This homemade take on Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Tortilla Soup tastes even better than the original and you can enjoy it year-round and even on Sundays!
A Bowl of Heaven
Have y’all tried Chick-fil-A’s chicken tortilla soup? I’m obsessed! It’s delicious. The only bummer is that it’s a seasonal menu item that they only sell during the winter months. Why, oh why?? I crave soup year-round and since I love their chicken tortilla soup so much, I had to come up with a homemade version before they take it off the menu again!
Watch Me Make Chick-Fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup
Let me show you how easy and delicious it is to make this homemade version of my favorite soup!
Even Better Than the Original
It’s a hearty yet healthier soup, loaded with beans, veggies and chicken breast, and with the perfect blend of spices. I was on a mission to recreate its tastiness exactly, but guess what?! I’m pretty confident I made it even tastier. 🙂
And, depending on where you live in proximity to a Chick-fil-A, this homemade version might be quicker and easier to make than driving there to get it. Or at least it is for me, especially if I have all four kiddos in tow! It’s a one-pot wonder that can be ready to enjoy in about 20 minutes. I bet it would taste great in a slow cooker, too!
Accept No Substitutes (Except Maybe This One)
The creaminess of the soup comes from pureeing two cans of cannellini beans along with a can of cream-style corn instead of adding fatty cream, sour cream, or cream of “something” soup. This chicken tortilla soup recipe is packed with protein, fiber, flavor and, most importantly, comfort.
Since the boys always get chicken nuggets when we go to Chick-fil-A, they had never tried the yumminess that is their chicken tortilla soup. So when I recreated and perfected it at home, they quickly realized what they’ve been missing out on and why Mama is so excited to frequent Chick-fil-A in the winter months. 😉 They love my homemade version and now beg for it, especially with tortilla strips on top!
What Do I Need to Make Homemade Chick-Fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup?
- Canola oil
- White onion
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Dried oregano
- Kosher salt
- Canned cannellini beans, separated
- Canned diced tomatoes with green chilies (such as Rotel)
- Canned cream-style corn
- Canned whole kernel corn
- Canned black beans
- Rotisserie chicken
- Lime
- Tortilla strips or chips, for serving
How to Make Chick-Fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Heat canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic. Let saute for about 5 minutes until onions become translucent. Stir in cumin, oregano and salt.
- Meanwhile, puree 2 cans of cannellini beans in a blender until smooth. Do not drain beans of liquid before blending.
- Add pureed beans, remaining can of cannellini beans, 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, cream-style corn, whole kernel corn, black beans, and shredded chicken to onion mixture in pot. (Do not drain any cans of their liquid) Stir to combine.
- Let soup simmer over medium heat until heated all the way through. Add juice of 1 lime and season with salt to taste before serving. Serve with tortilla strips or chips.
How to Store Chicken Tortilla Soup
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To freeze, let the soup cool completely and then store in a freezer-safe sealed container in the refrigerator first until it’s cold and then in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and enjoying it.
So get your soup on year-round and save yourself a trip through the drive-thru with this yummy chicken tortilla soup! If you make this Homemade Chick-Fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. 
I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share.
Enjoy!
xoxo,
Homemade Chick-fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 8-10
- Category: Main
Description
A homemade take on Chick-fil-A’s chicken tortilla soup that tastes even better than the original and that you can enjoy year-round and even on Sundays!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, separated
- 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (such as Rotel)
- 1 (15 ounce) can cream-style corn
- 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
- 1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed from bones & shredded (about 4 cups)
- juice of 1 lime
- more salt to taste
- Tortilla strips or chips, for serving
Instructions
- Heat canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic. Let sauté for about 5 minutes until onions become translucent. Stir in cumin, oregano and salt.
- Meanwhile, puree 2 cans of cannellini beans in a blender until smooth. Do not drain beans of liquid before blending.
- Add pureed beans, remaining can of cannellini beans, 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, cream-style corn, whole kernel corn, black beans, and shredded chicken to the mixture in the pot. (Do not drain any cans of their liquid) Stir to combine.
- Let soup simmer over medium heat until heated all the way through. Add juice of 1 lime and season with salt to taste before serving. Serve with tortilla strips or chips.
Notes
Feel free to use just the white meat from the rotisserie chicken and low sodium canned ingredients, if desired.
I have made this a few times and everyone loves it! It is so easy to make as well which is a big plus. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Hi, Denise! I’m so glad to hear how much y’all enjoy it!
