Name: Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon oil ((or butter)); 1 onion, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 - 2 jalapenos, diced ((see note below)); 4-1/2 cups chicken broth ((recommend low-sodium)); 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ((or chicken thighs)); 3 Tablespoons Homemade Taco Seasoning ((See Note)); Salt And Pepper To Taste ((Optional)); 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes; 1 cup red salsa; 2 tablespoons adobo sauce ((from can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce)); 1 - 2 chipotle chilies ((optional)); 4 Tablespoons sour cream; 4 Tablespoons shredded cheese ((Asadero, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella)); 1 avocado ((Sliced)); 1 jalapenos ((Sliced)); 4 Tablespoons Crispy Tortilla Strips ((See Note below))

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Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is a simple homemade Mexican soup with a zesty flavorful chicken broth and tender juicy chicken topped with cilantro, cheese, and tortilla strips.

This Instant Pot version of Chicken Tortilla Soup is my latest addition to my Instant Pot Soup Recipes and is one of my favorite soups of all time.

What Is Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup is a zesty Mexican broth-based soup made with chicken, tomatoes, Mexican spices, that is often served with crispy tortilla strips, Mexican cheese, chopped avocados, and sliced jalapeños.

I grew up eating Chicken Tortilla Soup in South Texas. When I was a child growing up in San Antonio, my parents took me to a small local Mexican restaurant every Friday night. It was a weekly tradition that went on for years. I always ordered the Chicken Tortilla Soup.

However, after having that Chicken Tortilla Soup for so many years, as an adult when I moved away from San Antonio, I could not find Chicken Tortilla Soup as good and as flavorful as that soup I grew up with as a child. So, of course, I made my own. It is warm, comforting and definitely food for the soul.

Why Make This Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

There are so many reasons to make this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe that they are too numerous to count, but here goes:

It has absolutely incredible, out-of-this world flavor. It is warm, earthy, and zesty, and oh so comforting. It is like chicken soup but better with the Mexican flavor.
By making this Chicken Tortilla Soup in an Instant Pot, it will taste like it simmered all day but yet it only takes about 30 minutes.
The Instant Pot makes this soup so easy to make. It does all the heavy lifting. Set it and forget it and the soup is ready in about 30 minutes.
Most, if not all, the ingredients are likely already in your pantry. If not, you can easily find them in most grocery stores.
Best of all, you can customize this soup to make it as mild or as spicy as you like by easily adjusting the seasonings.

What Do I Need To Make Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

To make this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe, you are going to need to have the ingredients that are listed below. In this list, I discuss the options you have for each ingredient. However, to see the specific amounts for each ingredient, scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this article.

Oil. You will need a little oil, about 1 tablespoon, to sauté the onions, garlic, and jalapeños. You could use butter instead to add some buttery flavor. I used avocado oil because it has a high smoke point and can tolerate high heat. Use your favorite oil as long as it can handle the high heat.
Onion. I diced a single white onion. However, you could use a yellow onion, or sweet onion, or whatever type of onion you have on hand.
Garlic. Plenty of garlic. I used about 3 cloves garlic that had been minced. You can adjust the amount of garlic to your taste. Fresh is best, but for convenience, most stores have jars of minced garlic in oil.
Jalapenos (Optional). These are completely optional. If you don’t like spicy food, then leave them out. If you like mild spicy heat, then remove the seeds. If you like it hotter than hell, then leave the seeds and add as many as you like! I used one jalapeño with seeds and it had what I considered a mild spice level.
Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock. If you have time and want to make chicken stock from scratch then feel free. However, I assume most of my readers are going to have chicken broth on hand, and will use that. You will need about 4-1/2 cups of chicken broth. I recommend using the reduced sodium because then you can better control the amount of salt you like to have in the recipe.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs. Feel free to use either chicken thighs or chicken breasts. The key is that, whether you use thighs or breasts, they must be boneless and skinless.
Mexican Seasoning. I used about 3 tablespoons of my Homemade Taco Seasoning. I recommend making a batch of that and and keeping it on hand to have available when you need it. If you don’t have everything for the taco seasoning, then I recommend adding a combination of chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Preferably Mexican oregano but if you don’t have it, use the dried oregano. See the notes section of the printable Recipe Card at the bottom of this article for the specific ingredient amounts. Then add Salt and Pepper to taste.
Tomatoes. Ideally, you can roast tomatoes in the oven like I did for this Chipotle Sauce. However, for a short-cut, use 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
Chipotles with Adobo Sauce. I used 2 Tablespoons adobo sauce from chipotles in adobo sauce with 1 chipotle pepper.
- Pro Tip: I recommend adding the number of chipotle peppers you like (based on how spicy you like) and combining those with all the sauce in a can and adding to a blender. Then you have a smooth sauce that you can add as you like to various dishes and store the reminder in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Red Salsa. Use your favorite red tomato-based salsa.

