Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable)

Tender chicken in a creamy salsa verde broth with roasted peppers, topped with avocado and crispy tortilla strips.

# What you need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound)
02 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
06 - 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Soup Base

08 - 1.5 cups salsa verde
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Creamy Elements

13 - 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened
14 - 0.5 cup heavy cream

→ Toppings

15 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
16 - 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, poblano pepper, and jalapeño. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in chicken broth and salsa verde. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
04 - Add chicken breasts to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 to 18 minutes until chicken is fully cooked through.
05 - Remove chicken breasts from the pot and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the soup.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Add cream cheese cubes, stirring continuously until melted and fully incorporated into the soup.
07 - Stir in heavy cream and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and top each serving with diced avocado, crushed tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, turning a humble chicken breast into something that tastes like it simmered all day.
  • The cream cheese melts into the broth like a secret, creating a silky richness that makes every spoonful feel indulgent without being heavy.
  • Those crispy tortilla chip toppings stay crunchy right until the last bite because you add them at the table, not before.
02 -
  • Never boil the broth aggressively once you add the cream cheese—it can break and separate if it gets too hot, leaving you with a grainy texture instead of silky smoothness.
  • The difference between good and unforgettable here is using actual salsa verde, not substituting it with regular salsa or pico de gallo; the green tomatillo base is what gives this soup its character.
03 -
  • Rotisserie chicken works brilliantly if you're short on time—just shred it and add it in the final minutes instead of cooking chicken breasts from the start.
  • For a lighter version without sacrificing creaminess, use Greek yogurt stirred in at the very end instead of heavy cream, though the flavor shifts slightly and becomes tangier.
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