Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup is a hearty, spicy tomato based chicken soup. A delicious quick easy dinner that you can throw together in a jiff, this is one of our favorite Hatch green chili recipes!
I Think I’m the Last Person to Buy an Instant Pot.
Talk about being the last to cross the finish line. After two years of being an Instant Pot lurker and watching the sweeping mania unfold, I finally added this electric pressure cooker to my culinary tool box.
My curiosity finally got the best of me. I think the last straw was reading a New York Times Article written by Melissa Clark, and my intrigue led to the purchase. She’s also written a informative article How to Use an Instant Pot.
And I even went out on a limb and bought one for my friend for Christmas. It’s been fabulous fun having someone to learn with, to share nervous jitters with and to share success with. We’ve become Instant Pot accountability partners.
My Concerns with the Instant Pot
So what took me so long? Here were my concerns:
- Why do I need an Instant pot? I’m retired and have all the time in the world to cook.
- I’m afraid. As in “kaboom” afraid.
- It will end up in the back of the closet, rarely used.
- It’s unnecessary.
- It’s a silly fad.
Wins and Losses
Now, and just two weeks in, I’m starting to realize the Instant Pot as a true resource in my kitchen. We’re starting to develop a friendship.
The one thing I know for sure is that there’s a learning curve. I just need to learn how to think like an Instant Pot.
After thoroughly reading the user’s manual…after thoroughly reading a jillion articles…after thoroughly reading the instruction manual, I felt comfortable to complete the water test. I then advanced and made a batch of hard boiled eggs. Great result and easy peeling from super fresh eggs. Unheard of in my books. 1 point for the Instant Pot.
Then graduated to real food. My first experiment was with a pork roast with adovada sauce. It worked fine, but not as rich and earthy as my oven/stove top method. Back to the drawing board on that one. 1 point for my Dutch oven.
I tried to convert my Butternut Marsala Crock-pot Beef Stew recipe to an Instant Pot recipe and it just didn’t work. Too much liquid, too strong an alcohol taste and the butternut squash was mushy. Back to the drawing board on that one. 2 points for my Dutch Oven.
Next up was my trusty Ranch Style Chicken Tortilla Soup. I’m so pleased to report it worked beautifully.
I simply studied some recipes with similar ingredients, studied the methods from reliable sources and took the plunge. Cooking this creamy chicken tortilla soup in the Instant Pot delivers more flavor than my stove top version.
And it’s so incredibly easy. With the added depth of flavor I’m giving the Instant Pot an extra point. It’s 3-2 with the Instant Pot winning.
So Why Do I Like My Instant Pot?
- Actually I’m pretty sure I love it.
- And it may sound silly, but so far, my big win is that it’s saving me clean up time. I’m cooking every single day. My kitchen really gets a workout and it’s always a fight to keep my stainless steel cook top and black granite counters clean and shiny. The Instant Pot with its saute feature and one pot advantage really makes clean up a breeze. No elbow grease needed. Another point for the Instant Pot.
- The key for me is to find about a dozen recipes that work like a charm in the Instant Pot. Recipes that will be my Instant Pot go-to’s. I can’t wait to try BBQ ribs. Could the absence of an all afternoon slow roast in the oven be possible?
- I made this Instant Pot Ground Pork and Pasta recipe. My first stab at pasta in the pot. The texture of the pasta was beautiful, not to mention this recipe is fabulous in flavor. I’m impressed with pasta in the Instant Pot. Thanks Pam, great recipe.
- I’m making ham and bean soup tonight – without a 3 – 4 hour slow cook.
- What I’m not going to make is any recipe that takes the same amount of time or less without the Instant Pot. Like Sloppy Joes? I’d love to hear your thoughts about that one.
- Actually I’d love for you to comment with your favorite Instant Pot Recipes and a link. I’m dying to to try proven successful recipes.
So enough about the Instant Pot, let’s talk about this Mexican chicken pressure cooker soup.
There are a million Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipes – Why This One?
Adding a can of creamed corn gives this chicken tortilla soup a slightly creamy consistency. A can of Original Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chile adds a nice depth of spice. And with just the right combination of Southwestern seasoning, this dish gets rave reviews from friends and family. It just seems like the perfect storm.
