Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup With All the Fixings Recipe

By
Jennifer Olvera
Jennifer Olvera is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Jennifer Olvera
Jennifer Olvera is a Chicago-based food writer and cookbook author who has written eight cookbooks and contributed to Serious Eats, the Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, and others.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Aug. 30, 2018
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Deeply flavorful chicken tortilla soup benefits from a long simmer in the slow cooker. Jennifer Olvera

Rich chicken tortilla soup, made from slow-simmered chicken thighs, joins quintessential toppings—avocado, red onion, sour cream, cilantro cheese, tortillas, limes and hot sauce—in this simple, sustaining slow-cooker meal. The broth gets its depth from inclusions such as apple cider vinegar, ancho chile powder and unsweetened cocoa powder, and smokiness from a canned chipotle en adobo, fire-roasted tomatoes and cumin.

Why this recipe works:

  • Browning the chicken and sautéing the vegetables in advance help build flavor.
  • Canned chipotle pepper, ancho chile powder, cumin, and a touch of unsweetened cocoa powder create layered flavors.
  • Apple cider vinegar added at the beginning of cooking ensures the soup stays bright and flavorful through its slow simmer.
  • A slew of toppings allows for customization.

Recipe Facts

4.8

(8)

Active: 20 mins
Total: 4 hrs 30 mins
Serves: 6 servings

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 large yellow or white onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 1 large jalapeño, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)

  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1 cup lager-style beer

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced

  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles

  • 6 cups homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock

To Serve:

  • 1 avocado, diced

  • 1 medium red onion, diced

  • Sour cream

  • Chopped fresh cilantro leaves and fine stems

  • Shredded cheddar cheese

  • Crushed tortilla chips or fried fresh corn tortillas cut into strips

  • 2 limes, cut into wedges

  • Hot sauce

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. When oil is shimmering, brown chicken on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer chicken to the bowl of a slow cooker.

  2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add onion and jalapeño to the same pan and cook, stirring often and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan until they start to soften, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add chili powder, cumin, and cocoa powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beer, raise heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.

  3. Transfer to the slow cooker along with the bay leaves, thyme, chipotle pepper, tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, green chiles, and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on low setting or until chicken is cooked through and fall-apart tender, at least 4 hours.

  4. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Shred chicken using two forks. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.

  5. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with avocado, onion, cilantro, cheddar and a sprinkle of tortilla chips. Pass limes and hot sauce at the table.

Special equipment

Dutch oven, slow cooker

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
305 Calories
17g Fat
28g Carbs
11g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 305
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Sodium 1251mg 54%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 84mg 422%
Calcium 197mg 15%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 874mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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