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If you love Mexican flavors and easy recipes, you’re sure to love this easy low carb keto chicken tortilla soup recipe! This healthy soup is made with vegetables and chicken, and then everyone can add their own toppings. And who doesn’t love toppings?! (You can also use the same toppings for taco soup, which has similar flavors but is made with beef.)
If you’re putting out a Mexican spread, be sure to also include queso dip, avocado salsa (or guacamole), 7 layer taco dip, and fresh tomato salsa. And of course, don’t forget the skinny margaritas!
Why You’ll Love This Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
- Classic Mexican flavor
- Filling and hearty soup
- Made in a few simple steps
- Low carb and gluten-free
- Paleo and whole30 if you omit the dairy toppings

Ingredients You’ll Need
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for keto diet chicken tortilla soup, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Olive Oil – For sauteing. Avocado oil will also work.
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic for the most potent flavor, or jarred for convenience.
- Onion – I used white onion, but you could also use yellow onion.
- Bell Peppers – Pick any color you like! I opted for a mix of yellow, green, and red bell pepper for color and flavor dimension.
- Jalapeno – This adds some heat to the soup. Feel free to omit it if you don’t like spice. You could also use green chiles for a milder heat.
- Chicken Broth – Chicken broth is best for any chicken soup, including this one, but technically any broth (beef or vegetable) would also work. For richer flavor and a nutrient boost, use homemade bone broth instead.
- Diced Tomatoes – I like using fire roasted tomatoes in this Mexican-style soup, but you can use any canned diced tomatoes.
- Chicken Breast – I prefer to use organic chicken for best flavor and nutrition (get them delivered right to your door), but any chicken breast will work. You could also use chicken thighs, but they may take a little longer to cook. If you have some already cooked shredded chicken to use up, you can also use that instead of raw chicken.
- Spices – The basics are cumin, chili powder, sea salt, and black pepper. If you like, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper also make nice additions.
And don’t forget about the add-ins after you cook the soup — see the best keto tortilla soup toppings below!

How To Make Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup
This section shows how to make keto tortilla soup, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Saute veggies. Heat oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, and bell peppers. Saute the veggies until the onion is translucent and bell peppers have softened.

- Cook chicken. Add diced jalapeno, chicken broth, fire roasted tomatoes, chicken breast, sea salt, black pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through.

- Shred chicken. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with two forks. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup and simmer for a few minutes.

- Serve. Your easy keto chicken tortilla soup is ready! Ladle it into bowls and add toppings as desired.

Low Carb Toppings To Add
- Keto Tortilla Chips – These add crunch and the “tortilla” piece of this low carb tortilla soup.
- Shredded Cheese – I used Monterey jack cheese, but you could also use sharp cheddar or a Mexican blend.
- Avocado – Slice the avocado like I have or dice.
- Sour Cream – Be sure to use full fat. (Yes, sour cream is keto!)
- Cilantro – Roughly chop fresh cilantro. Feel free to omit if you’re not a fan.
- Lime – A squeeze of fresh lime juice brightens up the flavor of the soup when serving.

Frequently Asked Questions
Is chicken tortilla soup keto?
Traditional chicken tortilla soup is not keto friendly, as it contains corn and black beans, and is topped with tortilla strips. To make this recipe keto friendly, we’re skipping the corn and beans, and using keto tortilla chips as a crunchy topping.
How many carbs are in chicken tortilla soup?
The carbs in chicken tortilla soup will vary, based on recipe and ingredients. Traditional tortilla soup can have 40 grams of carbohydrates! This version has just 10 grams net carbs per serving — WITH toppings included — and is filling enough to be a meal.
Is chicken tortilla soup spicy?
This chicken tortilla soup has a mild heat, but you can add more jalapeno and/or more chili powder for more spice. If you want it less spicy, omit the jalapeno.
Can you make it in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot?
Yes, both will work!
- Slow cooker instructions: Feel free to take a shortcut by just dumping all the ingredients (not including toppings, of course) into your Crock Pot and cook for 5-6 hours on Low or 2.5-3 hours on High, until the chicken shreds easily. However, it will taste better if you still take the time to saute the veggies before adding to the slow cooker.
- Pressure cooker instructions: Cook the veggies in the Instant Pot using the Saute setting. Add remaining ingredients and cook on High pressure for 10 minutes. Release the pressure, shred the chicken, and proceed with toppings as usual.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftover soup without toppings in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat soup gently in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.
- Freeze: Cool completely, then store without toppings in an airtight container in the freezer for 2-3 months. Thaw before reheating.

