Why You’ll Love this Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
The beauty of this creamy chicken tortilla soup lies in its ridiculous simplicity – you’re literally five ingredients and maybe twenty minutes away from a bowl that tastes like it took hours to develop.
I’m talking restaurant-quality comfort food that won’t leave you chopping vegetables until midnight or washing seventeen different pots.
What Ingredients are in Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup?
This soup is basically the minimalist’s dream come true – just five simple ingredients that somehow transform into liquid gold. I mean, we’re talking about the kind of recipe where you can literally count the components on one hand and still have fingers left over for snacking on tortilla chips while you cook.
Ingredients:
- 2 (32 ounce) containers chicken broth
- 1 (13 ounce) can cooked chicken, chunked (or any leftover chicken)
- 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes
- 1 (16 ounce) package Velveeta cheese
- Tortilla chips for serving
Now, let’s talk about these ingredients for a hot second because they’re doing some serious heavy lifting here. The Velveeta is really the star of this show – and before anyone gets all judgy about processed cheese, just remember that sometimes convenience trumps culinary snobbery, especially when the result tastes this good.
The Rotel tomatoes bring that perfect kick of heat and flavor without requiring you to dice a million things, and honestly, using canned chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken means you’re not stuck dealing with raw poultry. The tortilla chips aren’t just a garnish either – they’re basically edible spoons that make every bite crunchier and more satisfying.
How to Make this Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Making this soup is honestly easier than explaining why pineapple belongs on pizza – and just as satisfying, but with way less controversy. Start by heating your 2 (32 ounce) containers of chicken broth with the 1 (13 ounce) can of cooked chicken in a large pot over medium heat.
While that’s warming up, you’ll want to cube your 1 (16 ounce) package of Velveeta cheese into bite-sized pieces because nobody wants to wrestle with a giant block of cheese while soup is bubbling away. Trust me, pre-cubing is the difference between smooth sailing and a kitchen disaster that looks like a cheese explosion happened.
Once your broth and chicken are nice and hot, drain your 1 (10 ounce) can of Rotel tomatoes – and here’s where I always pause for a moment of appreciation because those little tomatoes are about to do amazing things to this soup. Add both the cubed Velveeta and the drained Rotel to your hot chicken broth mixture, then stir everything together like you’re conducting a delicious orchestra. The cheese will start melting pretty quickly, but keep stirring until it’s completely smooth and creamy, which usually takes just a few minutes.
When everything’s melted and looking like the kind of soup that could cure a bad day, ladle it into bowls and serve it up with those tortilla chips on the side – or honestly, just dump the chips right in there because life’s too short for proper soup etiquette. If you prefer a hands-off approach, you can also make this recipe using a premium slow cooker for delicious home-cooked meals without the constant stirring.
Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Substitutions and Variations
Sometimes you’ll find yourself staring into your pantry like it’s playing hard to get, and half the ingredients for this soup are mysteriously missing – but don’t panic because this recipe is more flexible than a yoga instructor.
I swap rotisserie chicken for canned, use regular diced tomatoes instead of Rotel, or try cream cheese when Velveeta’s gone.
What to Serve with Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
While you could absolutely slurp this creamy chicken tortilla soup straight from the bowl like I’m tempted to do every single time, pairing it with the right sides transforms a simple meal into something that’ll make your dinner table feel like a cozy Mexican restaurant.
I’m talking warm cornbread, crispy quesadillas, or fresh avocado slices.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this creamy chicken tortilla soup recipe proves that you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to create something that tastes like pure comfort in a bowl.
With just five ingredients and minimal prep work, I can have steaming bowls ready in under twenty minutes. Sometimes simple really is best.
