Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup (Print View)

Flavorful Mexican soup with tender chicken, black beans, and corn, made quickly in your Instant Pot.

# Components:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
06 - 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
07 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices

→ Beans

08 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids and Seasonings

09 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
11 - Juice of 1 lime
12 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Toppings

18 - Tortilla strips or chips
19 - Sliced avocado
20 - Chopped fresh cilantro
21 - Shredded cheese
22 - Sour cream
23 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add a splash of oil, then sauté the onion, garlic, and bell pepper for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chicken, diced tomatoes with juices, black beans, corn, and chicken broth. Stir to combine thoroughly.
04 - Secure lid and set valve to Sealing. Set to Pressure Cook on High for 10 minutes.
05 - Allow natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
06 - Remove chicken and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pot.
07 - Stir in lime juice and taste to adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, and lime wedges as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It practically cooks itself once you hit the button, leaving you free to handle homework questions or fold laundry guilt-free.
  • The flavors taste like they've been simmering for hours, but the Instant Pot does the heavy lifting in minutes.
  • One pot means one cleanup, which is honestly the real victory at the end of a long day.
02 -
  • Do not skip the Sauté step at the beginning; sautéing the onions and spices builds flavor layers that you simply cannot get by dumping everything in raw.
  • The natural pressure release for those first 5 minutes is crucial because it keeps the chicken from becoming tough and stringy.
  • Lime juice at the end is not optional if you want the soup to taste bright and Mexican; without it, the flavors taste flat and one-dimensional.
03 -
  • If your broth is very salty, you can dilute it with water or unsalted broth, but it's smarter to just taste and add salt gradually at the end when you have full control.
  • The soup keeps beautifully in the fridge for 4 days, and it actually tastes better the next day as the flavors marry together.
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