Learning to make homemade slow cooker Chick-fil-A tortilla soup means no longer waiting for the seasonal menu to change. Chick-fil-A might only sell this soup during the cold weather months, but when you hold the secret to making a copycat recipe, you can make it anytime you want!
I love Chick-fil-A tortilla soup. I crave it all year but since it’s a seasonal menu item, I had to make my own version so I can have it whenever I want!
It is easy to make with shredded chicken, a creamy broth, plenty of beans and corn, and delicious Mexican-inspired spices. Topped with crunchy tortilla strips, it’s just as good, if not better, than the original!
If you don’t live near a Chick-fil-A restaurant (or it’s Sunday), you can make this at home along with my copycat Southwest chicken salad and chick fil A nuggets!
This soup has so much flavor; it’s a recipe that does well building those flavors with low and slow cooking in a crockpot.
It makes a big batch which allows for leftovers during the week & enough for the freezer. It’s warm, hearty, comforting, and even better than the original!
If you don’t have all of the ingredients, but maybe some, try my original crockpot tortilla soup recipe with has a brothy base instead of creamy. It’s got a shorter ingredient list but just as delish!
Chick-Fil-A Tortilla Soup Recipe
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It tastes just like the Chick-fil-A tortilla soup you remember.
- It’s a dump-and-set recipe (minus shredding the chicken!)
- There is so much flavor in every spoonful.
- Ingredients are budget-friendly with possible substitutions.
Helpful Tools
- This Hamilton Beach has been my go-to for years, but I recently got this GreenPan and am really loving it.
- Chicken Shredder – I know two forks, or a mixer, do just fine shredding chicken, but I really do love this gadget. It’s simple & really fast.
- Veggie Chopper – one of my kitchen MVPs, I use this chopper for so many dishes.
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts. They provide a lot of meat and are easy to shred. You can use boneless chicken thighs if preferred.
- Onion and garlic: Diced onion and minced garlic are must-haves when it comes to building flavors.
- Red bell pepper: For color and a bit of crunch. We use red because they’re the sweetest of the bell peppers.
- Seasonings: Salt, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, sugar, dried oregano. The sugar is just to cut through some of the acidity and balance out the flavors.
- Rotel tomatoes and green chiles: A can of Rotel can be found in original, mild, or a few other variations. I stick with the original. You can also use any brand of tomatoes and chiles available.
- Chicken broth: You can use homemade chicken stock if you have some on hand, or whichever store-bought brand is your favorite.
- Beans: Drained and rinsed Great Northern beans (or navy beans) and black beans provide bulk and buttery bean textures. So good!
- Corn: I use both yellow corn kernels, drained and rinsed, but also a can of creamed corn.
- Heavy cream and sour cream: Thickens the broth with a rich, creamy consistency. Save some of the sour cream for topping if you’d like.
- Lime juice: A squirt of fresh lime juice wakes everything up! A wonderful way to finish.
- Tortilla strips: These get added just before serving for a fun crunch on top.
How to make Chick-fil-A Tortilla Soup
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: Trim excess fat from the chicken breasts and place them into the slow cooker.
- Step Two: Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Then, sprinkle with all of the seasoning.
- Step Three: Pour in the can of Rotel and chicken broth and stir in the beans and corn.
- Step Four: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Once the chicken is cooked through and tender, remove the breasts from the crockpot and shred them, then add back to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Step Five: Just before serving, stir in the heavy cream, sour cream, and lime juice. Once ladled into bowls, top with tortilla strips.
Every slow cooker runs differently. Times given are a general recommendation and should be tested in your own slow cooker and adjusted as needed.
Favorite Toppings
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Shredded cheese
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced jalapenos
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Use leftover shredded chicken or a fully cooked rotisserie chicken and shorten the cook time to about an hour.
- If you don’t have the individual spices on hand, you can use a taco seasoning blend instead.
- No Rotel? Use a can of diced tomatoes instead.
