Our Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup combines tender smoked chicken, a deeply flavored homemade broth, and all the classic toppings you love. It’s hearty enough to stand alone as a meal and simple enough to make on a weeknight or for a crowd.

Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup

This soup quickly became a household favorite. If you love soup, this one stands out: the smoked chicken adds a deep savory note and the broth is rich, slightly spicy, and very satisfying. Add extra hot sauce at the table if you like more heat, or serve with a side of cilantro-lime rice or Mexican rice to make it even heartier.

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Recipe Shopping List

• Whole chicken (or chicken thighs / rotisserie chicken as an alternative)
• Mexican oregano
• Ground cumin
• Salt & black pepper
• Garlic
• White onion
• Hot sauce (Tapatio or Cholula recommended)
• Jalapeño peppers
• Avocados
• Corn tortilla chips
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Cilantro
• Tomatoes
• Sour cream or crème fraîche
• Limes

How To Make This Recipe

This soup is straightforward and forgiving, even if you’re new to making stock or smoking a whole bird. Below is an overview followed by detailed instructions. Read through the steps so you know the flow: smoke and pull the chicken, simmer the carcass into a flavorful broth, strain the stock, reheat and assemble bowls with toppings.

1. Season and smoke the whole chicken; remove the meat from the bones and reserve the carcass.
2. Simmer the carcass with water, aromatics, and seasonings for about an hour to make a rich broth.
3. Strain the broth, reheat it, and assemble bowls with pulled smoked chicken and fresh toppings.

Use Smoked Chicken For This Soup

Smoked chicken gives this soup its character. If you don’t want to smoke a whole bird, a store rotisserie chicken or smoked chicken thighs will work fine—just keep in mind the distinct smoky flavor will be strongest with a bird you’ve smoked yourself. Chicken breast can also be used for an easier shortcut.

Recipe FAQ

How do you store the leftovers?

Store the broth separately from the toppings in covered containers in the refrigerator. Keeping chips, cheese, avocado, and sour cream separate prevents sogginess and keeps flavors fresh.

How do you reheat this soup?

Bring the broth to a simmer on the stovetop (or heat briefly in the microwave) and then add the cold pulled chicken so it warms gently in the hot broth. Add toppings just before serving. If you’re in a hurry, you can reheat a combined bowl in the microwave—just expect the chips to be soft.

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Add-Ins & Substitutions

Swap chicken thighs for a whole chicken

Chicken thighs are an excellent shortcut and still deliver great flavor. They save time and are easy to shred into the soup.

Use a rotisserie chicken

A rotisserie bird is a perfectly good substitute if you want to skip smoking. The soup will be delicious even without the smoky note.

Add a packet of taco seasoning

If you want bolder taco-style seasoning, stir in a packet of your favorite seasoning mix to taste.

More vegetables

Add corn, beans, extra onion, or other vegetables to bulk up the soup and add texture and color.

More peppers

Jalapeños add flavor without overwhelming heat. If you prefer it spicier, add hotter chiles or more jalapeños to taste.

Serve This With

The soup + tortilla chips already makes a hearty meal. For a heartier spread, serve with jalapeño cheddar cornbread muffins or enjoy adult beverages like classic or fruit-infused margaritas if desired.

Recipe Details

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes • Cook Time: 3 hours • Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 gallon water
• 2 tablespoons Mexican oregano (reserve 1 teaspoon for seasoning the chicken)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin (reserve ½ teaspoon)
• 1 tablespoon salt (reserve ½ teaspoon)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 medium white onion
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 2 jalapeño peppers
• 2 avocados
• 1 bag corn tortilla chips
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 cup sour cream or crème fraîche
• 2 limes

Instructions

1. Preheat your smoker to the smoke setting or about 180–200°F (if you don’t have a smoke setting).
2. Pat the chicken dry. Season with 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
3. Smoke the chicken for about 90 minutes. Then increase the temperature to 350°F and finish roasting until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
4. Remove the chicken from the smoker and let it cool. Pull the meat from the bones, place the meat in a bowl, and refrigerate.
5. In a large stockpot, pour in 1 gallon of water and add the chicken carcass along with 1 tablespoon oregano, the remaining salt and cumin, 3 cloves minced garlic, one diced jalapeño, the whole onion, and 1 tablespoon hot sauce.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour to extract flavor and create a rich broth.
7. Remove the carcass and strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot. Return the strained stock to the pot and bring it back to a gentle simmer.
8. Slice avocados, dice tomatoes, and slice the remaining jalapeño for toppings.
9. To serve: place 2–3 ounces of pulled smoked chicken and a few jalapeño slices in the bottom of a bowl. Ladle hot broth over the chicken until the bowl is half full.
10. Top with a layer of tortilla chips, shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro, avocado slices, and tomato wedges in that order.
11. Squeeze lime juice over the bowl and sprinkle a bit of oregano on top. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (Estimate)

Yield: 12 • Serving Size: 1

Amount per serving (estimated): Calories 358; Total Fat 23g; Saturated Fat 7g; Unsaturated Fat 13g; Cholesterol 67mg; Sodium 748mg; Carbohydrates 20g; Fiber 4g; Sugar 2g; Protein 19g.

Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate.

Recommended Tools & Notes

• Large stockpot (at least 10 quarts) for making stock
• Fine-mesh strainer to clarify the broth
• Smoker or pellet grill for the best smoky flavor (optional; rotisserie or store-bought chicken also works)