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Easy 30-Minute Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

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A quick and flavorful chicken tortilla soup made in a slow cooker with rotisserie chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a clever spice blend. Ready in just 30 minutes, it delivers deep, smoky flavor without the long simmering time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (about 3 cups)
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Crushed tortilla chips (for serving)
  • Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (for serving)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (for serving)
  • Diced avocado (for serving)
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt (for serving)
  • Lime wedges (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Bloom the spices (5 minutes): Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens slightly and becomes fragrant.
  2. Transfer to the slow cooker: Scrape the onion-spice mixture into a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes (with their juices), drained black beans, frozen corn, and shredded rotisserie chicken. Pour in the chicken broth and stir everything together until well combined.
  3. Cook (20-25 minutes on high): Cover the slow cooker and set it to high. Let it cook for 20 minutes. Give it a good stir. If you have time, let it go another 5-10 minutes for deeper flavor.
  4. Finish with lime juice (2 minutes): Just before serving, stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed (start with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper).
  5. Serve with toppings (5 minutes): Ladle the soup into bowls. Let everyone customize their own with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Notes

Don’t skip the spice blooming step—it’s key for deep flavor. If your slow cooker runs hot, check the soup after 20 minutes. For a thicker soup, mash half the black beans before adding. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months (without toppings).

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken tortilla soup, crockpot soup, 30-minute meal, slow cooker, weeknight dinner, Mexican soup, rotisserie chicken

Find it online: https://bitesienna.com/easy-30-minute-crockpot-chicken-tortilla-soup/