- Frito chips are a great substitute for the tortilla strips.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers
Keep leftover Chick-fil-A tortilla soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing Instructions
You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool completely and then transfer it to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container (I use Souper Cubes). Portion it out if you don’t think you’ll thaw all of it at once.
You can move a portion to the fridge the night before you want it to thaw, or reheat from frozen.
Reheating Instructions
This soup reheats beautifully. I either add the frozen portion to a saucepan with a splash of water or broth, or use my mini lunch Crock Pot to heat it up.
Top with fresh, warm tortilla strips, and it’ll be as good as when you first made it!
FAQs
Is the soup at Chick-fil-A healthy?
Healthy is subjective, and while there are plenty of hearty beans for fiber and protein, lean chicken breast, and veggies, there are always higher amounts of sodium in recipes at fast-food chains. A way to avoid this is to make a copycat version using low-sodium canned beans and fresh ingredients.
How can I make homemade tortilla strips?
Grab a stack of 6-inch flour or corn tortilla shells. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut them into about 12 strips, cutting any longer ones in half. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a pot to 340 degrees and cook the strips for about 3 seconds once the oil is hot. They should be golden brown, nice and crispy, and not burnt! If they burn, the oil is too hot. Alternatively, you can bake them, I have full instructions in this post.
Does Chick-fil-A sell soup year-round?
They do sell chicken noodle soup all year, but chicken tortilla soup is their seasonal special.
Can I make this on the stovetop?
You can! If you’re short on time, this is a great way to make it in under an hour. Sauté the onions and peppers. Follow this with the garlic and spices. Add in the beans, corn, Rotel, chicken, and broth. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 25 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, take it out to shred, and add it back in along with the heavy cream and sour cream.
Need more soup recipes? Try these:
Chicken Tortilla Soup (On the Border Copycat)
Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Panera Bread Copycat)
Crockpot Split Pea Soup with Ham
Click here to view my entire collection of soup recipes.
Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
Slow Cooker Chick Fil A Tortilla Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 small white onion diced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes & green chiles
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 30 ounces great northern beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce yellow corn drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce creamed corn
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 small lime juiced
- tortilla strips for topping
Instructions
- Trim the chicken breasts and lay them into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker.1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Add in the diced onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic.1 small white onion, 1 small red bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic
- Sprinkle the salt, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, sugar and oregano over the top.2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Add in the can of Rotel and chicken broth.10 ounces Rotel tomatoes & green chiles, 4 cups chicken broth
- Stir in the navy beans, black beans, corn and creamed corn.30 ounces great northern beans, 15 ounce black beans, 15 ounce yellow corn, 15 ounce creamed corn
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Once done, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and use two forks, or a shredded, to shred the chicken and then add it back to the slow cooker.
- Right before serving, stir in the heavy cream, sour cream, and lime juice.1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 small lime
- Ladle into bowls and top with tortilla strips to serve.tortilla strips
Notes
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- As written, the recipe should serve 8-10.
- Great northern beans or navy beans can be used.
- In addition to the tortilla stips, you can also top the soup with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, and/or sliced jalapenos.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
This soup was amazing! My whole family loved it
Yay, thanks, Ashlee!
This soup is yummy and hearty. A new favorite for fall and winter!
Thanks, Stephanie!
Can I use pureed navy beans instead of heavy cream to make it creamy? If so when would I add it in after shredding?
I haven’t tested, but it might work. Let me know if you try!
So I ended up doing this with one of the 15 ounce cans of navy beans and leaving out the heavy cream but put in a dollop of sour cream. Helped thicken the soup certainly wasn’t as creamy with the heavy cream but worked for me because hidden beans from my family. We used 2lbs of chicken breast. The next day my boyfriend’s whole family came over and ate the leftovers and loved it. So basically fed 8 adult humans. Great recipe thanks so much
Thanks so much for reporting back! I love sneaking in things & feeling proud about it lol