Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable)

Flavorful Mexican-inspired soup with tender chicken, beans, and spices made effortlessly in the Instant Pot.

# What You'll 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 or frozen
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
17 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add a splash of oil, then sauté the diced onion, minced garlic, and diced bell pepper for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until the spices become fragrant.
03 - Add the chicken, diced tomatoes with their juices, black beans, corn kernels, and chicken broth to the pot. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
04 - Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing position. Select Pressure Cook on High pressure and set the timer for 10 minutes.
05 - Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully perform a quick-release of any remaining pressure by moving the valve to Venting.
06 - Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to distribute evenly.
07 - Stir in the lime juice and taste the soup. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with tortilla strips, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, and lime wedges as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The Instant Pot does almost all the work while you sit down with your coffee and actually relax.
  • It tastes like you've been simmering this soup for hours, but it's ready in half an hour flat.
  • Everyone at the table gets to customize their bowl with toppings, so even picky eaters find something they love.
02 -
  • Don't skip the sauté step even though it seems like an extra fuss—that five minutes of browning and blooming spices is what separates this from tasting like boiled soup.
  • Your Instant Pot will take several minutes to come to pressure before the actual cooking timer starts, so factor that into your timing expectations.
03 -
  • If your broth is particularly salty, use less than the full amount and add extra water to dilute, tasting as you go.
  • Shred your chicken while it's still hot and in the pot to save yourself a messy extra step with a cutting board.
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