More Keto Soup Recipes
If you like this easy low carb chicken tortilla soup, you might also like some of these other easy keto soup recipes:
Tools To Make Low Carb Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Dutch Oven – Cook up your soups and stews in this heavy bottom, high quality dutch oven.
- Souper Cubes – Store leftover soup in these perfectly portioned freezable cubes.
Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
This low carb keto chicken tortilla soup is loaded with traditional flavors and topped with flavorful toppings (including chips). You'll never know it's low carb!
Recipe Video
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Chicken Tortilla Soup:
Optional Toppings:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Heat the olive in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, and bell peppers and saute for 3-5 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the bell peppers have softened.
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Add the diced jalapeno, chicken broth, fire roasted tomatoes, chicken breast, and the remaining spices and bring to a boil.
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Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, until the chicken breast is cooked through.
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Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
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Remove the soup from the heat. Add one cup of soup to a bowl and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese,1/6 of an avocado, 1 tablespoon sour cream and a lime wedge. Serve with 5 low carb tortilla chips.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our free low carb support group, too – I’d love to see it!
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup soup + toppings
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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22 Comments
Shelby
0This soup is absolutely delicious!!!! I made a few minor switches with veggies but kept the majority! I am curious about the nutritional information. It says the serving is one cup of soup+toppings but do you happen to have the one cup without toppings?? If not I understand just thought I’d ask. Again it is a FANTASTIC recipe!!! Thank you!!!
Susie
0I used the jalapenos and added 1 can original Rotel. Also added small pieces of cauliflower, about 1 1/2 cups. This was a great soup!!!!! Added jack cheese and cilantro to the top as my avocados were ripened beyond use, lol. Will get fresh ones for later. Froze 1/2 if recipe. Cooked in dutch oven. Added this soup to my cook again and again list. Soooo good!!!!!
Jessica
0It was easy to make and flavorful.
Kathleen
0Hi love this recipe. I have cooked chicken already shredded. How long to cook with the chicken already cooked in instant pot?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kathleen, You can reduce the cook time because all of your ingredients are already cooked, but you will still want to simmer the soup to allow the flavors to develop.
Kim McKenna
0I’m new to Keto and finding a recipe like this is a gem! Used my Insta Pot to cook the chicken (4 breasts because I didn’t have thighs on hand) and sauteed all the veggies (I added 2 zucchini) and spices in the pot after the meat was cooked, trimmed, and shredded. One Pot Stop. Topped with sour cream, a few Sana Coconut flour chips, and Herdez green salsa. SOOOO yummy.
Apryl
0This was fantastic. Would rate it 5 stars exactly as is. With some yellow squash and quest chili lime protein chips on top it’s 6 stars out 5! Yumm!
Rita
0Wow, this soup was amazing! Everyone loved it and went back for seconds, and said “keep this recipe mom, please”.
Dana T.
0Made this last week, and my family asked me to make it again! It’s easy, delicious, and quick to make! It has joined my regular rotation now!
Donna
0This soup has so much flavor! My hubby has asked for it to be put in regular rotation 🙂
Sandra
0I love this soup! I have been looking for a recipe with a nice, almost clear broth. So yummy, it lets the veggies shine.
Taylor
0I am obsessed with this soup! It has tons of flavor and is hearty and delicious. I added zucchini and corn and it turned out fabulous!
Cindy
0Fabulous chicken tortilla soup! It’s on my list to make again. Highly recommend!
Diane Benson
0We love this soup so much! We top ours with sour cream and avocado! YUM!
Jessica
0This turned out absolutely wonderful!! Super easy to make too. I think I’m going to double the batch next time so we can eat on it for a while longer!
Laura
0What a great healthy soup!!
Amy L Huntley
0This chicken Tortilla Soup is a family favorite! It makes an appearance at least once a month!
Krissy
0Delicious! Loved that is was delicious and made me feel good. This one is a keeper!
April
0This was delicious! I left out the jalapeno because I don’t care for spicy soups, but it was still great. Super easy and quick, it was a hit with the whole family!
Cindy
0Love this recipe! So flavorful – it was a big hit with everyone.
Andrea
0There is nothing better on a cool day than this keto chicken tortilla soup! I love it!
Diane Benson
0My family loved this soup! I had to leave out the jalapenos because my kids don’t like them but it was so yummy!