This gluten-free chicken tortilla soup recipe is full of flavor, easy to make, and ready in no time, making it perfect for adding a little bit of spice to dinner any night of the week!
These chilly fall evenings make having a batch of this gluten-free chicken tortilla soup recipe on the menu essential. Thankfully, we don't have to spend hours in the kitchen making this gluten-free chicken soup because this recipe comes together really fast, and it is entirely foolproof; anyone can make it.
Check out these delicious recipes that are the best sides to go with chicken tortilla soup - Mexican rice, roasted corn, black beans, salsa, and tacos or nachos.
Jump to:
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Gluten-free tortilla soup is a variation of traditional tortilla soup for those who are gluten-sensitive.
This tasty and filling soup usually starts with a base of chicken or veggie broth that is already very flavorful. Then, you add things like chicken, beans, vegetables, and a mix of spices to make it taste even better. It's easy to make because the recipe is so simple and uses common kitchen ingredients.
Making a tasty, healthy, and easy-to-use gluten-free tortilla soup only takes a few easy steps.
Is Chicken Tortilla Soup Gluten-Free?
Most chicken tortilla soups are gluten-free since it is a broth-based chicken soup. Chicken tortilla soup can be rendered not gluten-free depending on the additives used for thickening the soup or in the toppings that are added after the soup has been made.
Ingredients
Chicken tortilla soup is a Mexican-style chicken soup that comes together with just a few easy ingredients/
- Chicken: This recipe works best with boneless, skinless chicken. I tend to use chicken breasts, but if you prefer a different type of chicken, you can use that instead. If you want to make this soup even easier and faster to make, you can also use your favorite gluten-free rotisserie chicken shredded up to make this soup recipe.
- Onion and Bell Pepper: Don't keep fresh peppers and onion on hand? Don't worry; this gluten-free chicken tortilla soup works great using a bag of frozen peppers and onions.
- Black Beans: I use plain canned black beans in this gluten-free soup recipe. If you prefer some with more heat, you can use that as well. Just make sure your black beans are gluten-free.
- Diced Tomatoes: Like with the black beans, I use plain tomatoes in this soup. You can use fire-roasted tomatoes if you want more heat and flavor.
- Tomato Paste
- Chicken Stock: You can use your favorite store-bought or homemade chicken broth or stock to make this gluten-free chicken soup. If you are using store-bought stock, make sure it is gluten-free since not all chicken stock is gluten-free.
- Oil: I have used avocado oil in this recipe.
- Spices: You'll need paprika, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and salt.
- Jalapeno: I like to add heat to fresh jalapeno. Not all jalapenos are hot. If you want a milder jalapeno, look for one with a smoother surface and remove the seeds and ribs before adding it to the soup. If you want more heat, look for a jalapeno with some veining on the surface and leave in the seeds and ribs.
- Cilantro: I love using fresh cilantro for this gluten-free tortilla soup recipe because I love the freshness it adds. If you are someone who doesn't like cilantro, you can leave it out.
Dietary Substitutions
This gluten-free chicken tortilla soup recipe is healthy and safe to consume on several different types of diets. Here are a few ways to ensure this soup meets your dietary restrictions and is still delicious.
- Dairy-free chicken soup. - As written, this chicken tortilla soup is already a gluten and dairy-free soup. This chicken soup recipe will only contain dairy if you add cheese or traditional sour cream as a topping.
- Paleo/ low carb/ keto chicken soup - To reduce the carbs and make this a paleo or low carb style chicken soup, just leave out the beans and make sure your soup toppings are suitable as well.
Note: If you want the traditional tortilla feel for your soup without any grains, I highly suggest Siete brand grain-free tortillas and tortilla chips.
How to Make?
Making gluten-free tortilla soup is super simple to do with just a few steps and less than thirty minutes.
- Put the onion, jalapeño, bell pepper, and avocado oil in a big stock pot. Let the veggies cook until they get soft and blister but still have some color on them.
- Add the rest of the soup ingredients to the pot, except cilantro. Over medium-high heat, bring the mix to a boil.
- Turn down the heat, cover, and let the soup simmer until the chicken is done.
- When the chicken is shredded, add the fresh cilantro to the pot.
5. Mix it up, then serve it hot with any toppings you like, and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Blister the peppers and onions. - I like to let the peppers and onions saute in the avocado oil until they start to blister and get some color. Not only does this add more flavor to the chicken tortilla soup, but it also adds more texture since peppers can get soft when simmered in soup.
- Make it your own. - I prefer chicken tortilla soup without corn, but my husband loves it with and without. If you love corn, feel free to add it or any other vegetable you want.
