Are you ready for something new and delicious? You’re going to want to make this Better than Whole Foods Chicken Tortilla soup recipe pronto! Several years ago I posted the original recipe for Whole Food’s chicken tortilla soup. It still amazes me that it remains one of my most popular posts of all time. Not surprising – actually – because who doesn’t like the chicken tortilla soup at the soup bar at Whole Foods?
Fast-forward several years and that soup is now a staple in our home. Only it doesn’t look the same anymore! I have tweaked, massaged, and given it an overhaul. Over the course of time, it has morphed into our ultimate comfort food.
What makes this soup better?
Packed with veggies, this evolved soup is snapping on all cylinders. I think that’s what makes me the happiest about this chicken tortilla soup and the proudest… that I took something already wonderful and made it my own. That I had the confidence to experiment and make something even better. That’s what makes cooking such a wonderful experience! And, at the end of the day, we get to eat your very own creations. Sometimes it’s a home run.
What’s in it?
I mentioned the veggies, so let’s get specific. What makes this version better than Whole Foods Chicken Tortilla soup is the addition of zucchini and yellow squash to the tomato and serrano pepper base. Yes, yes, there are a few other seasonings here and there but those two squashes are EVERYTHING!
Thickening the soup is crucial.
Okay, thickening can be done by several methods. Most often people will add tortilla chips and let it breakdown. That’s fine – and delicious as a finishing touch. HOWEVER… my #1 recommendation is to cook the soup and let it cool overnight (or all day) to thicken up. Seriously a simple step and seriously worth it if you have the time. If you don’t, go the tortilla route and perhaps add a little sour cream.
What goes well with chicken tortilla soup?
A spoon! And get a big one, you’ll need it!
This soup is hearty enough all by itself so bring your appetite. If you want to add a little something on the side, avocado toast is always wonderful or a green salad with a little zesty ranch dressing or olive oil. The star is the soup.
This better than Whole Foods chicken tortilla soup is truly nourishing, comforting, flavorful, healthy, and beautiful to look at.
I really want you to try it.
Now, go make your new comfort soup!
Eat well, my friends. Eat well.
Lyndi
This post was originally shared on 02.21.2014 and is now updated with an easier-to-read flow.
Better than Whole Foods Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1-2 serrano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, minced
- 1 28oz canned petite diced tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken stock + 2 tbsp
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 chicken breasts, cutlet thin and sliced
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 tsp lime juice
- 1 zucchini, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 1 yellow squash, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 1 sweet onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 2 small avocados, cubed
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, add peppers, cilantro, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and 1 tsp cumin on high heat and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
- Once dutch oven is covered, cook the chicken: Add a tablespoon of oil to skillet on high heat. Lightly brown chicken on both sides and turndown heat to low. Add 1 tsp cumin, sage, chili powder, garlic, lime juice, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and 2 tbsp of chicken broth. Cover and let cook for 10 minutes. Add chicken and juices to the dutch oven and continue cooking for remaining time.
- Add avocados, salt, and pepper to the dutch oven. Stir and cover.
- If serving immediately, spoon into bowls and top with tortilla chips. If you want to take this soup to the next level, let it cool and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Reheat and serve.
Definitely some more depth to this compared to the last recipe; well done.
My goal is the mimic Whole Food's version as much as possible, and i believe it's located somewhere between your two recipes. E.g. the last time i had it, I could have sworn i nailed down their secret ingredient: smoked pablanos. The next time i had it, i convinced myself i was hallucinating the first time. So with that being said…
What are the key similarities (or differences) between your two main tortilla soup recipes to corner that elusive Whole Foods recipe? e.g. i'm finding that lime juice is an absolute must… but how do you match/mimic their version's smokiness?
I'm going to roll with some black beans and corn as well – hoping it doesn't affect things too much.
Thanks!
You didn't dream it, the first time I had the Whole Foods soup it was crazy-smokey, almost an adobe taste. And it was extremely spicy in a nice way. That was years ago and I have never tasted that smokiness again. They must have changed the recipe along the way. I used to add some of the sauce from an adobe off-the-shelf product but have since dropped it.
Similarities = we both leave out tortillas!
Differences = mine has an abundance of cilantro and the addition of the zucchini and squash
Next time I will add lime juice to try it out.
Thank you for this, Lyndi! Initially, I was going to make an attempt at Chicken Tortilla Soup similar to your original post but thought I would try out this method since it was new to me, and am super pleased with the outcome. I did add chopped green and red bell peppers to the first step along with about a tablespoon of chile in adobo sauce, and more cumin because we use a lot of it in our household; I wanted that smokiness. Also, added some hominy at the end. As a garnish, mixed up some lime juice with shredded cabbage and more cilantro. My version was more stew-like but could easily add more stock to make it more of a soup. Looking forward to making it again and playing around with ingredients for different adaptations!
Meagan, that sounds wonderful! Hominy is a great addition… one I would love to sink my teeth in! Thanks for sharing your tweaks!