Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Set Instant pot to sauté mode “normal” and add avocado oil. When hot, add onions and sauté for about 2-3 minutes or until they become translucent.
- Add minced garlic, chipotle pepper and spices (cumin, chili powder, salt) and sauté for 1 more minute. After 1 minute, add in the chicken broth and scrape up any stuck-on bits on the bottom of the pot.
- Press cancel to stop the sauté mode. Now add the crushed tomatoes, enchilada sauce, lime juice, black beans and corn. Give it all a stir. Nestle the chicken thighs into the pot.
- Close the lid and seal the pressure valve. Set to pressure cook on high pressure “more” for 10 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- When the pin drops, carefully remove the lid and use tongs to remove the chicken from the pot. Transfer them to a plate and shred with 2 forks.
- Return the shredded chicken back into the pot and give the soup a good mix so that all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Serve with tortilla chips/strips and toppings of your choice!
- Note: I love this soup! It freezes well too. I like to top mine with shredded cheese, tortilla strip and avocado.
Video
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Let us know how it was!Toppings & Serving Ideas
Top bowls with diced avocado, lime wedges, tortilla strips or chips, shredded Mexican cheese, and chopped cilantro — reserve 1/4 of the chopped cilantro for garnish.
Why this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup starts with sautéing
Beginning on sauté mode softens the onions and “blooms” the spices, which develops aroma and deeper flavor compared with pressure‑cooking those ingredients from cold. Adding the chicken broth and scraping the bottom of the pot is deglazing: lifting browned bits (fond) into the liquid. That fond concentrates savory flavor and deglazing also reduces the chance of an Instant Pot “burn” notice by clearing anything stuck to the bottom before sealing and pressure cooking.
Why the recipe uses chicken thighs
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay moist and tender during high‑pressure cooking and shred easily. Their higher fat and connective tissue content makes them forgiving with the recipe’s short pressure time, yielding juicy, flavorful pieces that hold up well in a hearty soup.
What the chipotle, enchilada sauce, and fire‑roasted tomatoes do for flavor
The combination of chopped chipotle, canned enchilada sauce, and fire‑roasted tomatoes builds the soup’s characteristic profile: chipotle contributes smoky, warm heat; enchilada sauce adds seasoned tomato depth and rounded chile flavor; and fire‑roasted tomatoes bring a slightly charred sweetness. Along with the cumin and chili powder, these elements create a layered, smoky‑tangy base without extra steps.
Quick note about the pressure release
The instructions call for a 5‑minute natural release before quick‑releasing the remaining pressure. Letting the pot sit briefly after cooking lets juices redistribute and reduces the likelihood of a vigorous steam rush when the lid is opened, which is why a short natural release is commonly used for soups containing pieces of meat.
Watch Dr. J Make Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Watch Dr. J make Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup and see how it comes together.