- Thinner or thicker soup. - Chicken tortilla soup is a broth-based soup. With that, you can easily make it thinner or thicker if you prefer. If you like a thinner soup, simply add 1-2 extra cups of chicken stock from what the recipe calls for. If you want a thicker soup, you can reduce the amount of stock you use. You can also whisk a few tablespoons of corn starch or arrowroot starch with some of the stock to help thicken the soup as well. Don't worry if your soup becomes thicker than you prefer. You can always thin it out with more broth.
Serving and Topping Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Gluten-free corn tortillas and tortilla chips - I love to slice up some gluten-free corn tortillas into strips and toss them into the air fryer until they get crispy to top this gluten-free tortilla soup. You can also use your favorite gluten-free tortilla chips as well.
- Cheese - Use what you like. I typically have some shredded cheddar cheese to toss in.
- Sour Cream - A small dollop of sour cream makes this gluten-free chicken tortilla soup creamy and delicious.
- Cilantro
- Lime Juice
- Avocado
- Pico de Gallo
Top your bowl of this gluten-free chicken tortilla soup however you like. I guarantee it will be delicious!
Storage and Leftovers
- You can store this gluten-free chicken soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- To reheat your soup, you can either simmer it on the stove or pop it in the microwave until it is warmed through. Once warm, top as desired and enjoy as if it is fresh.
Make Ahead and Freezing Soup
I love making a double batch of this gluten-free chicken tortilla soup to have on hand for a quick dinner.
- Once the soup is made, it's easy to let it cool and portion it out as desired to store for later.
- If you plan on freezing your soup, be sure to use a freezer-safe container and leave room for the liquid to expand as it freezes.
- When you are ready to serve it, let it defrost in the fridge overnight and warm it up as if it is fresh.
More Gluten-Free Soups
While I love this gluten-free chicken tortilla soup, I am also pretty fond of my gluten-free tomato soup. I mean, it's a classic. Be sure to check out these other gluten-free soup recipes to make dinner easy and comforting.
📖 Recipe
Gluten-free Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 Green Bell Pepper sliced
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper sliced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper sliced
- 1 Yellow Onion sliced
- 1 Jalapeno diced, optional
- 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
- 1 15 ounce can Black Beans not drained
- 1 15 ounce can Diced Tomatoes not drained
- 1 6 ounce can Tomato Paste
- 6 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 Teaspoons Paprika
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Chili Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- ¼ Cup Chopped cilantro
Optional toppings
- Cheddar Cheese
- Avocado
- Sour Cream
- Gluten-free tortilla chips
Instructions
- Add the bell peppers, onion, and jalapeno with the avocado oil to a large stock pot. Allow the vegetables to cook until they soften and blister, leaving a little bit of color on them.1 Green Bell Pepper, 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, 1 Red Bell Pepper, 1 Yellow Onion, 1 Jalapeno, 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
- Add the remaining soup ingredients, except the cilantro to the pot.1 ½ lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, 1 15 ounce can Black Beans, 1 15 ounce can Diced Tomatoes, 1 6 ounce can Tomato Paste, 6 Cups Chicken Stock, 1 Teaspoons Paprika, 1 ½ Teaspoons Chili Powder, 1 Teaspoon Cumin, 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder, 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder, 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper, 2 Teaspoons Salt
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it.
- Once the chicken is shredded, return it to the pot with the fresh cilantro.¼ Cup Chopped cilantro
- Stir and then serve warm with any desired toppings and enjoy!Cheddar Cheese, Avocado, Sour Cream, Gluten-free tortilla chips
Notes
- Blister the peppers and onions. - I like to let the peppers and onions saute in the avocado oil until they start to blister and get some color. Not only does this add more flavor to the chicken tortilla soup, but it also adds more texture since peppers can get soft when simmered in soup.
- Make it your own. - I prefer chicken tortilla soup without corn, but my husband loves it with and without. If you love corn, feel free to add it or any other vegetable you want.
- Thinner or thicker soup. - Chicken tortilla soup is a broth-based soup. With that, you can easily make it thinner or thicker if you prefer. If you like a thinner soup, simply add 1-2 extra cups of chicken stock from what the recipe calls for. If you want a thicker soup, you can reduce the amount of stock you use. You can also whisk a few tablespoons of corn starch or arrowroot starch with some of the stock to help thicken the soup as well. Don't worry if your soup becomes thicker than you prefer. You can always thin it out with more broth.
- Dairy-free chicken soup. - As written, this chicken tortilla soup is already a gluten and dairy-free soup. The only way this chicken soup recipe will contain dairy is if you add cheeses or traditional sour cream as a topping.
- Paleo/ low carb/ keto chicken soup - To reduce the carbs and make this a paleo or low carb style chicken soup, just leave out the beans and make sure your soup toppings are suitable as well.
Tamara says
I made this today, and it was a total hit at dinner!