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Best Easy Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup (Never Dry)

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This Easy Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup is the answer to your slow cooker prayers. It’s the recipe that finally solves the problem of dry, overcooked chicken, delivering a bowl of soup that’s rich, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying every single time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (like Rotel)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen or canned corn (drained if canned)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
  • Optional garnishes: crunchy tortilla strips or chips, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, lime juice, sour cream or Greek yogurt

Instructions

  1. Prep the Aromatics: Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  2. Build the Broth Base: In your slow cooker, add the diced onion, minced garlic, diced tomatoes with green chiles, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir everything together until well combined.
  3. Add the Chicken: Place the chicken thighs directly into the broth, making sure they are mostly submerged. Do not add the beans or corn yet.
  4. Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken is done when it’s tender and shreds easily with a fork (internal temperature of 165°F).
  5. Shred the Chicken: Carefully remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker using tongs. Place them on a cutting board and use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
  6. Add the Beans and Corn: Stir the drained black beans and corn into the broth. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir gently.
  7. Final Simmer: Cover the slow cooker and let it cook on HIGH for another 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and heat through.
  8. Taste and Adjust: Adjust salt and pepper if needed. For more heat, add cayenne pepper or hot sauce. If too thick, stir in more broth; if too thin, cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
  9. Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with your favorite garnishes. Serve immediately.

Notes

The key to keeping chicken moist is using chicken thighs instead of breasts and adding them at the right time. For deeper flavor, sear the chicken thighs in a hot skillet with oil for 2-3 minutes per side before adding to the slow cooker. If soup is too thin, cook uncovered on HIGH for 20-30 minutes. If too thick, stir in extra broth. Always drain and rinse canned beans to avoid a cloudy soup.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot chicken tortilla soup, slow cooker tortilla soup, easy tortilla soup, never dry chicken soup, chicken tortilla soup recipe

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