Pin It There's something about the smell of cumin hitting hot oil that instantly transports me back to my neighbor's kitchen on a chilly Tuesday evening. She was teaching me how to make this soup while her kids played in the living room, and I remember thinking how something so simple—just chicken, beans, and spices simmering together—could taste like comfort itself. That bowl changed how I thought about weeknight cooking, and now it's become the dish I make whenever someone needs feeding or I need feeding myself.
I made this for a group of friends during a spontaneous gathering last fall, and what started as a casual dinner turned into everyone lingering at the table for hours. My friend Marcus kept ladling more into his bowl, adding lime and cilantro like he was conducting an orchestra, and I realized that's when you know a recipe has really worked—when people stop thinking about manners and just keep eating.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless pieces cook evenly and shred beautifully, though rotisserie chicken saves time if you're in a pinch.
- Pinto beans: They hold their shape better than black beans and have an earthy sweetness that balances the tomato base.
- Yellow onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and jalapeño: This combination is your aromatic foundation—the jalapeño gives warmth without overwhelming heat if you seed it first.
- Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste: The paste concentrates flavor, while crushed tomatoes provide body and subtle texture.
- Chicken broth: Low-sodium lets you control the salt and prevents the soup from tasting overly seasoned.
- Cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and chili powder: These spices bloom together and create that authentic Mexican depth—don't skip the blooming step.
- Corn tortillas for frying: Look for 100% corn varieties; they fry up crispier and taste more authentic than flour.
- Cotija cheese, cilantro, and lime: These toppings are essential, not optional—they add brightness and texture that complete the bowl.
- Avocado and sour cream: Optional but transformative for richness and creaminess.
Instructions
- Build your flavor base with the sauté:
- Heat oil in a large pot and add your diced vegetables. You're looking for softened edges and a slightly golden onion, about 4–5 minutes. Once the garlic hits the pan, you'll smell it immediately—that's your cue it's ready.
- Bloom the spices:
- Add all your dried spices and cook for just 30 seconds, stirring constantly so they don't burn. This brief moment awakens their essential oils and deepens their flavor throughout the soup.
- Create the broth:
- Stir in your tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth, mixing until everything is combined. Nestle the chicken breasts right into the liquid—they'll cook gently and evenly submerged.
- Simmer and shred:
- Cover and let it bubble gently for 18–20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and easily pulls apart. Remove the breasts onto a cutting board and use two forks to shred them into bite-sized pieces.
- Finish with beans and corn:
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and add your drained beans and corn. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes so all those flavors meld together—this is when the soup develops its soul.
- Crisp up the tortilla strips:
- While the soup simmers, heat oil in a skillet and fry your tortilla strips in batches until they're golden and make a satisfying crunch sound. Drain them on paper towels and season with a pinch of salt immediately.
- Serve and celebrate:
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls and pile on your tortilla strips, cilantro, cotija, avocado, and a squeeze of lime. The contrast of temperatures and textures is where the real magic happens.
Pin It The first time someone asked me for this recipe and actually made it at home without texting me questions halfway through, I felt a small flutter of pride. There's something special about sharing a recipe that becomes someone else's go-to dish, their own kitchen memory.
The Tortilla Strip Secret
Those crispy tortilla strips aren't just a garnish—they're the textural anchor of the whole bowl. I learned this the hard way by skipping them once, thinking the soup could stand on its own, and discovered that everything felt a bit flat without that crunch. Now I always fry a few extra strips because they disappear faster than you'd expect, and everyone reaches for them first.
Customizing Your Heat Level
This soup is naturally mild because the jalapeño is seeded, but your heat tolerance might be different from mine. I've found that leaving the seeds in adds a genuine kick, while a pinch of cayenne gives a more subtle, lingering warmth that builds as you eat.
Make It Your Own
The beauty of this soup is how it adapts to what you have on hand and what you're craving on any given day. I've made it with rotisserie chicken when time was tight, swapped black beans when that's what was in my pantry, and added everything from diced zucchini to a handful of spinach depending on my mood. The bones of the recipe remain the same, but the variations keep it from ever feeling stale.
- Rotisserie chicken shaves 20 minutes off your cook time—just shred it and add it with the beans in step 6.
- Black beans work beautifully if that's what you have, though they're slightly earthier than pinto.
- Extra lime juice and cilantro make a huge difference, so don't be shy with either one.
Pin It This soup has become my answer to almost everything—a cold coming on, a friend in need of comfort, a Wednesday when nothing seems to be going right. There's real power in a bowl of warmth and simplicity.
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → How spicy is this soup?
The soup has a mild to medium heat level from the jalapeño and spices. You can increase the spice by keeping the jalapeño seeds or adding cayenne pepper.
- → Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, the soup actually tastes better the next day as flavors meld. Store it separately from the tortilla strips and toppings to maintain crispness.
- → What can I use instead of pinto beans?
Black beans work beautifully as a substitute. You can also use kidney beans or skip the beans entirely if preferred.
- → How do I store leftovers?
Keep the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store fried tortilla strips separately in a sealed bag at room temperature.
- → Can I freeze this soup?
The soup base freezes well for up to 3 months. Skip the toppings and tortilla strips when freezing, adding them fresh when reheating.
- → What's the best way to shred the chicken?
Use two forks to pull the cooked chicken apart into bite-sized pieces. A stand mixer with the paddle attachment also works quickly for shredding.