Rio Grande Style Chicken Tortilla Soup

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-23 · Updated 2026-06-23

A comforting chicken soup inspired by the Rio Grande region, featuring tender shredded chicken, smoky chipotle, and crisp tortilla strips. This Mexican-inspired soup recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken broth, diced tomatoes for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pepper chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 4 corn tortillas
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 medium avocado, diced

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Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large pot, combine 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, 6 cups chicken broth, 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 diced medium white onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 chopped chipotle pepper in adobo, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
2. Step 2: Remove chicken breasts from the pot and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pot and stir in 2 tbsp lime juice.
3. Step 3: While soup simmers, cut 4 corn tortillas into thin strips and heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortilla strips until crispy and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
4. Step 4: Ladle soup into bowls and top each serving with crispy tortilla strips, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, and diced avocado from 1 medium fruit. Serve hot.