Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is a simple, yet flavorful recipe that delivers restaurant-quality results in under 30 minutes.

When the craving for Tortilla Soup hits, this quick and easy Instant Pot Recipe will satisfy your craving fast! This healthy 30-minute meal is made with affordable, wholesome ingredients yet is loaded with flavor.

Notes on Ingredients

• Chicken: Use either boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts for this recipe. I have included the timing for both fresh and frozen chicken.
• Onions and Garlic: I recommend starting this recipe by sauteeing freshly minced onion and garlic for the optimum flavor, but you can opt to skip the step of sauteeing the onion and garlic and instead use a 1 teaspoon each of onion powder and garlic powder to keep this recipe super simple.
• Broth/Stock: Use either store-bought or homemade instant pot chicken stock. Low sodium is best to control the level of sodium in the soup.
• Diced Tomatoes: To add another dimension of flavor, use diced tomatoes with green chiles (AKA Rotel Tomatoes), instead of plain diced tomatoes.
• Corn: Frozen corn is optional, but adds a nice sweetness to counteract the mild spiciness of the soup.
• Beans: Use black beans, pinto beans, or a combination of the two in this tortilla soup recipe. If starting with dried beans, use my recipe for Instant Pot Beans BEFORE proceeding with the recipe for the soup.
• Spices: This recipe calls for cumin, paprika, pepper, chili powder, and salt. I typically opt for using 2 teaspoons of homemade taco seasoning instead of the individual spices. Do whatever works best for you.
• Lime: Do NOT overlook the fresh lime, it adds incredible acidity and balance to the soup and helps the flavors to pop in your mouth.
• Tortilla Strips: A good tortilla soup needs to be topped with tortilla strips! While you can purchase tortilla strips or use tortilla chips, I have included easy instructions for homemade tortilla strips. You simply need corn tortillas, a bit of oil, salt, and cumin. Super simple and delicious!
• Toppings: In addition to the tortilla strips, this taco tortilla soup is delicious topped as you would classic tacos, with cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, etc.

Notes on Equipment

• Instant Pot: This recipe works with either a 6-quart Instant Pot or an 8-quart Instant Pot. If you are using a 3-quart Instant Pot, it is best to cut the recipe in half but leave the cooking time the same.

Recipe Modifications

• Vegan-Friendly/Vegetarian Tortilla Soup: In place of the chicken stock, use vegetable broth. You also will want to omit the chicken and double the number of beans used to bulk up the soup.
• Spicy Tortilla Soup: Add up to one finely minced jalapeno, along with the onion for a spicy version of Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup.
• Speed It Up: If you are really on a time crunch, skip sauteing the onions and garlic. Instead, omit the oil and minced onion from the recipe and add 1 teaspoon of dried onion powder to the inner pot along with the remaining ingredients. Cook as directed.

How to Make Tortilla Soup in the Instant Pot

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One: Saute the Onions. Taking an extra couple of minutes to soften the onions, will aid in developing flavor in this easy soup. As the onions soften, they caramelize and release their natural sweet flavor.

Step Two: Layer Ingredients. After sauteing the onions, add the stock, along with the seasonings, beans, and corn to the Instant Pot and stir to combine. Nestle the chicken into the soup and add the diced tomatoes, but don't mix the tomatoes into the soup. Tomatoes can easily cause a burn notice in electric pressure cookers. To help prevent this from happening, I strongly suggest adding the tomatoes last and don't stir them into the remaining ingredients. It is okay if they sink naturally!

Step Three: Pressure Cook. After pressure cooking, let the pressure release naturally. Allowing the pressure to release for 15 minutes will help to ensure that the chicken remains tender.

Step Four: Shred Chicken. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred or dice it into small chunks, then add it back into the soup.

Step Five: Make Homemade Tortilla Strips. There is no judgment if you use tortilla chips or pre-made tortilla strips! But making them with flour tortillas is super simple and allows you to flavor them, further enhancing the flavor of the chicken tortilla soup.

Step Six: Serve. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, along with lime juice. Then dish the soup out into bowls, topping with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, and tortilla strips.

Storage Instructions

• Refrigerate: Leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup once cooled slightly, can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Freeze the leftover cooled soup in an airtight freezer-safe container, being sure to leave 1 inch of space for expansion, for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: If needed, defrost the soup overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat the tortilla soup in individual savings in heat-safe bowls at 60-second intervals in the microwave.

More Instant Pot Soup Recipes

• Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Orzo Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Instant Pot Potato Soup
• Instant Pot French Onion Soup
• Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
• Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

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If you enjoyed this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.