Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable)

Flavorful Mexican-style soup with tender chicken, beans, and spices, ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 pound 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, frozen, or canned
07 - 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices

→ Beans

08 - 1 can (15 ounces) 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, or to taste
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 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in 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 thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
03 - Secure the lid and ensure the valve is set to Sealing. Set to Pressure Cook on High for 10 minutes.
04 - Allow natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
05 - Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
06 - Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, and lime as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely hands-off once the lid seals, which means you can breathe and maybe even sit down while dinner cooks itself.
  • The flavor tastes like you've been tending it all afternoon, but your prep time is basically the length of a phone call.
  • It scales beautifully for feeding a crowd or tucking away half in the freezer for future you.
02 -
  • Don't skip the natural pressure release at the beginning—quick-releasing immediately can make the chicken tough and the flavors feel scattered instead of melded.
  • If your soup tastes flat at the end, it's almost always because it needs either more salt, more lime juice, or a bit of both—taste as you adjust.
03 -
  • If you're meal prepping, this soup freezes beautifully for up to three months—just freeze it without the toppings and add those fresh when you reheat.
  • The second day it's often even better, when all the flavors have had time to get to know each other and the spices have deepened their presence.
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