and shred it with two forks.

    Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup is a delicious, quick and easy dinner that you can throw together in less than thirty minutes. | APinchOfHealthy.com

  7. Return the chicken to the pot, and add lime juice and ciliantro for additional flavor.

  8. Top with whatever sounds good! Options: tortilla chips, diced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream or guacamole.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Cook time includes time to come up to pressure.

Note about those chicken breasts: You may need to adjust cook time if the size of your chicken breasts is significantly bigger or smaller than the ones I used. Mine were around 7 ounces each, FYI.

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.

Original recipe is written for chicken breasts. But! If you prefer chicken thighs, you can follow the same recipe, and just increase the cook time to 13 minute with quick release.

You may need to adjust cook time if the size of your chicken breasts is significantly bigger or smaller than the ones I used. Mine were around 7 to 8 ounces each, FYI. I have not tested this recipe with frozen chicken breasts. But if I do, I will come back and update this!

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Instant Pot
Amount Per Serving
Calories 197 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Cholesterol 54mg18%
Sodium 463mg20%
Potassium 676mg19%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 23g46%
Vitamin A 415IU8%
Vitamin C 10.1mg12%
Calcium 57mg6%
Iron 2.5mg14%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Note: This post originally appeared on A Pinch of healthy November 28, 2o16. The post has been refreshed with updated photos and a video. Here is an original photo, in case you are curious.

Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup in a white bowl, on a plate with chips and spoons

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Related posts:

  1. Tomato Vegetable Soup (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
  2. Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Instant Pot OR Stovetop)
  3. Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
  4. Ham and 15 Bean Soup (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. April Jenson says

    5 stars
    Frist recipe we used for our instant pot and we still love it to this day!! I used frozen chicken this time, set it for 7 minutes instead of 5 and it turned out great!

    Reply

  5. Nicole says

    I want to try this, but I would leave the chicken out as we are veg. Should we cut down on the amount of broth to make up for the lack of meat?

    Reply

    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      Hi Nicole! This is all guessing since I have not tested this. I would cut the broth a tad bit (maybe by a cup?), plus add some additional beans probably. (1 to 2 cans, drained and rinsed) Otherwise it will be quite skimpy. Kidneys, pintos or more black beans would all work.

      Reply

  6. marsha says

    5 stars
    I am really fussy about chicken tortilla soup and this recipe fit all my requirements for a great soup.
    I’ve made it a few times, couldn’t wait until it got to be “soup weather” again so that I had reason to make it often–it’s on the menu for this weekend for houseguests who are as particular as I am. I’ll try it with thighs though the chicken breasts were perfect–can i improve on perfection? I’ll let you know. thank you for this easy, tasty, restaurant quality recipe.

    Reply

  7. Rain macro says

    5 stars
    Made this a couple times already and it Is always a hit! Delicious indeed! 5 stars!!!

    Question though, can you make it on a regular pot over the stove? My mom wanted to make this but she can only use a regular pot. Thank you!

    Reply

  8. Johana Anguiano says

    5 stars
    About how many cups is in a serving? I have not tried this recipe yet but I’m excited to try it. especially since I added to my weight watcher’s point calculator and it calculated to ZERO points!

    Reply

  10. Jeff says

    5 stars
    We tried this recipe earlier this week and really, really enjoyed it. This is a real keeper, than you for sharing with the rest of us!

    Reply

  11. Paul G says

    5 stars
    I concur with all the comments. But the real beauty to me is how good it is and how simple it is to make. Its a regular part of our weekly dinners. Thanks for posting

    Reply

  12. Danita says

    5 stars
    excellent recipe, perfect spice blend, will definitely be making this again. I used better than bouillon vegetable base as I’m out of the chicken base. It turned out fine. I did add a large chunk of chopped fresh green chili as we like a little heat.

    Reply

  13. Stephany says

    5 stars
    What a beautiful soup! I’ve made it twice already. I added some bell pepper to it and it gives it a nice sweetness without being overpowering.

    I always make it when I have avocado and tortilla strips on hand. (I always have cheese and sour cream)

    Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe.

    Reply

  14. Sandi says

    5 stars
    I got my instapot as a Valentine’s Day gift and immediately a friend recommended this recipe to me. Ive been making it once a week since. My fiancé and kids love it. I usually make it to the recipe but I’ve added different veggies ( carrots, peppers, hominey) and I’ve added adobe peppers and sauce and tomato sauce as well. Each time the soup turns out great. We top it with avocado, extra lime, cotija cheese, chips whatever we have on hand and sometimes I’ll serve it with simple cheese quesadillas. This recipe makes a lot so we always have it for leftovers as well thank you for sharing this recipe. Im making it right now and decided it was time to give a comment!

    Reply

  15. Annah says

    5 stars
    This recipe was so good! This is actually my first Instant Pot recipe- I was looking for something easy and healthy to make and this is it!! I was so surprised how absolutely delicious and tender the chicken was, the soup was super tasty. I topped with Plain Greek Yogurt, lots of cilantro, a little bit of cheese, and some baked Tostidos for a crunch. I have enough for the rest of the week!!

    Reply

    • Robin says

      5 stars
      I am a big fan of the instant pot. Use it for delicious yogurt often too. This recipe is outstanding. I used 2 large chicken breast and added 2 minutes to the cook time. I did not have lime on hand but was still yummy. Also on hand was canned no salt. I added the can of corn to the pot while I was shredding the chicken. Did not pressure it. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly. definately will make it again. My husband is pretty picky and enjoyed it too. Made corn bread to go with it. Thanks for sharing!!!

      Reply

  17. Deniz Goss says

    5 stars
    holy moly this was delicious! the soup has a nice flavor as is, but what makes it really amazing is what you put on top. i laid out more lime (must!), more fresh cilantro (must!), pickled jalapenos, ff plain greek yoghurt, fresh avocado(yes!), shredded cheese, and tortilla chips to crumble on top. something to please every palate. fyi, i doubled the chicken and the lime juice, and added a chopped red pepper. made it for a big family dinner and even my picky kids drained their bowls. huge win!!

    Reply

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