Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
⏱️ Step-by-Step Preparation & Assembly Guide
1. Sauté the Aromatics 🧅🔥
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add your finely diced yellow onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Let the spices toast in the warm pan for exactly 1 minute until your kitchen smells incredible!
2. Build the Soup Base 🍲🫗
Pour the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and diced green chiles directly into the spiced onion mixture, stirring well to scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
3. Poach the Chicken 🍗⏱️
Once boiling, gently lower your raw whole chicken breasts directly into the bubbling broth. Reduce the stove heat to low, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and let it simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. You will know the chicken is perfectly cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and pulls apart easily with a fork!
4. Shred and Re-integrate 🥣✨
Carefully transfer the cooked chicken breasts from the soup to a clean cutting board. Using two forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Drop the shredded chicken straight back into the simmering pot.
5. Add the Texture 🌽🖤
Stir the rinsed black beans and drained sweet corn directly into the soup. Let the mixture simmer uncovered for an additional 5 minutes so the beans and corn warm through completely and absorb the zesty tomato broth. Taste the soup and season with an extra pinch of salt and pepper if desired.
