Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
This Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is a delicious Instant Pot soup recipe that’s packed with flavor. It’s a comforting and easy meal, perfect for any day of the week!
This Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup has it all. Crave-worthy flavor. Loads of topping possibilities. Healthy ingredients. And it is so simple and fast to prepare.
If the fact that I’ve made this soup three times in two weeks doesn’t convince you that it’s a total keeper of a recipe, then I’m not sure what will!
This chicken tortilla soup was one of the first recipes that I made in my Instant Pot, and it’s still a favorite years later. It’s tried-and-true Instant Pot recipes like this one that make me such a fan of using my pressure cooker to cook meals for my family.
I find that pressure cooking soups in the Instant Pot gives them the best flavor. The flavors really meld together as the soup cooks in the pot! While the cook time itself is quick (only 9 minutes), you do need to plan for the time that it takes the pot to pressurize and then release pressure. All in all, this recipe is quick to prep and then you can relax or prepare other parts of the meal while the soup cooks.
This flavorful tortilla soup will fill you up so that you won’t need much in the way of side dishes to go with the meal. I recommend serving Cornbread, tortilla chips or a Green Salad on the side.
Love soup? You might also enjoy these Instant Pot Soup Recipes or my similar Chicken Enchilada Soup.
Recipe Ingredients
- Olive Oil: For sautéing the onion and garlic.
- Onion & Garlic: The beginning of any good soup! Use red onion or yellow onion.
- Diced Green Chiles: A can of mild fire roasted diced green chiles adds flavor. Be sure to look for mild diced green chiles unless you want the soup to be very spicy.
- Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes: I love using fire roasted diced tomatoes in soups because they add another layer of flavor.
- Red Enchilada Sauce: Enchilada sauce is an easy way to add lots of flavor to the broth base of the soup. You can use either homemade enchilada sauce or store-bought enchilada sauce.
- Chili Powder & Cumin: These seasonings add warm spice. Adjust the amount of chili powder to your tastes. I use just 1 teaspoon since my kids don’t like a lot of spice.
- Black Beans: Canned black beans work perfect here, or feel free to cook your own Instant Pot black beans beforehand.
- Chicken Broth: Using low sodium chicken broth allows you to better control the amount of salt.
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts add lean protein and cook up tender and juicy in the Instant Pot. Feel free to substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs, with no other changes to the cook time or recipe.
- Corn: Both canned corn and frozen corn work well in this recipe. If using canned corn, be sure to drain it.
- Salt & Pepper: I usually find that this recipe doesn’t need much in the way of added salt or pepper, which is why I recommend cooking the soup and then tasting it to see if it needs any additional seasoning.
- Toppings: This is the fun part! Some toppings that we love on this soup include crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla strips, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Here is an overview of the steps to making this recipe. Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
- Sauté the onion in olive oil using the Instant Pot sauté function. Then turn off the pot and stir in the garlic.
- Add the diced green chiles, diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, chili powder, cumin, black beans and chicken broth. Stir.
- Nestle the chicken into the liquid.
- Pressure cook at high pressure for 9 minutes.
- Allow the pot to release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Move the valve to the venting position to release the remaining pressure. Then carefully open the Instant Pot.
- Remove the chicken to a clean plate.
- Stir in the corn, cover the pot, and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Shred the chicken. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup.
- Taste soup and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve with toppings and enjoy!
If you are new to Instant Pot cooking, my guide on how to use an Instant Pot is perfect for beginners.
Tips for making this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- You can use your stand mixer to shred the cooked chicken for this recipe. It’s so easy! Put the cooked chicken in the bowl of your mixer and mix on low using the paddle attachment until the chicken is shredded. This will take less than a minute! See my post on how to shred chicken for more tips.
- To make this recipe with frozen chicken breasts, increase the pressure cooking time to 12 minutes. Then allow the pot to release naturally for 10 minutes before releasing the pressure.
- To make this recipe vegetarian and vegan, substitute canned cooked chickpeas, pinto beans or a second can of black beans for the chicken breasts. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. This recipe is already gluten-free.
- To cook this soup in a slow cooker, place all ingredients except for the chicken and corn in the slow cooker. Stir and then add the chicken breasts. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Then stir in the corn and shred the chicken.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Like many soups, this Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup reheats well and also freezes wonderfully. To store:
- Refrigerator: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Let cool completely and then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To Reheat: Reheat in a pot on the stove over medium heat, in the Instant Pot using the sauté setting, or in the microwave.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
- Instant Pot Potato Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
This delicious Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is easy to make and full of flavor. Load it up with toppings for a healthy one pot dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 ounce can mild fire roasted diced green chiles
- 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 15 ounces red enchilada sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 cup canned or frozen corn, drained if canned
- salt and pepper, to taste
- For serving: lime wedges, crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla strips, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, and/or avocado
Instructions
- Add olive oil to Instant Pot insert and turn on saute function. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot. Stir in the minced garlic.
