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Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Creamy chicken tortilla soup with a rich orange-cream Tex-Mex broth, shredded chicken, black beans, and corn. Simmered until silky with melted cream cheese and finished with crunchy tortilla strips and a sour cream-lime topping swirl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and soup base
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast cooked and shredded
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
Toppings
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 cup shredded cheddar
  • 2 cup tortilla strips
  • 0.25 cup cilantro
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the aromatics
  1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sauté the onion for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and taco seasoning, then cook for 2 minutes until fragrant and the spices darken slightly.
Build the soup
  1. Add the Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, black beans, corn, and cumin to the pot and bring to a boil. Keep boiling briefly, then maintain a steady simmer-ready surface for the next step.
  2. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cubed cream cheese until completely melted and the broth turns creamy. Scrape the bottom and sides so no lumps remain.
Simmer with chicken and finish
  1. Add the shredded chicken and heavy cream, then simmer for 10 minutes until the soup is hot and cohesive. Stir occasionally so the cream blends smoothly.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve immediately with sour cream, shredded cheddar, tortilla strips, cilantro, avocado, and lime on top.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, keep the heat low after adding the cream cheese so it melts smoothly without breaking. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently over low heat and add a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is not recommended because cream cheese and heavy cream can change texture when thawed. Dietary swap: use light cream cheese and half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lower-fat version.