This is the BEST Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup! It tastes like it’s been cooking all day, but it only takes minutes in your electric pressure cooker.
I love this Instant Pot Tortilla Soup so much.
Mainly for the toppings!
But also because it’s one of those soup recipes that’s super easy to throw together at the last minute with minimal effort.
For years now, I’ve been making this Chicken Tortilla Soup in the slow cooker. But, I thought it was finally time to adapt it for the Instant Pot. There were a couple of changes that I made my recipe in order to make it work for the Instant Pot.
How to Make Tortilla Soup in the Instant Pot
First, I cut back on the amount of chicken stock that I used. Because the Instant Pot is so tightly sealed, there’s less evaporation than if you were using the slow cooker. That means that we can cut down the amount of liquids used.
Second, I left out the chopped tortillas that I added in my original slow cooker recipe. In the Instant Pot, the tortillas break down a bit too much, and the soup turned out to be mushy.
And third, I used the Instant Pot to brown the onions before starting the soup under pressure. I love that the Instant Pot gives you the option to saute all in one pot, and this quick extra step really adds to the flavor of the soup. However, if you’re short on time, you can definitely skip this step and just add the raw onion along with all the ingredients to your Instant Pot. The choice is totally up to you.
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Ingredients
- Chicken breasts
- Canned tomatoes
- Jarred salsa
- Canned beans (Or, have you tried making Instant Pot black beans? They turn out super flavorful and can be made in under an hour with no soaking!)
- Onion
- Jalapeno
- Bell pepper
- Mexican spices
How Do I Make Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Slow Cooker?
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can also make this Chicken Tortilla Soup in a slow cooker. The steps and ingredients are virtually the same, and you can find my recipe for slow cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup here.
What Do You Top Chicken Tortilla Soup With?
- Crunchy tortilla strips
- Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Sliced jalapenos
- Hot sauce
I love serving this Chicken Tortilla Soup at parties since everyone can customize their own bowl of soup. I like mine topped with sour cream, jalapenos, cilantro and shredded cheese. I like mine extra spicy, which is why I’m obsessed with Cabot’s Fiery Jack Shredded Cheese, a blend of their Hot Habanero Cheddar mixed with just the right amount of mild Monterey Jack. Not only is it spicy, but it’s got great flavor too.
If you’d like to make this Instant Pot Tortilla Soup vegetarian-friendly, you could swap out the chicken with an extra can of black beans, instant pot black beans, or some frozen corn kernels.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
To round out the meal, pair your bowl of instapot tortilla soup with one of these easy side dishes:
- Air Fryer Quesadillas
- Easy Guacamole with baked tortilla chips
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice
- Instant Pot Refried Beans or Black Beans
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Corn Queso Dip
- Vinegar Slaw
- More → 20+ best sides for chicken tortilla soup
- To finish things off → Try one of these 25+ Mexican Desserts
Instant Pot Recipes:
- The BEST Instant Pot Chili
- Instant Pot Fried Rice
- Instant Pot Split Pea Dal
- Instant Pot Persian Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup
Wine Pairings for Chicken Tortilla Soup:
- Look for lighter-bodied, fruit-focused reds like Beaujolais or Grenache.
- Alternatively, a Malbec or Tempranillo will be a bit heavier, but compliment the smoky-spicy flavors in this soup.
If you loved this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me onInstagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
Instant Pot Soup Recipes:
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Sausage & Kale
- Instant Pot Persian Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Weight Loss Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Pho
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot Bean Soup with Pesto
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion (minced)
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 4 cups bone broth or chicken stock
- 1 15- ounce can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 15- ounce can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 jalapenos (chopped (seeds and veins removed))
- 1 bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 4 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt to taste
Toppings:
- Cabot shredded cheese
- Crunchy tortilla chips
- Avocado
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
- Turn instant pot to SAUTE and add olive oil. Once hot, add onion and cook 3 minutes.
- Hit CANCEL and add the chicken, broth, beans, tomatoes, jalapenos, bell pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne. Stir to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Hit MANUAL to cook at high pressure for 7 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build then the countdown timer will begin.
- Once the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure.
- Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Return to pot and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt. Serve, topped with desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Don’t have an Instant Pot? You can also make this Chicken Tortilla Soup in the slow cooker.
I teamed up with Cabot to bring you this post. As always, all opinions are my own.
The best thing about tortilla soup is all the toppings so everyone can make it their own! This looks great!
I totally agree Pech!
I love chicken tortilla soup and your recipe looks absolutely scrumptious! And you can’t forget the cheese! It’s nice to know that Cabbot is a certified B corp!
Thanks Jenni!
You omitted the salsa verde in your recipe directions. I assume it goes in with the broth and aromatics go in?
So sorry about that! Yes, you can add it in when the broth goes in. I decided to leave it out of the final recipe, along with the tomato paste, but I forgot to leave it off of the recipe ingredients. It will still taste amazing in there though. The recipe has been updated. Thank you so much for the heads up.
The recipe with the 1/2 c salsa verde and 3T tomato paste in there is great – I’ll continue including both! It’s delicious!
Hi there! I am going to make this tonight. How long should I cook if the chicken is frozen?
Hi Monica – I would increase the cook time to 12 minutes for frozen chicken breasts. Just be sure they’re not stuck together. Hope that helps!
This is the best chicken tortilla soup recipe ever! My husband and I love how practical and tasty it is. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Brenda!
This looks delicious! If I were to use chicken thighs instead of breasts, should I increase the cooking time?
Hi Mariah – Cook time will remain the same. Enjoy!