This creamy chicken tortilla soup recipe calls for both chile powder and chili seasoning. I have a stash of New Mexico Red Chile Powder that I use for about anything. If you don’t have New Mexico Red, use a good quality medium heat red chile powder for this and a good quality Chili Seasoning.
Each year, I buy both Hatch Chile and Poblano Peppers from our local chile roaster and pop them in the freezer to use all Winter long. If you don’t have such a luxury, as a local chile roaster, just buy three large poblano peppers for this recipe. Cut off the tops, remove the seeds and veins and chop them. Saute them along with the onions in the Instant Pot.
I used two large chicken breasts for this easy chicken tortilla soup recipe. Around one pound each. If you’re using small chicken breasts you may need to lower time.
Recipe For Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic diced
- 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes undrained
- 10 ounce Can Rotel Original Diced tomatoes and Green Chile undrained
- 15 ounce can creamed corn
- 1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Chamayo Chile powder
- 1 teaspoon chili seasoning
- 3-4 Poblano Pepper roasted, peeled and chopped
- Corn chips, sour cream, diced avocado, cilantro for garnish
- salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rotate the central dial of the Instant Pot to Saute function. When it feels like it’s getting hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot add the onions and the chopped poblano peppers. If you’re using roasted poblano, wait and add those later with the rest of the ingredients.Sautee until onions are starting to become translucent and peppers are fragrant. Add chopped garlic and heat until fragrant. Hit the cancel button on the Instant Pot to stop cooking.
- Add remaining ingredients except garnishes. Lay the chicken on top of mixture.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot. Make sure the steam release valve is set to seal. Rotate the central dial to the “Pressure Cook” option and press to set. Rotate the central dial again to access the time setting. Set to cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Quick or natural release.
- When the pressure has released and you’re able to remove the lid to the Instant Pot, remove the chicken to a cutting board. With two forks, quickly shred the chicken. Add the chicken back into the soup mixture, give it a good stir and serve.
- Ladle soup into soup bowls, top with hand crushed corn chips, a dollop of sour cream, diced avocado and sprinkle with cilantro.
- Pass diced avocado, tortilla chips, cilantro and sour cream for garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for more Instant Pot Mexican Soup Recipes? You won’t want to miss:
Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe
Or something out of the ordinary:
Instant Pot Glazed Corned Beef Sandwiches
This looks so good and comforting and you’re not the last one to buy an instant pot, I don’t have one 🙂
I’m still so behind with trying instant pot! After seeing this terrific dish, I think I may just order one today! Love the combination of flavours in this soup!
Wow this soup looks delicious and so comforting. I can’t wait to try it when it’s a little colder around here for dinner – I’m sure my spouse will love it too!
I’ve been on quite the hunt lately for new Instant Pot recipes and this one looks fabulous! Absolutely love that this includes roasted poblanos…talk about delicious!
I can’t wait to try making this!
thanks for the insite on this pot. I really love this soup not so much something else I want to clean .. I am going to make this one on top of the stove. I still have an air fryer sitting on the floor no space to store it and not used lol I am also retired. Terrific photos of this soup! love it!
I bought an IP on black Friday, knowing my kitchen would be out of commission during our remodel. Today was the 3rd time I used it—to cook a whole chicken so I’d have some meat for quesadillas. Bonus was lots of chicken broth. And enchiladas later this week. Your tortilla soup looks wonderful—I’m starting to collect recipes!!
I have used pressure cooker but I havent seen this pot here in Copenhagen yet. Love your soup.
First, the soup recipe looks divine. Actually, it looks like the perfect thing to assemble, cook *and* serve at a potluck (since the instant pot allows one to do such things). ~ I didn’t want to like the instant pot, but it became a true necessity living in an RV for two years. I followed some of the rules for using it, but also made a few of my own (using it without the lid to quick simmer/reduce sauces, for example). I use it these days mostly as a slow cooker or rice cooker, but it will be put to heavy use once again in the next few weeks as contractors demolish what’s left of our storm-damaged kitchen so that it can be (finally) rebuilt. ~ Excellent review! Thank you!
Hi Adam. I didn’t want to like it either. But it’s sure been fun to have. I didn’t think about it’s use when kitchens aren’t available. I’ll sure look forward to the day when I hear your life is back to normal.