Rating: 4.86
(7)

Panera Bread Chicken Tortilla Soup

By Rachel
February 11, 2023

This copycat Panera Bread Chicken Tortilla Soup is comforting and filling. Tender chicken, black beans, roasted chilis, corn, tomatoes, and more in a flavorful broth. Using shortcut ingredients like canned roasted corn and fire roasted canned tomatoes, you can easily add flavor in no time. An easy, tasty recipe!

bowl of Panera Bread chicken tortilla soup

Cooking the chicken in the broth ensure flavorful, tender shredded chicken. Serve with homemade or store-bought tortilla strips! This easy tortilla soup is perfect for busy weeknights.

Highlights of this easy one-pot recipe:

  • One-pot recipe makes clean up a breeze
  • Healthy recipe
  • Customizable toppings can be fun for family night
  • Freezer friendly
  • Done in under an hour
  • Budget friendly recipe
  • Good way to incorporate nutrients

Sauté onion and garlic with spices until fragrant, this creates a nice base for the soup! Using ‘fire-roasted’ canned tomatoes, corn, and chilis adds easy, quick flavor.

Grocery Store List and Substitutions:

  • A little Olive oil
  • Red onion (or substitute white or yellow onion)
  • Garlic cloves, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • Chili powder
  • Cumin
  • Ground coriander
  • Paprika
  • Canned black beans (could substitute kidney beans or pinto beans)
  • Canned fire-roasted tomatoes
  • Canned roasted corn
  • Canned green chilies (could substitute roasted poblano peppers or roasted jalapeños)
  • Boneless skinless chicken breast (could substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenders, you could also use leftover rotisserie chicken)
  • Chicken stock (could substitute vegetable broth)
  • Avocado, green onion, cilantro, and tortilla strips for garnish

This chicken soup is quick, loaded, and filling – perfect for busy night or easy weeknight dinners!

How do you thicken chicken tortilla soup?

To make this soup thicker you could add more ingredients and less broth. Alternatively you could mix in a roux of corn starch and water, a ratio of 1:1. You could also thicken with a little corn flour.

What can I add to my chicken soup to add flavor?

Hints of cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, paprika, and chili powder add rich, smokey flavor. Aromatics like garlic and red onion give lots of flavor. Store-bought short cuts like fire roasted corn, tomatoes, and green chile add even more depth and flavor. Toppings like cilantro and fresh lime can add flavor as well.

How can I make my chicken tortilla soup more creamy?

If you want your chicken tortilla soup to be creamy you can mix in some half and half or heavy whipping cream, you could also melt in some cream cheese.

A copycat to your Panera chicken tortilla soup cup!

Topping Ideas:

  • Crunchy tortilla strips or tortilla chips
  • Corn chips
  • Avocado
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Green onions
  • Crumbled queso fresco
  • Dollop of sour cream
  • Shredded cheddar cheese, Mexican cheese blend, or shredded Colby jack cheese
  • Fresh jalapeños or pickled jalapeños
  • Lime juice and zest

Add the raw chicken breast directly to the stock, once cooked, remove, and shred with two forks. Return back into the pot!

If you like this Panera Bread Chicken Tortilla Soup, you’ll love…

Simple One-Pot Black Bean Soup

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Easy Five Ingredient Instant Pot Beef Chili

Southwest Chicken Chili

chicken tortilla soup

The perfect bowl of soup for a busy schedule, this quick meal will be on repeat!

Tools I used for this copycat chicken tortilla soup:

  • Le Creuset 5 1/2-Qt. Dutch Oven – enamel cast iron is great for even heat and this pot is large enough so nothing boils over. My go to!
  • Wooden Spoons – perfect for sautéing and mixing, and great for not scratching your pans.
  • Can opener – a good can opener is a must, this one has stayed sharp for me for a while.

Use store-bought tortilla strips or make your own by frying corn tortillas in a little vegetable oil until golden brown and crispy. Season with salt.

Instructions for the Panera chicken tortilla soup recipe:

  • In a large Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once warm, add in diced onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft, add in minced garlic. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Mix in dry seasonings.
  • Keeping the heat on medium-high, add in the black beans, corn, fire roasted tomatoes, chilis, chicken breast, and chicken stock, Stir to combine and cover. Simmer for 35-40 minutes.
  • Once the chicken is cooked through, remove and shred. Return to the pot. Serve warm topped with homemade or store-bought tortilla strips. Garnish with avocados, lime, cilantro, or green onions.
  • This soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Combine ground cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, paprika, and coriander. Or if needed, substitute store-bought taco seasoning.

Panera Bread Chicken Tortilla Soup

4.86 from 7 votes
Shredded chicken, tomatoes, corn, green chilis, and black beans in a flavorful broth.
Servings 6 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Equipment

  • Large Stock pot or Dutch Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 small Red onion, finely diced
  • 3-4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp Chili powder
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp Paprika
  • 1/4 tsp Coriander
  • 1 15 oz. Can, black beans, drained
  • 1 15 oz. Can, roasted corn, drained
  • 1 15 oz. Can, roasted diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1 4 oz. Can, diced green chilis with juice
  • 6-8 oz. Boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 32 oz. Chicken stock
  • Homemade or store-bought tortilla strips
  • Avocado, cilantro, green onion, and lime for garnish

Instructions
 

  • In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once warm, add in diced onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft, add in minced garlic. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Mix in dry seasonings.
  • Keeping the heat on medium-high, add in the black beans, corn, tomatoes, chilis, chicken breast, and chicken stock, Stir to combine and cover. Simmer for 35-40 minutes.
  • Once the chicken is cooked through, remove and shred. Return to the pot. Serve warm topped with homemade or store-bought tortilla strips. Garnish with avocados, lime, cilantro, or green onions.
  • This soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 103kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 10gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 683mgPotassium: 312mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 91IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg
Author: The Hearty Life
Calories: 103kcal
Cost: $
Course: Soup
Keyword: Chicken, Copycat Recipe, One-pot, Soups
glass of beer next to a bowl of chicken tortilla soup and tortilla strips

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