Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Slow Cooker

This slow cooker chicken tortilla soup is easy and delicious, cheesy and flavorful. Makes a big pot! Optional garnishes: shredded cheese, diced green onions, cilantro, lime juice, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, and avocado slices.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 5 hr
• Total Time: 5 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 441 Calories

Ingredients

• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups crushed tortilla chips
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 pinch garlic powder, or to taste
• 1 (32 ounce) container chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or to taste
• 1 ½ pounds chicken tenders
• 1 pinch ground cumin, or to taste
• 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles (such as RO*TEL®)
• 1 pinch chili powder, or to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen pepper and onion stir-fry blend
• ¼ cup crushed tortilla chips, or to taste
• 2 (15.5 ounce) jars queso dip
• ⅔ (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 2 medium jalapeno peppers - stemmed, seeded, and minced
• ¼ medium lime, juiced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Rub chicken with salt, then follow with cumin, chili powder, and pepper.

Step 2

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in the hot skillet until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and cut into chunks.

Step 3

Combine chicken broth, queso, diced tomatoes and chiles, pepper and onion blend, tortilla chips, black beans, jalapeno peppers, and lime juice in a slow cooker. Add chicken. Season soup with cayenne, and add more salt, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Step 4

Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 5 hours. Top with crushed tortillas.