Lazy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Low-Carb, Instant Pot) Recipe Card
Lazy Chicken Tortilla Soup is low-carb and an Instant Pot wonder! An opportunity to skip a day of cooking and catch up on a favourite TV show. This fast soup is seasoned with a homemade Southern spice blend and packed with moist shredded chicken, and hearty red peppers, all topped with keto tortilla strips and favourite toppings.Low-Carb, Keto6g net carbs/serving
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken Breasts
- ½ Red Onion diced
- 1 Red Pepper diced can use a mix of peppers
- 3 Garlic Cloves crushed
- 1 Can Diced Tomatoes 14 fl oz
- 5 Cups Chicken Broth or water
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 2 tbsp Southern Spice Blend recipe in notes or taco/fajita seasoning
- 1 tbsp Cornmeal (optional) increases net carbs to 8g per serving.
- ½ tsp Salt & Pepper to taste
- Low-carb Tortillas
Toppings (increases the amount of net carbs per serving)
- Tortilla Strips
- Avocados
- Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Green Onions
- Southern Spice blend seasoning
- Lime Juice
Instructions
INSTANT POT METHOD
- 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 20 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. Optional step-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. Serve with your favourite low carb toppings.
STOVETOP METHOD
- 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.
Notes
- 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.
- 2 tsp Chilli Powder
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Flakes (crushed)
- 1 tsp Arrowroot Starch
- ½ tsp Citric Acid/lemon salt (ground)
- 2½ tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Organic Cocoa Powder