Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup: No Precooking

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup can be made easily with your crockpot. Just add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and go! Serve it up with crispy tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream & cheddar cheese.

Lately my instant pot has been getting more and more attention, but my slow cooker is always going to have its place in my home too.

Though the slow cooker doesn’t cook things as quickly as the instant pot, I do love it for the fact that you can just dump everything into the crockpot in the morning, and then have dinner waiting for you in the evening. It’s especially useful if you work during the day, or if you’re out and about with the kids, or if you have a potluck to attend.

This Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup is one of my favorite soup recipes.

Why?

I love it since it’s one of those slow cooker recipes where you can just dump everything into the pot and let it cook away.

There’s no pre-browning of the chicken, no sauteeing ingredients, etc. You can even add everything to the slow cooker liner the night before, stick it in the fridge, and put it in the crockpot the next morning. That makes things extra easy!

Ingredients needed

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
• Chicken Broth – Or homemade bone broth.
• Corn Tortillas – This is what helps thicken the soup.
• 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!
• Canned Tomatoes – I prefer to use crushed tomatoes in this recipe.
• Jarred Salsa – I used salsa verde, but you can use any style you love. Mild, medium or hot.
• Tomato Paste
• Onion
• Jalapeno + Bell Pepper – Or, swap in a can of green chiles.
• Mexican Spices – Cilantro, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne. Or, you can swap out these spices for some homemade taco seasoning.

How to make it

• Just add all the ingredients to the crock pot and go! There’s no need to brown the chicken or the onion.
• When it’s finished cooking, remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and stir it back into the soup.
• Enjoy wit your favorite toppings!
• Tip: For extra easy clean-up, look into these slow cooker liners. When you’re done cooking, just peel out the liner and toss. No clean up!

Topping ideas

• Tortilla chips
• Crispy tortilla strips
• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Avocado
• Black olives
• Cilantro
• Poblano Cream Sauce
• Hot sauce

How to make ahead & store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Or, portion the soup into freezer bags and freeze for up to three months.

What to serve with it

To round out the meal, pair your bowl of crockpot chicken 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

Wine pairings

• 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.

More soup recipes

• Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Sausage & Kale
• Tomato Bisque Soup
• Red Cabbage Soup
• Cold Cucumber Soup
• Instant Pot Weight Loss Soup (with Stovetop Instructions)
• Curried Butternut Squash Soup

More slow cooker recipes

• Bolognese Sauce
• Lamb Curry
• Kung Pao Chicken
• Lentil Soup with Chipotle
• Thai Noodle Soup
• More → 37+ Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes

Did you try this crockpot tortilla soup?

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Are you still using your slow cooker? What are some of your favorite crockpot recipes? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Have an Instant Pot? You can also make this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup.

This post was originally published in 2018. It was updated in 2023 to add new information. The recipe remains the same. Enjoy!