I made this recipe and it was delicious! Could I use ground beef instead of chicken in this recipe? I was asked about it but wasn’t sure it would be good with these ingredients.
Hi, Shea! So happy you enjoyed it! You know, I’m not sure about the ground beef. If you want a taco soup recipe that uses ground beef, I have an easy one here: https://thebakermama.com/recipes/quick-and-easy-taco-soup/. Hope this helps!
Any tips or suggestions on “halfing” the recipe?
Hi, Mary! Hmmm.. you know, if it were me, I’d make the full recipe and freeze half (it freezes great). But if you really only want to make half, I say just do your best to halve the ingredients. Soups are usually pretty welcoming to a little more or a little less of certain ingredients. If I were halving this recipe with the ingredients that seem tougher to cut in half, I would just use 2 cans of cannellini beans (instead of 3), 1 can of the cream style corn (don’t add the whole kernel corn), and the whole can of black beans. Hope this helps! Enjoy!❤️
I made this and doubled the recipe. I am very impressed. It’s not real spicy like chic fila’s . Better! I added some red pepper flakes to mine on top of my bowl as my husband and friends can’t eat spicy. I love it!
Great job. I did have to sub cooked great northern beans as I only had 1 can of white kidney beans no cream corn but I puréed a can of. Whole corn with the beans. And added 1 whole corn to batch. This was delicious. I also boiled some boneless chicken thighs 6 and some chicken breast tenderloin. 8
So I doubled the recipe and I had to cook some great northern beans and I had 1 can of canalie beans. It smells good cooking now.
Do you have the nutritional information on calories, fats, carbs per serving.
Hi, Becky! I hope you enjoy it! I don’t provide nutritional information at this time. I would recommend plugging the ingredients you use into a free online recipe nutrition calculator like: https://whisk.com/recipe-nutrition-calculator/ Hope this helps. Enjoy! ❤️
Have you ever frozen this soup? I love it but need to make ahead.
Hi Jeanette! Yes, I’ve frozen this soup several times and it freezes and reheats great. Just let it cool completely and then store in a freezer-safe sealed container in the refrigerator first until it’s cold and then in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend letting it defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and enjoying it.
It’s good soup, not spicy at all, and tastes nothing like CFA Tortilla Soup. I was disappointed because I was looking forward to it.
Excellent!!! Tastes just like Chick-Fil-a. I added a diced jalapeño for some heat. It was perfect for a cold day. Very hearty and super easy to make.
Hi, Shannon! Oooh, a little spice. I like it! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it!
I love this recipe! It’s so simple and easy to follow. I made the soup and the whole family loved it thank you!
What would you recommend to make it a bit more spicy?
Hi Vivian! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy it as much as we do! You could add the hot Rotel (diced tomatoes with habanero) or sauté some diced jalapeño in with the onion. You could even add some cayenne pepper in with the cumin and oregano. I hope this helps and that y’all continue to enjoy!
Absolutely love this! Have made it 2x so far following the recipe to a T. It’s perfect.
Hi, Jill! Thank you so much. I’m so happy that you enjoy it!
I’m so excited! Question – I’m not a tomatoe girl – can I leave those off and if so, should I add a little liquid of something to make it work?
Hi Trish! I’m so excited for you to try this recipe. Yes, you can leave the cans of diced tomatoes out, but I would recommend adding about 1/2 cup of chicken broth to make up for the liquid that comes with the canned tomatoes. I hope this helps. Enjoy!
Very tasty but not as spicy as Chick-Fil-A’s soup.
This is delicious and even better than the chic fil a soup! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Hi, Amanda! So happy you enjoy it!
From the bottom of my heart you are my hero for this recipe! It’s absolutely amazing!! Chick fil a’s chicken tortilla soup is my favorite and I’m always stocking up when it comes around. Now can make it whenever I want and save some money!
I added some cayenne pepper and skipped the lime, instead used lime tortilla chips. Thank you so so so much!
Hi, Becca! This makes me so happy. I am so glad you enjoy it so much!
Okay, I was a little hesitant because of all the beans in this soup! I thought I would resort to the regular”not creamy copy cat soup” tortilla soup, but my husband talked me out of it. He said” you’ve read all the reviews, and everyone loves it, so give it a try!” I had all the ingredients, so I decided to do it! OMG!! It is amazing!! So Delicious and I followed your receipt exactly as you stated and I watched(video) to be sure I did it all the right way. Super easy!! No doubt, we will be having this frequently, especially now during these cooler nights!!! You are amazing!!! I would like to pass this on, but I want it to be my”go to” pot luck!! Lol! It’s so good, so I will share the recipe!!! I will be following more of your wonderful recipes. I’m sure I won’t be disappointed!!! Like so many others, your recipe is the bomb!!!
