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Jan 7, 2020 By Jessica Beacom

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup

Dairy-Free
Egg-Free
Gluten-free
Grain-Free
Nut-free
Paleo
Whole30
Jump to Recipe

Make some meal prep magic (and do it quickly) with this hearty Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup!
A white bowl on a grey surface filled with Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup that's topped with slices of fresh jalapeños and a lime wedge.

And by magic, I mean delicious and ready to reheat and eat.

This Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup recipe is exactly the same as our stovetop Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup but, you guessed it, it’s made in the Instant Pot to speed things up while locking in loads of flavor from a short list of wholesome ingredients.

This soup, along with this Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili and this Veggie Loaded Turkey Chili (both of which can be made in a pressure cooker), are probably the three recipes I meal prep most often because they all freeze beautifully. I portion them into small freezer-safe containers (similar to these and these) to stock my freezer so that I always have them on hand for lunches or a super quick dinner.

Just 10 ingredients, more or less.

We don’t count cooking oils and fats or salt and pepper toward the total number of ingredients in a recipe so this is more or less 10 ingredients which, in my mind, qualifies it as an ‘express lane’ kind of meal. Just a few ingredients, minimal prep, and short cooking time.

Say. no. more.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links that will not change your price but will share some commission.

No Instant Pot?

No problem. We’ve got a super-easy stovetop version here. But seeing as how it’s 2020, it’s probably time to get on the pressure cooker train because this ultra-convenient appliance doesn’t seem to a fad anymore. It’s here to stay for those of us who’ve embraced its ease, versatility, and convenience. Just my two cents. 

A white bowl on a grey surface filled with Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup. There's a spoon the bowl and the soup is topped with slices of fresh jalapeños and a lime wedge.

Freezer-friendly meals for the win.

Nothing says ‘self-care’ in my mind like a stash of meals in the freezer. Didn’t grocery shop? Check the freezer. Too tired to cook? Check the freezer. Sick/laid up/broken leg? Check the freezer. You get the idea.

Trust me, a stash of this Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup will serve you well. Packed with protein and flavor, it’s easy to customize the level of heat by adding more or less fresh jalapeños (or add a diced chipotle in adobo sauce or a pinch of dried chipotle pepper). You can skip the Homemade Taco Seasoning and opt instead for a store-bought packet but trust me, the homemade version is so much better and it makes enough for another batch of Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup or these Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes or this One-Dish Chicken Fajita Bake, or this Tex-Mex Sweet Potato Hash.

A white bowl on a grey surface filled with Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup that's topped with slices of fresh jalapeños, baked tortilla strips, and a lime wedge.

Tortillas optional.

Since this is Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup, you probably already guessed that it’s served without the tortilla strips you typically see with tortilla soup. And you’re right. To keep the soup Whole30-friendly we’ve left them out (just as we did in our stovetop version), but feel free to add them if you’d like.

Tortilla chips will also work in a pinch, but they do tend to get soggy quickly and in a not-so-good way. For that reason, I prefer thinly slice corn tortillas, then lightly spray them with cooking oil (or brush with oil) then bake them in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet in a 350℉ oven for 12-15 minutes or until they’re crispy and lightly golden brown. 

Toppings encouraged.

Try topping your Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup with fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, diced avocado, and lime wedges for a restaurant-style meal at home. Or give it a sprinkle of shredded cheese or a dollop of sour cream if that’s your thing. You really can’t go wrong here.

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Let's Get Cookin'

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup

A hearty soup that delivers big flavor from a short ingredient list that you can get on the table in about 30 minutes.