- Add the diced green chiles, fire roasted diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, chili powder, cumin, black beans and chicken broth. Stir well, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Nestle the chicken into the liquid.
- Place the lid on and set it to the closed position. Move the steam valve to the sealing position.
- Set the Instant Pot to manual/pressure cook, high pressure, for 9 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 20 minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will start counting down. When the cook time is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes (this means just leave the Instant Pot alone for 10 minutes). Then, carefully move the steam valve to the venting position to release the remaining pressure. I usually do this with the handle of a long spoon.
- When the float valve drops down, the pressure has been released and it is safe to open your instant pot. Carefully remove the lid. Remove the chicken to a clean plate and let it rest for a few minutes.
- Stir the corn into the Instant Pot, cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the chicken.
- Return the shredded chicken back to the pot. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with toppings as desired.
Notes
- To use frozen chicken breasts, increase the pressure cooking time to 12 minutes. Then allow the pot to release naturally for 10 minutes before quick releasing the remaining pressure.
- Slow Cooker Instructions: Place onion, garlic, diced green chiles, fire roasted diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, chili powder, cumin, black beans and chicken broth in slow cooker. Stir well. Nestle the chicken into the mixture. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Remove chicken and stir in corn. Shred the chicken and return it to the slow cooker. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Leftover soup may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 279kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 1211mg, Potassium: 795mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 901IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 77mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.
This site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Kristine's Kitchen!
Wow!!! Now I need to make that immediately!
I hope you like it! We just made it again last night. 🙂
This is the best soup I’ve ever made! So delicious and easy, I used frozen chicken tenderloins and I set my instant pot to 13 min. Perfection!
Can I put frozen chicken in this recipe? Increase the time to maybe 12 minutes?
I wondered the same thing about using frozen chicken ~ any ideas, yes or no? tia I want to make this today- my chicken is frozen.
Yes, you can use frozen chicken in this recipe. I would increase the pressure cook time to 12 or 13 minutes. Enjoy!
What size IP are you using?
I own and use both a 6 quart and an 8 quart Instant Pot.
Tried this tonight with my very picky Husband! He and my 5 yo loves it !! I used frozen chicken breast and upped the time by 13 minutes.
I am doubling the recipe. Should I increase the cooking time?
The cooking time is the same for a double recipe. Be careful not to exceed the maximum fill line for your Instant Pot. I think a double recipe would fit in an 8 quart Instant Pot. I’m not sure about the 6 quart.
If I am using the meat off of a rotisserie chicken, what would you suggest for the instant pot cook time?
If you’re using cooked meat from a rotisserie chicken, then everything that you put into the soup will essentially be “cooked” and you just need to heat everything up and develop the flavors. I would try cooking for just 3 or 4 minutes.
My little one just got braces so I thought I’d try this. The whole family absolutely loves it! Did a few minor changes because we don’t like onion and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing!
It makes me so happy to hear that! Especially that your whole family loved it! 🙂
Just curious, is there a reason the corn goes in at the end?
The corn doesn’t need to cook so you can stir it in at the end. It will heat up quickly in the hot soup.
Oops. I didnt read all the way through and added the corn with all the other things. Hope it doesnt cause an explosion or something.
Release the pressure slowly and I am sure it will turn out fine.
We loved this recipe! I used Ancho chili powder and boneless, skinless thighs. The flavor was addicting. Next time I think I’ll double the chicken for an even heartier meal. I’m glad I have an 8 qt IP so sometime when I have a crowd, I can easily double the whole recipe.
Just made this last night, and we all loved it! Making more tonight!
About to make this for the second time, my husband and I loved it! Any recommendations regarding doubling the recipe?
As long as you don’t fill your pot past the max fill line it should be fine. It will take longer to come to pressure.
Can I make this recipe using split chicken breast?
Yes, you can, and the cook time will remain the same. Then remove the chicken from the bone and shred it after the soup cooks.
I’ve made this so many times because it’s so delicious! Can this soup be frozen?
I’m happy to hear that! Yes, this soup will freeze well.
I need to double/triple this recipe. Im not sure how big my instant pot is. How long do you recommend cooking the chicken for when its doubled/tripled?
Lindsey,
You usually do not need to increase the cook time when adding more ingredients to the Instant Pot. Make sure you do not exceed the max fill line on your instant pot. It will take longer to come to pressure.
Just made this for dinner and it was delicious! I added kidney beans and even my picky 6 year old gave it a thumbs up. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Hi Kristine, I followed your recipe for homemade enchilada sauce (so delicious) to use in this recipe and everything was awesome! As I’m trying to eat healthier, I did not add any salt and just added some of the Mrs. Dash extra spicy seasoning and even air fried my own corn tortilla chips with a little bit of smoked paprika on them. I’m off to check out more recipes on your site – thank you so much!
