Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printer-Friendly)

Flavorful Mexican-inspired soup with tender chicken, beans, and vegetables made effortlessly in the Instant Pot.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
06 - 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
07 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices

→ Beans

08 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

09 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
11 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Spices and Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Toppings

18 - Tortilla strips or chips
19 - Sliced avocado
20 - Chopped fresh cilantro
21 - Shredded cheese
22 - Sour cream
23 - Extra lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add a splash of oil, then sauté the onion, garlic, and bell pepper for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
02 - Add the chicken, diced tomatoes with juices, black beans, corn, and chicken broth. Stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
03 - Secure the lid and ensure the valve is set to Sealing. Set to Pressure Cook on High for 10 minutes.
04 - Allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
05 - Remove the chicken from the pot and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
06 - Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, and lime as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but takes less time than ordering delivery and waiting for it to arrive.
  • Everything happens in one pot, which means minimal cleanup when you're already tired.
  • The customizable toppings mean everyone at the table gets exactly what they want without extra cooking.
02 -
  • Never skip the natural pressure release; jumping straight to quick release can cause the chicken to shred unevenly and the vegetables to turn mushy.
  • Lime juice added at the end tastes completely different from lime juice cooked under pressure, so this final squeeze is what makes people ask for the recipe.
03 -
  • Cook the onion, garlic, and pepper a full minute longer than feels necessary in the Sauté phase; this extra minute creates depth that rushes through the rest of the cooking process.
  • If your soup tastes flat after pressure cooking, it usually needs either salt, lime juice, or both, so taste and adjust before serving instead of assuming the recipe failed.
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