Chicken tortilla soup, known as sopa de tortilla, originates from Mexican home cooking where leftover chicken, tortillas, and pantry staples are combined into a comforting broth. It reflects the Mexican tradition of turning simple, inexpensive ingredients into a flavorful, communal dish often served at family gatherings and cooler evenings.

In central Mexico, the soup often features fried tortilla strips, avocado, and queso fresco, while coastal versions may add seafood or use a lighter broth. Some regions add roasted tomatillos for acidity, and others incorporate different chilies like pasilla or guajillo for varied heat levels.

It is traditionally served hot in a deep bowl, topped with crisp tortilla strips, diced avocado, crumbled cheese (such as queso fresco or aged white cheddar), fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and a dollop of crema or sour cream. The garnishes are added just before eating to preserve texture.

It is a popular comfort food for everyday meals, but it also appears at family gatherings, holiday celebrations like Día de los Muertos, and cooler winter evenings when a warm, hearty soup is desired.

Its combination of smoky chipotle, the richness from rotisserie‑style chicken skin, and the textural contrast of crunchy tortilla chips, creamy avocado, and melted cheese creates a layered flavor profile that is both comforting and vibrant, embodying the Mexican love for balance of heat, acidity, and creaminess.

Traditional ingredients include chicken broth, shredded chicken (often with skin), tomatillo or tomato base, chipotle chilies in adobo, corn, black or kidney beans, tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, lime, and queso fresco. Acceptable substitutes are canned diced tomatoes for tomatillos, frozen corn for fresh, and aged white cheddar in place of queso fresco.

It pairs nicely with Mexican rice, refried beans, fresh pico de gallo, grilled corn elote, or a simple side of guacamole and chips. A light margarita or agua fresca also complements the soup’s smoky heat.

Common mistakes include over‑cooking the garlic until it burns, skipping the toast of spices which reduces depth, discarding the bean liquid (which adds body), and adding all the salt at the end, leading to a flat flavor. Also, over‑crushing the tortilla chips makes them soggy.

Toasting the spices with the aromatics releases their essential oils, intensifying the smoky, sweet, and earthy notes. Adding them raw would result in a muted flavor and could leave a raw spice taste.

Yes. Prepare the broth and simmer the vegetables, then cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Add the shredded chicken and corn just before reheating. Store garnishes separately and add fresh avocado, tortilla chips, cilantro, cheese, and sour cream at serving time.

The broth should be a deep reddish‑orange with a velvety mouthfeel, slightly thick from blended beans and chipotle. The vegetables should be tender, the corn bright yellow, and the chicken moist. Garnishes should remain crisp and fresh when added.

The YouTube channel Brian Lagerstrom focuses on straightforward, budget‑friendly home cooking tutorials that emphasize flavor, technique shortcuts, and practical tips for everyday meals, often featuring pantry‑based recipes and quick weeknight solutions.

Brian Lagerstrom blends classic Mexican flavor profiles with American convenience, using store‑bought rotisserie chicken and canned ingredients while still teaching authentic techniques like toasting spices and blending chipotle for depth. This pragmatic style contrasts with channels that insist on making every component from scratch.