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed both this recipe and the homemade enchilada sauce!
This is a favorite recipe for my boyfriend and me! We make it all the time, and sometimes add brown rice at the end to make it a little heavier.
I made this soup and the homemade enchilada sauce last night and it was a hit!!! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Absolutely DEEE-LISH!!!! My whole family loved it. Thank you for sharing 🙂 And shredding the chicken in the stand mixer is BRILLIANT!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this!
I love this recipe! This time I have boneless skinless tenders instead of breasts. Do I need to adjust the time? Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe! Tenderloins will cook much faster and may become overcooked in this recipe. You could try reducing the cook time, but even so, soups take quite a while to reach pressure so the chicken may cook too long.
Love this recipe so much and have made many times. Can I use chicken tenderloins instead of chicken breast without changing the cooking time? Don’t want to make a trip to store if I don’t have to.
Tenderloins will cook much faster and may become overcooked in this recipe. You could try reducing the cook time, but even so, soups take quite a while to reach pressure so the chicken may cook too long.
Super easy and very tasty. I had houseful of guests so doubled the recipe and everyone loved it. I have been dealing with high blood pressure so next time will try to adjust and lower the sodium. I used low sodium broth and frozen corn instead of a can. Any other ideas to help with the sodium?
I’m glad you enjoyed the soup! Unfortunately many packaged ingredients, such as broth (even low sodium), enchilada sauce, etc. contain sodium. I would look for no salt added beans and the lowest sodium versions of ingredients you can find.
This a family favorite and the best recipe I’ve made in my Instant Pot since acquiring it. I always use frozen breasts so increase the time to 12 minutes. I also make my enchilada sauce from scratch using a recipe from another site. I highly recommend taking the time to do that. It’s quite simple and tastes way better than the jarred stuff. I also decrease the broth to 3 cups. That’s personal preference but also partly because frozen breasts tend to have a water glaze so are more watery than fresh. I always add corn but prefer adding it in the beginning with everything else versus after it’s cooked. I serve with cheddar cheese and tortilla chips. Delicious!
I made this for my husband and we both loved it so much! It was so easy and delicious. I can’t wait to make it again!
OMG, this was so good! I made it Tuesday and still eating leftovers! I love all the flavors, I added extra spice and lime juice, but I like a kick, plus condiments are a must! You won’t be disappointed!!
I made half the recipe since we have a mini pot. I bought the only fire roasted green chilies available, non diced. Tried to be conservative but only two chilies were way too much, much less half the pan. Could barely choke it down – And we’re used to spicy food! Now the gasket to the IP smells like chilies and I had to buy a replacement.
Hi Laura,
Sorry it didn’t turn out for you. It sounds like you bought the wrong chilies. I use the diced “mild” variety as specified in the recipe ingredient list.
My wife liked it so much, she said “you can sell this!”. Thanks Kristine, I’ve made 6 of your recipes, and they all turned out great!
This is very delicious, I just made it. It turned out fabulous and my whole house smells amazing. I did not have tortilla chips so i made my own by using some fresh tortillas sliced, olive oil and sea salt and baked them 400 degrees at 7 mins! Very yummy! Cannot wait to make this again! Thank you!
Okay…we tried it. My daughter and I. No corn, no lime, no sour cream. Serving two people. EXCELLENT!!! I paired with an IPA…KAChing!! Added a bit of Mexican style cheese and some sliced Avocado. This will be a go to!!!!
Made this last night and it was incredible! I’m new to instant pot and worried about the flavor in a pressure cooker versus all day slow cooking and that wasn’t an issue at all. This couldn’t have turned out any better – thank you for sharing the recipe!!
Do you drain the canned tomatoes?
No, do not drain. In all of my recipes canned tomatoes go in undrained, unless the instructions state otherwise. 🙂
Will I be able to make this full recipe in the 3 QT instant pot or should I split it in half?
You should halve this recipe if making it in the 3 quart Instant Pot.
If I use 2 pounds of chicken how long would I cook For?
The cook time will be the same. Enjoy!
Really good!!! Every one loved it; will definitely make again!!!
This recipe is so delicious so easy and absolutely a must make! I add chipotle peppers (Embasa) is the brand I choose. A bit spicy and packed with flavor!!
First recipe i tried with my new instant pot. Amazing!! So flavorful, so so good!
Thank you!
Awesome recipe! It is on repeat here. I cook it for 11min with a 10 min NR. The added time makes the chicken shred much easier.
I accidently put corn in at same time as everything else. I hope I didn’t ruin it!
It will be fine. 🙂 Enjoy!
I have made this six times now, just as written. There is no improving upon this recipe, as it is perfect. Thanks for sharing it!