Btw, who says you have to serve Turkey for Thanksgiving!! Be unique, make it chicken tortilla soup! 👍🏻 Thank you!!
Hi, Maria! YAY! I’m so glad you gave it a chance. It’s one of my favorite soups ever. I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Best chicken tortilla soup recipe EVER! Idk how you did but it is IDENTICAL in taste and everything AND using puréed beans to thicken it is genius bc it’s healthier and you get more protein! Win-win! I love it. I’ll be making every 1-2 weeks! Thanks!!!!
Hi, Tayllor! Thank you so much. I am thrilled you enjoy it!
Flavor is SPOT ON! Thank you so much for this recipe! I love that there is no dairy- especially since we love adding more lime juice, and curdled milk or cream is never appetizing.
Hi, Janeen! Yay! I’m so glad it hit the spot.
can the leftovers this be fozen
Hi, Kristi! Yes! When frozen correctly, it should last in the freezer for up 3 months. Just let them completely before storing in a freezer-safe plastic container.
AH-mazing!!!! Better than the restaurant and healthier!! Your recipes never disappoint.
Hi, Jennifer! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Maegan – Didn’t believe you when it said as good or better than the original. HOWEVER, we made it and we are true believers!! So good!
Folks, if you’re gonna make it – get a fresh lime. Makes a lot of difference.
Only thing we did differently was to use a small can of black beans instead of a large one (just personal preference). But the recipe is perfect! Thanks so much Maegan!
Hi, Scott! I love it! Made a believer out of you. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it. And thank you for sharing your modifications!
We made it again, and decided the larger can of black beans would be better! Never should have questioned you! Yummy.
Hi, Scott! Ha! I’m not saying I’m always right but this one is a house specialty! I’m so glad you loved it!
Made it cause my son had been craving Chick-fil-A tortilla soup only to find out it was seasonal. I am happy to say that I made your recipe and He Loved It! and so did my husband and I! the only thing we changed since we love spicy food I added two finely diced serrano chiles. It was perfect for us. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Hi Laura! So happy to hear! That’s exactly why I created this recipe is because we crave it year-round and now we can enjoy it all throughout the year. Hope y’all continue to enjoy!
Absolutely delicious! Thank you so much!
So happy to hear, Kay! I hope you enjoy it again and again. 🙂
I’ve made this soup numerous times, and my 16yr old daughter just asked me to make it again. She really loves taking good healthy lunches for school. One question I have is: can I freeze this soup?
Hi, Babs! I’m so happy y’all love it so much! Yes! When frozen correctly, it should last in the freezer for up 3 months.
Just let them completely before storing in a freezer-safe plastic container.
So good!!!!!!!
Neighbor of ours shared with us. I had to have the recipe.
Hi, Sandy! I love hearing that. It’s one of my favorite recipes to share, too. ❤️
So yummy and easy to make!! Better than the original!!
Hi, Maddy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! It is an identical replica of Chick-Fil-A’s soup, maybe even better!
Yay! So happy to hear, Lauren! We think so too! Even better is right 😉
Very easy to prepare. Used an immersion blender to puree the beans to thicken it. I agree with the other comments, better than CFA. Only thing I did different was rinse the black beans. A keeper! When I reheat the leftovers I’ll add chicken broth if too thick. Yummy!
Made this for a potluck at work but there’s enough for dinner and husband said it is the best chicken tortilla soup he has ever had. Very easy to make and it is flavorful and perfect for a cold fall night.
So according to the recipe for 1X, 2X or 3X, you only puree 2 cans of cannellini beans. Then you add the remaining canS if you double or triple the recipe? I would add 1 can of regular rotel and one can of hot. It needed a little “kick”. Soup is always better the next day, so I”m excited to taste.
Followed the recipe exactly and it just tasted like straight corn 🙁
Oh no, Chloe! Are you sure you didn’t leave an ingredient out? Did you add the blended beans. The soup should be very well balanced with the whole beans, blended beans, tomatoes, chicken and corn. Sorry to hear it didn’t turn out as balanced as it should be for you.
Amazing and easy recipe! It looks delicious
This soup is absolutely delicious!! I will be making this soup a lot!! I am quite sure this will be a favorite at our tailgates!! 🙂
I’ve been looking for a simple one… Then, I found this.