How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Follow the step by step photos below, as well as the step by step photos, below the written instructions. For more detailed instructions, scroll down to the bottom of this blog post to the printable recipe card with recipe notes.

Steps To Take Before Pressure Cooking

Press the SAUTE Button on the front of the Instant Pot. Select More to ensure the Instant Pot gets hot enough.
When the Instant Pot display reads “Hot” add 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot (it will shimmer when it is hot), add the chopped onions and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes or so.
Add the minced garlic and stir for about 1 minute.
Add the chicken broth and chicken.
Add the taco seasoning (or chili powder, cumin, and oregano combination – see recipe card for detailed amounts.)
Add 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
Add 1 cup red salsa.
Add 1 or two chipotle peppers (optional) plus 2 tablespoons of adobe sauce. (Even if you don’t want the heat of the chipotles, I recommend adding the adobe sauce for added smoky flavor.)

Steps To Take During And After Pressure Cooking

To pressure cook the Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup, press the PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL button (depending on model) and then adjust the + or – sign to 10 to set it to pressure cook for 10 minutes. Close the lid. Move the Pressure Release Valve to the SEALING position.
1. NOTE: It will take several minutes, maybe 10 minutes, to come up to pressure. While it is coming up to pressure, it will say “On” and when it has reached the correct pressure, the display will show 10 and start counting down the time.
After the Chicken Tortilla Soup has finished pressure cooking, do a NATURAL RELEASE, which means let it release pressure naturally (which means you do nothing) for 10 minutes. Then after 10 minutes, do a QUICK RELEASE by moving the pressure release valve to the VENTING position so it will let the remaining steam vent.
After the pressure has been released and the pin has dropped, carefully remove the lid. Using 2 forks shred chicken, and stir in chopped cilantro.
At this point the soup is ready to serve with your favorite toppings.
If you would like to make your own crispy tortilla strips, cut corn tortillas into strips and place in one layer on a foil-covered sheet pan. Bake for about 7 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.
I recommend chopping your toppings while the Chicken Tortilla Soup is pressure cooking and then it is ready when the soup is ready. Suggested topping recommendations are sour cream, cheese, chopped cilantro, sliced avocados, crispy tortilla strips, and optionally sliced jalapeños.

What To Serve With Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serve the Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup with your favorite toppings. Below are some traditional toppings for Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Sour Cream or Mexican Crema
Shredded Asadero or Monterrey Jack Cheese
Sliced Avocados
Sliced jalapeños (optional)
Crispy Tortilla Strips

Pair this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup with Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas, Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas, and Mexican Rice for a delicious Mexican meal. Finish the meal with a delicious Mexican dessert, such as Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars or Instant Pot Mexican Rice Pudding.

More Soup Recipes

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Overhead photo of a white bowl of Chicken tortilla Soup topped with tortilla strips, sliced jalapeños, and cilantro, sitting on a blue plate.

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