I am so proud to say that this is the recipe I just used for my first go at using an instant pot. It’s written perfectly! All of the ingredients were readily available at my local grocery store. The steps were easy to follow and not overwhelming at all. The end result was SO delicious and everyone went for seconds! I can’t believe how easy and yummy this is!
I’m so happy that this turned out so well for you!
This soup was amazing! I added baby spinach at the end with the corn.
By far the best soup I have ever made and eaten. It’s even better than CPK’s soup!
I don’t have any green chiles. Will the dish come out ok without them or should I wait and make this another day?
The diced green chiles add some flavor, but this soup will still be delicious and flavorful without them.
This is a delicious soup! I used my homemade enchilada sauce and decided 3 cups of chicken broth would make it “soupy” enough. We like our food a bit spicey so used 2 teaspoons of chili powder. We enjoyed adding the toppings and thought it made a great meal.
Tastes great!! I used frozen chicken breasts and increased the cook time by about 50% and it turned out perfectly. Will definitely make this again. Topping with avocado, lime, cilantro, sour cream, onions, and tortilla chips made for a hearty, yummy meal even my 7 year old loved.
Such a delicious soup with so many incredible flavors!
I’ve made this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe 3 times now, once with boneless skinless thighs, because I didn’t have any chicken breast. It came out great, very tender chicken. I love it. Thanks
I forgot to add, the shredded cheese and the corn added later as you suggested, really sets this off. Thanks again.
Can I use Cojito cheese instead of cheddar?
Yes, that sounds delicious!
This was a really good recipe and I will definitely make again. The only reason I gave 4 stars is because I felt like the liquid was too much in ratio to the protein. Next time I will make the recipe with 2 pounds of chicken and perhaps a little less liquid. The taste was really good, though.
What time adjustments should I make if using Split chicken breasts with the Bone in?
You can follow the recipe as written, no adjustments needed. Enjoy!
Absolutely delicious so much better than my crockpot recipe love following you and your recipes ♥️♥️♥️
Amazing! I made two batches of this for a sick friend, and for myself with a case of winter blues. Delicious, flavorful and easy!
This was amazing, easy and quick to make! Note I did use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.
Made this tonight. Followed the recipe to the T! Came out perfect. Will be making this many more times in the future!
Absolutely delicious! A new family favorite! A little spicy from the chiles, but just the right amount. Will 100% be making again soon, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! 🙂
Made this recipe to try out some different things and… WOW was I surprised at how much I enjoyed this soup. Will be making again, and adding to my recipe collection. Thank you for sharing ^_^
We love this recipe. This week I’m making this for a family who can’t eat any sort of “dry” beans (cooked or not). Do you have a suggestion for a black bean substitute that isn’t another “dry” bean, or just leave them out?
You can leave out the beans. If you want to bulk up the soup more, you could stir some cooked rice into the soup after cooking. (I haven’t experimented with cooking rice in the soup, so can’t give guidance on how to adapt the recipe for that.) I’m glad to hear you are enjoying this recipe!
Not only was the soup beyond really good but I learned a major new cooking skill. Who knew chicken could be shredded with a stand mixer? My Heavy-duty Kitchen Aid was perfect for the task just as you said. Hand shredding never again.
Kristine, thank you so much for everything you do. Sainthood awaits.
I’m so glad that tip was helpful to you! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review of the recipe!
Instead of just adding frozen corn, I found a Birds-Eye Southwest Style medley of brown rice and white quinoa with black beans, corn, red bell peppers and a zesty southwest sauce. I also increased the chicken to 1.67 lbs.
The result was a hearty entre’ style dish which retained the spicy Tortilla chicken soup flavor. Served with a side of broccoli crunch salad. This bit of experimentation was a win-win. Thank you for the inspiration!
Made it today with rotisserie chicken. I used IP on saute setting.
Turned out very nice! Definitely keeping this recipe!
Thank you!
This really was delicious! I made our own fried tortilla strips (easy to do – HIGHLY recommend!) and it took it over the top. We topped it with sour cream, shredded cheese, avocados… so good! Thank you! We will absolutely repeat this recipe.
I love this recipe. It’s super easy and delicious.
How long is the pressure cook if not using chicken? Thanks
I’d reduce the cook time to 4 or 5 minutes. If not using chicken, you just need enough cook time to develop the other flavors. Enjoy!
Yummy!! My whole family loves it!
This is the best chicken tortilla soup! I make it just like the recipe says and we love it – I shared the recipe with my mom and brother too!
This recipe is SO good! I accidentally bought a small 8 oz enchilada sauce container so I double the diced tomatoes and used 2 tsp chili powder. Hands down the best tortilla soup that I’ve ever had. My instant pot tends to overcook chicken so I set for 7 minutes and vented immediately rather than cooking it for awhile. LOVE and I highly recommend sour cream to go with it!