Chicken Tortilla Soup – Instant Pot Recipe
Craving a cozy meal that won't keep you chained to the stove? This InstantPot Chicken Tortilla Soup has got you covered.
“Soup of the eeeeveniiiing, beautiful sooouuup” - The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland
I love soup. Love it. In particular, I love chunky soups. I appreciate a good creamed soup from time to time, but meaty, chunky, comfort soup will always be first in my heart.
I also love efficiency. One pot meals. Recipes that don't require a whole bloody evening of prep.Meals that require minimal supervision, and don’t die a fiery death if you forget about them.
This soup checks all of the boxes. It’s chunky, meaty, goodness and only requires the instant pot, a cutting board, and a knife. If you don’t open the instant pot right away, nothing bad happens! The chicken is still perfectly shreddable and the broth stays rich and satisfying.
This recipe was inspired by a colleague who made an amazing tortilla soup from The Whitewater Cooks at Home cookbook.
It was my desire to create a quick Instant Pot version with enough veggies that I wouldn’t require a supplementary side dish.
Ingredients: Make it work for you
Three chicken breasts is a lot of meat (did I mention I like chunky, meaty soups?) and may not suit everyone’s budget. Rest assured that it works just as well with two; there's just more broth.
You can also use an equivalent amount of chicken thighs, or use one chicken breast and add a can of beans for additional protein (black beans and chickpeas are both nice). I haven’t ever tried a fully vegetarian version, but I'd recommend starting with a flavourful veggie broth to replace the flavor imparted by the chicken.
Your favorite toppings and garnish
The toppings are all delicious, and they are all optional. The soup stands on its own if your avocado is still rock hard or you forgot to buy cheese.
I like to crumble a few multigrain corn chips on the top for crunch since I can’t be bothered to specially fry tortilla strips for a garnish I may or may not remember to put on. (If you require a lower fat intake you may want to skip the chips and/or cheese and stick to the heart-healthy avocado.)
Given that I don’t really care whether or not the tortillas are present, perhaps I should call it chicken quesadilla soup instead, but quesadillas also have tortillas holding them together, so they’re probably equally inaccurate. What matters is that it’s delicious.
Mealtime conversation starters
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Chicken Tortilla Soup - Instant Pot
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Equipment
- instant pot 6 qt size
- wooden spoon with long handle, for stirring
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 2 medium onions thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed and roughly minced
- 3 cup chopped tomatoes or 796 ml can
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garlic chili sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 3 large chicken breasts sliced in half lengthwise
- 1½ large bell peppers cut into chunks
- 1 cup fresh green beans rough chopped (optional)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped (1/4 cup if using Vietnamese cilantro)
- 2 medium avocados for garnish
- 2 tsp lime juice for serving
- 1 cup aged cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack. shredded, for garnish
- ½ cup corn chips optional garnish
Instructions
- Put oil into a 6 qt instant pot and turn on saute mode (medium). Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for a couple of min until they begin to soften.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and scrape any stuck bits off of the bottom.
- Add the broth, spices, and chicken to the pot. Put the lid on and turn to sealing. Set it for 5 min on manual mode.
- When the time is up, turn off the pot and do a quick release. Place the chicken onto a clean cutting board for shredding.
- Stir in the peppers, beans, and cilantro into the pot and replace the lid for about 5 min. This cooks the delicate veg without making it soggy.
- Meanwhile, shred your chicken with 2 forks (or chop). Add the chicken back into the pot.
- Top each bowl with 1 tbsp of chopped avocado, 1-2 tbsp of shredded cheese, a squirt of lime juice, and additional torn cilantro if desired.
- Optional garnish: baked tortilla strips or crumble a couple of multigrain corn chips on top for crunch.
Hand Size Portions
Hand Portions
When you look at the nutritional values of a meal to log what you are eating, that is called tracking macros. A lot of people use this method to reach their health goals.
Looking at hand portion size and using this method to gauge how and what you eat is also a great method to help you reach your health goals. Many people who use this method often think this form of tracking meals is easier and more sustainable for a lifetime.
Want to learn more about hand portion size and how to use it to reach your goals? Check out the article How to Get Started with Hand Portion Sizes.
Health Ninja Jeanette Marcotte is a health coach and professional geologist, who is obsessed with helping fellow professional women reclaim their time and energy by weaving healthy choices into their daily lives.
When she is not coaching or looking at rocks, you can find her hanging out in her garden with her dog, collecting new hobbies, and/or reading far too many books at once.
Find other articles written by Jeanette on her coach profile. Hang around for mindset strategies and micro-habits that will transform your health & confidence so that you feel like a Health Ninja, too!
