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Cozy Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup with Easy Lime Crema

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This cozy crockpot chicken tortilla soup started as a happy accident but became a staple. It’s packed with smoky, spicy, and tangy flavors, and the lime crema is a game-changer.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups (32 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1.5 cups frozen corn
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 large limes (juice for soup, zest and juice for crema)
  • ½ cup sour cream or Mexican crema
  • Small handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • For serving: tortilla chips or strips, shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, diced avocado, extra lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Sear the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper, and sear 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to crockpot.
  2. Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the same skillet and sauté 4-5 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Scrape into crockpot.
  3. Deglaze the Pan: Pour ½ cup chicken broth into the skillet, scrape up browned bits, and pour into crockpot.
  4. Add Remaining Ingredients: Add fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles (undrained), remaining broth, frozen corn, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and oregano. Stir to combine.
  5. Slow Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until chicken is tender and shreds easily.
  6. Shred the Chicken: Remove chicken, shred with two forks, and return to crockpot.
  7. Finish the Soup: Stir in juice of 1 lime. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or cayenne. Let sit on warm for 10 minutes.
  8. Make the Lime Crema: In a small bowl, combine sour cream, zest of 1 lime, juice of ½ lime, a pinch of salt, and chopped cilantro. Refrigerate until serving.
  9. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls. Top with lime crema, cheese, tortilla strips, avocado, and extra cilantro and lime wedges.

Notes

Don’t skip searing the chicken—it adds deep flavor. Use low-fat sour cream for a smoother crema. Toast spices for extra depth. Chicken breasts can dry out; check at minimum time. Soup tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken tortilla soup, crockpot soup, slow cooker soup, lime crema, easy soup, comfort food, Mexican soup

Find it online: https://cooksyla.com/cozy-crockpot-chicken-tortilla-soup-with-easy-lime-crema/