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Instant Pot Tortilla Soup is my way to get a big bowl of comfort, with very little effort. This recipe mostly uses ingredients that are already in your pantry and freezer! Serves 4 to 6.
Let’s raid the pantry today and make some comforting soup!
This week, I wanted to bring you at least one new recipe that highlighted a lot of pantry items. Since we are in a time of cooking from our pantry and high stress, I thought a comforting bowl of tortilla soup would be just the ticket.
I know we all have a lot of time on our hands and all over social media I see people cooking extravagant recipes, from homemade puff pastry to smoking pork shoulder for hours on end.
However, this can’t be everyday (at least it certainly can’t for me!). We have other things going on in our lives whether it’s work, kids, home projects, or just needing space and time to process everything that’s going on outside our front door.
SO, in addition to using a bunch of staples you likely already have on hand, I’m bringing you a recipe that can be made quickly in the Instant Pot.
Seriously, it only needs to cook for 10 minutes on high pressure and this Instant Pot tortilla soup is ready to serve!
The soup itself is packed with goodies, from juicy chicken thighs to tomatoes, diced green chiles to black beans, and so much more. It’s hearty and flavorful, but it isn’t heavy like a chili or stew, making it perfect for the change in seasons!
This Recipe’s Must-Haves
You need to chop a couple of veggies for this recipe, so you will need a chef’s knife and your favorite cutting board.
Obviously you will need an electric pressure cooker, like this Instant Pot Ultra that is my favorite model from the Instant Pot pressure cooker line.
You’ll also want a pair of clongs (aka tongs) handy to pull out the chicken so you can shred it.
Other yummy Instant Pot recipes: Spicy Pork Instant Pot Ramen | Crispy Instant Pot Carnitas | Instant Pot Bolognese | Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Tacos
Let’s make delish Instant Pot Tortilla Soup!
Cook the onion and poblano pepper
Set your Instant Pot to the sauté setting and warm up the oil. Once hot, cook the onion with the pepper until softened.
Add in the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine, before pressure cooking.
Pressure Cook
Set your Instant Pot to the Manual setting. Cook on High pressure for 10 minutes. Note: it will take a little time for it to come to pressure!
Quick release the pressure once it’s done cooking.
Shred Chicken
Remove the chicken from the soup to a cutting board to shred with two forks. Once it’s all shredded, add it back to the soup and stir to combine.
Want some more inspiration for dinner this week? Check out my main dish recipe page for some tasty ideas.
Got questions?
Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?
Yes you can! If you do this, use 2lbs total and make sure to cut each chicken breast into thirds so the cook tie can remain the same.
What can I substitute for the poblano pepper?
If you can find a poblano pepper, you can use a green bell pepper instead without any modifications to the cooking method.
Toppings, Toppings, Toppings!
Toppings are one of my favorite things about this soup because you can customize them so much! Here’s some ideas.
Tortilla chips
Sliced avocado
Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
Sour cream
Chopped cilantro
Sliced jalapeno
Hot sauce
Lime wedges (for squeezing, obviously)
Pin this Instant Pot Tortilla Soup recipe for later!
Instant Pot Tortilla Soup
ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 poblano pepper seeded and diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 2 15 oz cans black beans drained & rinsed
- 2 4 oz cans diced green chilies
- 2 13.5 fluid ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- 4 cups chicken stock
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Toppings:
- 1 avocado halved, seeded, peeled and thinly sliced
- Mexican shredded cheese blend
- Chopped cilantro
- Tortilla chips
- Lime wedges
- Sour cream
instructions
- Set Instant Pot to Saute and add oil. Once hot, add onion and pepper. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and spices. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in chicken, beans, chiles, tomatoes, and stock.
- Set Instant Pot to Manual. Cook for 10 minutes on High pressure, then quick release pressure.
- Using tongs, remove chicken to a cutting board. Shred using two forks and return to the soup. Stir until combined.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper, as desired. I personally like to use 1/2 tsp of each.
- Serve immediately with toppings.
