Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup — The Instant Pot Sunday

Late January. Cody is two and a half months home. The household has settled into a three-person rhythm. The Sonic shifts continue. The auto-body shop continues. The catering schedule has slowed for January but two cake jobs are on the books for February.

The recipe Sunday was creamy chicken tortilla soup in the Instant Pot. Chicken thighs, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chiles, taco seasoning, chicken broth, cream cheese stirred in at the end. Topped with crushed tortilla chips, cilantro, lime.

The math: chicken thighs $2.79, black beans $0.79, corn $0.59, can of Rotel-style tomatoes $0.89, taco seasoning, broth, cream cheese $1.99, lime, cilantro, tortilla chips. Total: about $7.05 for three dinners.

The technique is the cream-cheese-stir-in. After pressure-cooking, you whisk the softened cream cheese into the hot soup until smooth. The result is a soup that is creamy without using actual cream.

The recipe is below. The trick is the cream cheese as the cream replacement.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as Rotel)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 6 small corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying tortilla strips)
• 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
• Fresh cilantro, for topping
• Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Cook the chicken. Place chicken breasts in a medium pot, cover with water or broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15–18 minutes until cooked through. Remove, let rest 5 minutes, then shred with two forks. Set aside.
2. Sauté aromatics. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
3. Build the soup base. Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to the pot and stir to coat the onions. Pour in chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and diced tomatoes with green chiles. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
4. Add the fillings. Stir in black beans, corn, and shredded chicken. Simmer 10 minutes over medium-low heat to let the flavors meld.
5. Make it creamy. Reduce heat to low. Add softened cream cheese cubes and stir until fully melted and incorporated. Stir in sour cream until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. Fry the tortilla strips. While the soup simmers, heat vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortilla strips in batches and fry 2–3 minutes, turning once, until golden and crispy. Drain on a paper towel and season lightly with salt.
7. Serve. Ladle soup into bowls and top with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream if desired, crispy tortilla strips, and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 430 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 32g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 780mg