This Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup is the kind of dinner I make when I want something bold and warming without spending all evening at the stove. It has enough heat to keep things interesting, and the recipe is flexible enough for a weeknight.
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If I already have grilled chicken, that’s the shortcut I reach for. It adds a little smoky flavor and lets me skip the poaching step. Whether you start with raw or cooked chicken, keep the final simmer short once the shredded meat goes back in.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup
I like it even more when I have leftover grilled chicken in the fridge because I can skip the poaching step and get dinner moving faster. The soup also improves overnight, so I don’t mind making enough for lunch the next day.
Chicken tortilla soup can go flat fast if the aromatics and spices never get a chance to cook before the liquid goes in. I don’t dump everything into the pot at once. The onion, garlic, and jalapeño get softened first, then the tomatoes, green chiles, and spices go into the broth. That short extra step builds a deeper base without making the method fussy.
The fresh Roma tomato is another detail I keep. The canned crushed tomatoes give the broth body, while the fresh tomato adds a brighter texture. I also wait until the end to add the lime juice and cilantro instead of simmering them for the full cook time.
What You’ll Love About Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup
- It keeps well for later, and I actually like the flavor even more after the soup has had time to sit overnight.
- I can start with raw chicken or use cooked leftovers when I need to get dinner moving faster.
- The heat is noticeable without taking over the whole bowl, and everyone can add more jalapeño at the table if they want it.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast – see notes below
- Chicken broth – Make your own chicken bone broth.
- Avocado oil
- Onion
- Garlic – Fresh is best!
- Jalapeno – Seeded and finely dice.
- Crushed tomatoes – One 14.5 ounce can.
- Diced green chilis – One 4 ounce can.
- Roma tomato – Fresh tomatoes add such lovely flavor to this soup.
- Cumin – Ground cumin.
- Chili powder
- Chipotle powder
- Lime juice
- Cilantro
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
How To Make The Best Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Pop the chicken into a medium-size soup pot and add the chicken broth. Simmer the chicken on low heat for about 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked.
Remove the chicken and set it to cool. Meanwhile, add the oil to a medium-size skillet and heat the pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and jalapeno and cook until the onions are tender. About 6 minutes.
Scrape the sauteed veggies into the broth, then add the canned tomatoes, canned chilis, and spices. Simmer the broth for 10 minutes while you shred the chicken.
Using two forks or your favorite meat claws to shred the chicken, discarding the bone or skin if necessary. Add the chicken to the soup pot and simmer, covered, an additional 10 minutes.
Add the lime juice, cilantro, and salt and pepper. Serve with your favorite garnishes and enjoy!
Make it a Meal
I usually serve this soup as the main course and keep anything beside it fairly simple. Keto Cucumber Tomato Salad gives you something cold and crisp, while Keto Wedge Salad makes sense when you want a more substantial salad.
If I want something bread-like for dipping into the broth, I make The Best Crispy Keto Chaffle Recipe.
Storage
Store keto chicken tortilla soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For longer storage, chill the soup thoroughly in the refrigerator overnight, then transfer it to airtight freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 4 to 5 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! It sure can be! This version is made with keto-friendly ingredients, keeping the carb count low. With just 8 net carbs per hearty serving, it’s a delicious and satisfying keto soup recipe!
There are about 5 trillion (slight exaggeration) recipes for chicken tortilla soup, so how do you define what is and isn’t authentic? This recipe calls for authentic spices and has traditional ingredients in it, so yes, I guess it qualifies as an authentic chicken tortilla soup recipe.
Yes! By keto standards and by most other definitions of healthy, this is a healthy chicken tortilla soup recipe.
Add Preferred SourceKeto Chicken Tortilla Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken broth divided
- 1/2 pound chicken breast about 2 breasts
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 jalapeno seeded and diced finely
- 14.5 ounce canned crushed tomatoes
- 4 ounce canned green chilis
- 1 roma tomato diced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Optional garnishes: avocado, sour cream, cheese, jalapenos
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a medium-size soup pot and add 4 cups of chicken broth. Simmer the chicken on low heat for about 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked.
- Remove the chicken and set it to cool.
- Meanwhile, add the oil to a medium-size skillet and heat the pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and jalapeno and cook until the onions are tender. About 6 minutes.
- Scrape the sauteed veggies into the broth, then add the canned tomatoes, canned chilis, and spices. Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth to the pot.
- Simmer the broth over low heat for 10 minutes while you shred the chicken.
- Use two forks or your favorite meat claws to shred the chicken, discarding the bone or skin if necessary.
- Add the chicken to the soup pot and simmer, covered, an additional 10 minutes.
- Add the lime juice, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with your favorite garnishes and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Keep toasted low-carb tortilla strips separate until serving. Adding them early will soften them in the broth.
- If you’re saving portions for later, refrigerate the soup without avocado, sour cream, cheese, or tortilla strips and add the garnishes when you serve it.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
HUNGRY FOR MORE Easy Keto Recipes?
I’m always messing around in the kitchen creating new recipes, but these are some of my favorite all-time picks that I make again and again:
- Crack cauliflower
- This dump-and-go Instant Pot recipe
- Tex-Mex beefy goodness
- Grilled vegetables
- Keto French dip chaffwich
Chicken tortilla soup is one of my favorite comforting recipes for colder weather. Love how adaptable it is to the keto diet!
Such a yummy change from the soups we normally have! Loved that it was made of simple ingredients I already have!
Chicken tortilla soup is one of my absolute favorites! Love that this is keto friendly.
Such a nice recipe for the upcoming cold days. Thank you for sharing!
This soup has so much flavor and I love that it uses simple ingredients that I almost always have in my kitchen. Just the right amount of spiciness too!
This is delicious and very favorable.