Last updated on May 12th, 2023

Lazy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Low-Carb, Instant Pot)

Making Lazy Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Instant Pot is a convenient way to get dinner on the table without much work. This recipe lets me catch up on The Last of Us, trending on HBO. The hubby and I seem to gravitate towards zombie/post-apocalyptic thrills (spoiler alert!) after watching The Walking Dead; that was a good series!

Back to this lazy soup, which I’ve made on the stovetop, yet still is a one-pot wonder, so If you don’t have an Instant Pot (just yet), know that your opportunity for being lazy still stands.

I use a homemade Southern Spice blend to flavour the broth, it’s really handy to have as an all-purpose seasoning, and I recently used it for my Jambalaya recipe.

cooked in the Instant Pot…

Anyone who has an Instant Pot can’t say enough about it! And for a good reason too.

There’s no effort involved in making this delicious low-carb soup, okay, you might have to open a can of juicy diced tomatoes and chop up some bell peppers and onions, but the rest is all cooked in the Instant Pot. Just dump it all in, press start, and bob’s your uncle – or if you live in Canada, there you have it!

Why you’ll love Low-Carb Chicken Tortilla Soup

• Make it in one pot that does the cooking for you, leaving you time to catch up on your favourite tv show.
• This soup is full of hearty bell peppers and shreds of chicken breast providing good protein and vitamin C when you’re feeling sick.
• It has fewer carbs than most chicken tortilla soup recipes, and you can customize it to add more low-carb toppings to make it a filling meal.
• Serve it for lunch, dinner or midday brunch.
• This recipe is mainly liquid-based, and there is no oil added, as the natural oils from the chicken are released during cooking.

Is this Chicken Tortilla Soup Low-Carb?

6g net carbs / per serving

My daughter loves black beans and corn in this soup, which I try to avoid eating as they are higher in carbs than the rest of the vegetables.

As black beans are a common ingredient in Mexican soups, I divide the soup at the end and add the black beans and corn to one-half for the rest of my family as they can’t do without them. They are the main ingredients in Mexican cuisine, after all. I’ll add a few to my soup if tempted, but it’s the broth’s flavour that I look forward to the most.

A note on Cornmeal – okay, this is not low in carbs, so add it only if you can fit it into your low-carb budget. I like adding it sometimes for texture, giving the broth a smoky taste.

Ingredients to make Chicken Tortilla Soup (Instant Pot)

Chicken Breasts – works well as a shredded protein, but you can use chicken thighs instead.

Red Onion – diced, adds flavour to the broth. Use yellow or white onion if you’re out of the red.

Red Pepper – diced adds a smoky flavour, but you can use a mix of peppers. 

Garlic Cloves – crushed or finely minced, makes the soup tasteful. Feel free to add less or more.

Canned Tomatoes – diced with some juice help to give this soup colour and add a salty flavour without adding too much salt.

Chicken broth – forms the savoury base for the soup and gives volume. 

Spices & Seasonings – Cumin, Paprika, and a homemade Southern spice blend are the essential Tex-Mex spices for this soup. If you are short on time, use Taco or Fajita seasoning.

Corn meal – It is not low in carbs, but I like to add it to the soup for a smoky and slightly thick consistency. It’s optional, and I only use one tablespoon mixed with some of the broth to make a paste-like slurry. It’s not in the photo because I didn’t add it to the photo shoot of this round of soup. But I do feel that it is an option you may like. 

Salt & Pepper – add for taste and adjust accordingly.

How to make Lazy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Instant Pot)

To begin, place onions, peppers, and garlic in the bottom of the inner pot bowl of the Instant Pot. Lay chicken breasts on top of the veggies, and sprinkle the spices over the top of the chicken.

Top the chicken with the canned tomatoes and pour the broth into the pot’s side without disturbing the chicken. It’s okay if the onions float to the surface.

Set the Instant Pot on Pressure Cook for 5 mins and press START. It will take about 15 minutes to build pressure before the 5 mins cook time, and this is where you might like to catch up on a bit of telly or make the tortilla strips. 

Once the time is up press CANCEL and let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the chicken to cook and soften to a shreddable texture. Only attempt to open the lid after this time.

After 10 minutes, carefully release the vent and open the lid. Using tongs, remove the chicken and transfer it onto a plate, and let it cool for about 5 minutes, then shred it up using two forks.

Add some of the broth to coat the shreds and set it aside. Take some of the liquid into a small bowl, add corn meal and mix it into a paste, then add that back into the pot; it will thicken a little. Return the chicken to the pot, give it a big stir, and add salt and pepper if needed.

How to Serve Lazy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serve this soup in deep bowls and add toppings while it is still hot. I love the creamy taste of this soup when the cheese, avocadoes and sour cream sink into it while it is warm. The low-carb tortilla chips add some crunch, but they’re even good when they get soggy sitting in the broth.

Topping Suggestions

Tortilla Strips – Store-bought low-carb tortillas, cut into strips and baked til crisp, work so well with this soup.

Avocado – sliced or cubed, adds another depth to the soup. It’s healthy too.

Cheese – Use any grated cheese that will melt into the hot soup.

Sour Cream – a dollop of this sinks into the soup is delicious.

Green Onions – raw and thinly sliced, add texture and flavour.

Southern Spice Blend seasoning – sprinkled on top adds more flavour.

Lime Juice – a little squeeze highlights the rest of the Mexican flavours.

Helpful tips for making this Chicken Tortilla Soup

• Increase the cooking time to 8 minutes if you use slightly larger chicken breasts; mine were around 5-6 ounces.
• Frozen chicken breasts will work, but you must increase the time again. I have yet to use frozen chicken for this recipe, but I will update this post when I do.
• If you prefer your peppers to have a bite, I suggest adding them to the pot after the chicken has cooked and cooked them on saute mode for about 5 minutes before adding the shredded chicken back in.
• Corn meal is high in carbs, so use it in moderation or leave it out entirely.
• Adding topping to the soup increases the carbs, which you may not fit into your budget if you are doing keto.
• If you use store-bought packet seasoning, be careful with adding too much salt, as those ready packets contain a lot of sodium.

How to Make this Soup on the Stovetop

Making this delicious soup on the stovetop requires only one pot. Before owning an Instant Pot (or two), I made this Chicken Tortilla soup on the stovetop with a few tweaks.

• Heat Olive Oil in a large pot and saute the onions and garlic. Add the peppers and cook for a few minutes, until slightly softened.
• Lay the chicken breasts on the vegetables, and add the spices. Top it all with diced tomatoes and pour in the broth. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken has cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• Remove the chicken from the pot with tongs and let it sit for 5 minutes. Make a cornmeal slurry with cornmeal and liquid from the soup, then stir it into the pot and stir it.
• Shred the chicken, return it to the pot, and cook for 2-3 mins to incorporate. Serve in deep bowls and garnish.

Storage Tips

Storage:

Refrigerate leftovers covered in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or a saucepan on the stove until warmed through.

Freezing:

Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for three months, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat until warmed.

Did you make this recipe?

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