Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
This copycat Chick-fil-A chicken tortilla soup recipe brings back one of the chain’s most beloved limited-time menu items, made entirely in your own kitchen. It’s a tomato-based, mildly spiced soup loaded with tender chicken, black beans, corn, and crispy tortilla strips that you can have on the table on a weeknight.
The broth is smoky and just a little tangy, and the toppings are what pull it all together.
Why I Love This Recipe
The broth has this warm, smoky depth from cumin and smoked paprika that coats the back of your throat in the best way. It’s not fiery, just genuinely flavorful, which makes it something the whole table will eat.
The chicken stays tender because it simmers right in the soup instead of being cooked separately and dumped in dry. That matters more than any seasoning adjustment you could make.
This is the version I keep coming back to on a cold Tuesday.
Recipe Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts – you can swap in thighs for a richer result
- 1 tbsp olive oil – for sautéing the aromatics
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced – white onion works too
- 4 garlic cloves, minced – fresh only, not jarred
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced – leave the seeds in if you want more heat
- 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes – fire-roasted gives the broth its smoky base
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed – pinto beans are a fine swap
- 1 cup frozen corn – thawed or straight from the freezer both work
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth – low-sodium lets you control the salt
- 2 tsp ground cumin – the dominant warm spice in this soup
- 1 tsp smoked paprika – adds smokiness without adding heat
- 1 tsp chili powder – standard mild blend
- 1 tsp kosher salt – adjust at the end to taste
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- Juice of 1 lime – brightens the whole pot at the end
- 3 corn tortillas – sliced into strips for baking as a topper
- 1 tbsp olive oil – for the tortilla strips (separate from the first tbsp)
- Sour cream, shredded cheddar, fresh cilantro – for serving
Variations / Substitutions
- Chicken thighs instead of breasts – the soup gets a slightly richer, more unctuous texture and the meat shreds a little more easily.
- Rotisserie chicken – skip the simmering step, shred the meat, and stir it in at the end; reduce total cook time by about 15 minutes.
- Pinto beans instead of black beans – they’re creamier and blend a little more into the broth, giving it a slightly thicker body.
- Add more jalapeño or a chipotle in adobo – one chipotle pepper chopped up and added with the tomatoes adds real smokiness and a medium heat kick.
- Dairy-free – skip the sour cream or use a coconut-based sour cream; the rest of the recipe is already dairy-free.
- No lime – a splash of apple cider vinegar at the end does the same job of cutting through the richness, though the flavor is slightly sharper.
If you like the idea of a creamy chicken soup with Tex-Mex flavors, you might also enjoy making a White Chicken Enchilada Soup.
How To Make Chicken Tortilla Soup
Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the onion softens and the edges turn translucent. Add the 4 minced garlic cloves and the diced jalapeño and cook for 1 more minute, just until fragrant.
The onion should look glossy and soft at this point, not browned. If it starts to color, dial the heat down a notch. Getting this base right means your broth will have real flavor underneath all the spices.
Step 2: Season and Simmer the Chicken
Add the 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp chili powder directly to the pot and stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices in the oil. Then pour in the 4 cups chicken broth and the 14.5 oz can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes with all their juices. Nestle the 1.5 lbs whole chicken breasts into the liquid, add the 1 tsp kosher salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper, and bring everything to a gentle boil. Reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). It should pull apart easily when you press it with a fork against the side of the pot. Don’t let it boil hard the whole time or the chicken will tighten up and turn stringy.
Step 3: Bake the Tortilla Strips
While the soup simmers, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the 3 corn tortillas into thin strips, about 0.25 inches wide, and toss them with the second tbsp of olive oil on a baking sheet. Spread them in a single layer and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until they’re crisp and golden at the edges.
They’ll firm up a little more as they cool, so don’t wait until they’re rock hard in the oven. Watch them after the 10-minute mark because they go from golden to burnt quickly.
Step 4: Shred the Chicken and Build the Soup
Pull the cooked chicken breasts out of the pot and shred them using 2 forks. The meat will come apart in long strands fairly easily. Return the shredded chicken to the pot, then add the drained and rinsed 15 oz black beans and the 1 cup frozen corn. Stir well and bring the soup back to a low simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes to warm the beans and corn through.
Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and taste the broth. Adjust salt if it needs it. The lime juice makes a real difference here, pulling the flavors forward so the soup tastes finished instead of flat.
Step 5: Ladle and Garnish
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and pile on the baked tortilla strips, a spoonful of sour cream, a handful of shredded cheddar, and a few sprigs of fresh cilantro. The strips should be standing up through the sour cream and cheddar, showing off that toasted golden color.
Recipe Tips
- Use fire-roasted tomatoes, not regular. The charred flavor they add is what gives the broth its backbone. Regular diced tomatoes make the soup taste a little flat in comparison.
- Don’t skip toasting the spices. That 30-second step of stirring the cumin, paprika, and chili powder in hot oil before adding liquid is what keeps the soup from tasting like powdered spices floating in broth.
- Make the tortilla strips last. They can sit out uncovered at room temperature and will stay crisp for an hour or two. If you make them too far ahead, they soften.
- For a thicker broth, use the back of a spoon to smash about 0.25 cup of the black beans against the side of the pot before adding the corn. It takes 10 seconds and thickens things noticeably.
Bake times for the tortilla strips by oven:
| Oven type | Strip thickness | Time at 400°F (200°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 0.25 inch | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Convection | 0.25 inch | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Dark baking sheet | 0.25 inch | 8 to 9 minutes |
How To Store
- Refrigerate – let the soup cool fully, then store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the tortilla strips in a separate bag or container at room temperature so they stay crisp.
- Reheating – warm on the stove over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. The broth may thicken slightly in the fridge; add a splash of chicken broth to loosen it if needed.
What To Serve With Chicken Tortilla Soup
A wedge of warm cornbread alongside this works well because its slight sweetness offsets the smoky, acidic broth without competing with it. A simple green salad with a lime vinaigrette echoes the brightness in the soup and keeps the meal from feeling heavy. If you want something more filling, a side of Mexican rice soaks up the extra broth at the bottom of the bowl in a way that plain white rice doesn’t quite do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this soup in a slow cooker?
Yes. Add everything except the beans, corn, and lime juice, and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Shred the chicken directly in the pot, stir in the beans, corn, and lime juice, and let it run for another 15 minutes on high.
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes, but freeze it without the tortilla strips and without any dairy toppings. The soup itself freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
How do I make it less spicy for kids?
Swap the jalapeño for a small green bell pepper and reduce the chili powder to 0.5 tsp. The soup will still have warm, savory flavor without any noticeable heat.
Can I use store-bought tortilla chips instead of baking my own strips?
You can. Crushed thick-cut tortilla chips hold up a little longer in the hot broth than thin chips, which turn soggy fast. Add them right at the table rather than when ladling.
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Ingredients
Method
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion for 5 minutes until soft, then add the minced garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 more minute.
- Stir in the 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, whole chicken breasts, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
- While the soup simmers, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the tortilla strips with 1 tbsp olive oil, spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping once, until crisp and golden.
- Remove the chicken, shred it with 2 forks, and return it to the pot. Add the black beans and corn. Simmer over medium-low for 5 minutes, then stir in the lime juice and adjust salt to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and top with baked tortilla strips, sour cream, shredded cheddar, and fresh cilantro.
