This Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe is flavorful and savory, and comes together in under 30 minutes flat for a great weeknight meal!
As you guys know, I finally jumped on the bandwagon and got an Instant Pot (the 6 quart version)! Pressure cookers always seemed like a good idea for fast meals but they kind of terrify me to be honest – we had to use one a few times in food science lab back when I was in grad school to become a dietitian, and I was convinced the top was always about to blow off. (Here’s a blast from the past blog post recapping a food science lab class from one day in grad school!)
So, three cheers for the Instant Pot – really fast cooking but without the nerves. :)
For our first Instant Pot adventure, Matt and I made a Mexican-themed soup, because that’s what I was craving! I love chicken tortilla soup, but I hardly ever make it because it takes so long to get a flavorful broth and really tender chicken. That’s where the Instant Pot comes in handy – the high pressure cooks everything quickly, and all the flavors get melded together in a fraction of the time it would take on the stove. No Instant Pot? No worries – you can also do this in a regular slow cooker, but you’ll just want to start earlier in the day!
You’ll see from the ingredients below that I added some flair to this chicken tortilla soup recipe by including sweet potatoes. They’re a fantastic hearty addition, and make this recipe even more filling and cozy. If you’re not feeling them, though, you can certainly make this without them and it will still taste good. The tortilla chips are actually on the side rather than in this soup, in case you’re wondering why they are missing from the picture! :)
Not only is this recipe quick-cooking, but it’s also easy to prepare. Just toss everything into the Instant Pot (or a slow cooker), set the timer, shred the chicken, and stir. The toppings are key: I love tortilla chips, avocado, lime, cilantro, and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt to add even more flavor and texture.
Matt and I both loved this and hope you will too! Here’s the full recipe:
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large sweet potato, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 28-oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 32-oz carton low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- pinch of salt and cayenne pepper
- 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- Optional garnishes: Tortilla chips, plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, and lime
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except black beans and garnishes in the metal insert of the instant pot. Secure the lid and turn the venting nozzle to point towards "sealing."
- Push the "Soup" button and adjust the time to 20 minutes.
- When timer goes off, push "Keep Warm/Cancel." Turn the venting nozzle towards "venting" to release steam. Tip: push the nozzle towards venting with a wooden spoon so you can keep your hands far away from the steam.
- When all the steam has been released, unlock and remove the lid. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Add the chicken back to the pot with the black beans and stir.
- Top with garnishes of your choice and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
When you stir in the Greek yogurt and cheese, the soup gets creamy, rich and even MORE delicious… don’t skimp on the toppings. Or on the chips to enjoy on the side – in my opinion, if a meal doesn’t have a crunchy component it’s not satisfying. :)
Looking for more easy soup & stew recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
- Chicken & White Bean Chili Soup
- Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken Stew
- Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
- Butternut Squash & Turkey Chili
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Do you have an Instant Pot? What kind of Instant Pot recipes would you like to see in the future?
I love my Instant Pot! And tortilla soup, mmmmm. A trick for a thicker soup is to take out a few cups of it (beans and veggies and broth but not the chicken – do before you shred the meat) and blend it before pouring it back into the pot – so good.
Oh yum, that’s a good tip!
This looks really tasty and easy to make. Thanks for sharing.
I have two instant pots – wahoo! Glad you like yours. Not only do we use it to make stews, soups, whole chickens, rice, etc. We also use it for batch cooking and meal ingredient prep; hard boiled eggs, mashed potatoes/cauliflower, cooking chicken for chicken salad, etc. Enjoy :)
It’s crazy how much you can do with them!
This looks so good! I need to make this after the baby arrives. I’ve tried making soups/chilis but I don’t seem to get enough protein from them to offset carbs so my blood sugars are high or unpredictable, which sucks because soups/stews/chilis are my favorite winter meals! But only 3 more weeks and I should be able to stop following the gestational diabetes diet (I’ll be induced around 39 weeks due to my blood clot).
If you haven’t made hard boiled eggs in the IP yet, I highly recommend them. You need to use a steaming rack or trivet so they don’t touch the bottom. Just add a cup of water, cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, natural release for 5 minutes and then release the rest of the steam. Rinse under cold water and peel them right away. The shells literally slide off and the yolks are perfectly cooked!
You could try this recipe minus the sweet potatoes… that might work re: the blood sugar! That’s a great tip about the eggs, too – I’ll try that!
I need to make the plunge and order one!! But there are so many options on Amazon I get overwhelmed!
How long would I cook this in the crockpot?
I’m not 100% sure but I’d guess 3-4 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low. The key is just to cook it enough so the chicken is cooked through! You can always check the chicken and if it’s not done, cook it a little longer. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Love this recipe and love my instant pot! I just did a review of my IP after I impulse purchased it 6 months ago, best impulse purchase EVER! Can’t wait to try this!
Looks really tasty — especially for a cold winter’s day!
Hi, Did I miss something? You mention at the end “When you stir in the yogurt and cheese” but I don’t see these in the recipe.
I loved Don Pablos Chicken Tortilla Soup and this sounds and looks so close to it. Don Pablos moved out of Minnesota and I am really missing this soup. Looking forward to trying it upon your response.
Those are in the “optional garnishes” part of the recipe!
Where can I find the nutritional info on these recipes? I’m diabetic and I need to make sure my numbers are within my range.
I use the recipe calculator on SparkPeople (http://recipes.sparkpeople.com) to get a nutrition breakdown when it’s not provided with a recipe. Click “Add/Calculate Recipe” near the top of the page and enter the recipe. Membership is free.
How long do you cook this if the chicken is frozen?
I’m not sure as I haven’t tried doing it! If you try it, let us know how it goes!