  • Author: Jessica Beacom
  • Prep Time: 10 mins.
  • Cook Time: 15 mins.
  • Total Time: 30 mins. (including pressure release)
  • Yield: Serves 6 1x
  • Cuisine: Whole30, Dairy-Free
Print Recipe
★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 Tbsp. cooking fat of choice (avocado oil, olive oil, ghee, etc.)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
  • 1 small jalapeño, minced (and membranes removed for less heat)
  • 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning (such as our Homemade Whole30 Taco Seasoning)
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or homemade broth)
  • 1 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (may substitute diced tomatoes)
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Diced avocado and lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Select ‘Saute’ on the Instant Pot. When the pot is hot, add cooking fat of choice. Sauté the onions and bell pepper 3-4 minutes or until they start to soften. Press ‘Cancel’ and stir in garlic, green chiles, and jalapeño (if using).
  2. Add chicken, taco seasoning, cumin, salt, broth, and tomatoes. Stir, lock the lid into place, set cook time for 15 minutes (high pressure) and flip vent valve to the ‘Sealing’ position.
  3. After cooking time is up, allow for 5-10 minutes of natural pressure release before manually releasing any remaining pressure then remove lid when safe to do so.
  4. Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pot and stir in lime juice.
  5. Taste and season with additional salt if needed. Serve with fresh cilantro, avocado, lime wedges, etc.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 cups (without toppings)
  • Calories: 223
  • Sugar: 8g
  • Sodium: 582mg
  • Fat: 6g
  • Carbohydrates: 19g
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Protein: 25g

 

Pin this now & make it later!

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Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter. 

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!

 

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About Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her hubby and two daughters. She's been described as a 'real food evangelist' and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, mountain biking, teaching herself how to play the banjo and camping out under the stars.

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Holly Layman says

    January 10, 2020 at 4:32 am

    This looks great – can you use frozen chicken breast?

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      January 10, 2020 at 6:07 am

      Hi Holly! That’s a good question – I would suggest thawing the chicken first as this recipe has not been tested with frozen chicken. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  2. Ray says

    January 16, 2020 at 11:13 am

    Can you use chicken thighs instead of breasts?

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      January 16, 2020 at 12:22 pm

      Yes, you sure can. Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Mary Ann says

    February 5, 2020 at 11:37 am

    Made this for the first time last night in the instant pot. Soo good! And my husband loved it too, and he’s not a big soup person.

    Also just wanted to say thank y’all so much. I don’t think we could have made it through a whole30 without your recipes. ☺

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      February 5, 2020 at 12:12 pm

      Hi Mary Ann! That’s so great to hear you enjoyed this recipe. And you are sooooo welcome! We’re glad we could be part of your Whole30 🙂

      Reply
  4. Lisa says

    February 19, 2020 at 5:45 pm

    Hi I am trying to watch my carbs. Would you help me figure out what is giving this recipe all the carbs so I can try to tweak? Is it the pepper? Thanks 😊

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      February 20, 2020 at 9:42 am

      Hi Lisa! 19 grams of carbs per serving is pretty low for a soup with this amount of vegetables. Vegetables do contain some carbs but also a lot of fiber. If you feel this has too many carbs you could have a smaller portion and serve it over a big handful of greens or even cauliflower rice.

      Reply
  5. Katie says

    May 12, 2020 at 5:52 pm

    What option on the instant pot do you use? Is it manual or the soup/broth option

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      May 17, 2020 at 8:44 am

      Hi Katie,

      You can use either option. As long as you’re using a high-pressure setting and the correct cooking time, they work pretty interchangeably.

      Reply
  6. Kira says

    October 10, 2020 at 7:15 pm

    Oh my, this was awesome! My husband said to make it once a week! I used Muir Glen organic diced tomatoes (fire roasted with green chilies) and a jalapeño straight from the garden. My only other change was using skinless drumsticks. My old recipe was good, but not whole30. This is crazy better! Thanks so much! Just discovered your website and am also trying a marinade. Love all the instant pot recipes for those fast nights.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      October 12, 2020 at 4:02 pm

      This is so awesome – we’re so glad you found us and loved this recipe. Happy cooking!!

      Reply

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The Real Food Dietitians is the passion-driven product of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Stacie Hassing and Jessica Beacom. They’ve combined their love of nutrition, health and real food with the concepts of ease and convenience to bring you recipes that are big on flavor but short on ingredients.

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