Thank you.
“Hi Maegan,
Thanks a lot for posting this. I am hosting a family reunion on Sunday, and I will be preparing your Chik-fil-A Chicken Tortilla soup. I am sure it will be the highlight of the day; will the taste be preserved if I freeze it?”
Hi Claire! So happy to hear you’re making it for your family reunion. I hope everyone enjoyed! Yes, it freezes really well and reheats great. Still very flavorful. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Look I am so sorry. I don’t know if I did something wrong but this was inedible. It ended up with the texture of creamed corn, the flavor was completely off and I feel like I wasted so much food to make it. It must just be me because all of the other comments are positive. I’m glad others have enjoyed it though.
Oh no, Amy! Did you follow the ingredients and instructions exactly? It sound like you might have added too much corn or forgot to add some of the other ingredients. I hope you have a chance to try the recipe again soon with delicious success!
I loved this recipe! Tasted so good.. and so easy! I substituted chicken breasts that I poached in broth, Urban Accents spicy chili lime seasoning from Costco, and lime juice.
Any idea where the sodium content is.
.thank you.
Hi Dell! I don’t provide nutritional information at this time because everyone uses different brands of ingredients which often have differing nutritional values. I would recommend plugging the ingredients you use into a free online nutrition calculator like: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator Hope this helps. Enjoy!
This turned out so good! I like how it was so simple to make and so quick to cook. I will say that I did add a tablespoon of chicken bouillon to mine and I felt that it enhanced the flavor very well. Thank you so much for such a great recipe. This one is a keeper 😀
This was a GREAT soup and so easy – open can & dump! Made for my cousin who just had a baby. Sue loved, her husband loved, I loved! I’m a big fan of a thicker, creamier soup, so the 2 cans of puréed beans were perfect. Will absolutely make again….and again!
Excellent recipe!!! This made for a fantastic meal for cold and windy day. Keep them coming.😊
Easy and so delicious! I love using pureed beans as the base. Found my Go To Tortilla Soup recipe!
It is delicious and easy to make. Thank you!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoy it as much as we do. Continue to enjoy!
This was delicious and very much tasted like the CFA tortilla soup. I did choose to omit one can of cannelini beans (the ones that were not pureed) and a can of regular corn – this was just personal preference. I froze the extra soup flat in freezer bags and it warmed well at work for a quick lunch.
I was making another recipe yesterday that called for heavy cream and I used your canned beans idea as a creamy substitute. GO YOU!!!! !!! Terrific healthy idea.
Love, love, love! I make this in bulk and freeze it for quick meals at work. The flavors are on point and I add extra chicken breast to make it higher protein. YUM!
Great base, but in my opinion it could do without the cumin and could do with more spice. Will update this with my tweaks next time I make it. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds great, Bovi! Our kids don’t love a lot of spice so I keep it just the way it is because this is hands down their favorite meal. Sometimes, I’ll add a little extra spice to my individual bowl though. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing this recipe I can’t wait to try it. Do you have one for go CFA chicken noodle soup?
Hi Tee! I don’t have a copycat for CFA’s chicken noodle here on the blog, but I have an amazing chicken noodle soup recipe in my Spectacular Spreads cookbook: https://thebakermama.com/spectacular-spreads/ Enjoy!
Wowwww! Made this last year couldn’t find my recipe so I used this one I DON’t REGRET IT and will never look back. Each ingredient plays a huge and crucial part and please don’t be lazy! Blend the beans! I realized that was the thick mix so I didn’t have to use starch, the corn is a natural sweetener. Best tortilla soup ever
Amazing, wonderful, Fantastic
Family and coworkers love this soup so much. Coworkers want me to bring for potluck & holiday meals.
SHHH, do not tell anyone this, vanilla orange icecream is great after having this great soup.
So yummy am try it last say
its supper cool in taste
you made my day
thank you so much
Maegan, I made your soup recipr and it turned out perfect. I used a stick blender for puréeing the cannellini beans—easier cleanup than a blender. And a question: would it alter the taste of the soup if I drained the black beans? I didn’t like how it changed the color of the soup! Thank you for the recipe! I have seven 2-cup containers of soup in my freezer!
Hi Carol! So happy to hear. You can definitely drain and rinse the black beans. It won’t change the overall deliciousness of the soup. Continue to enjoy!
Thank you, Maegan! It was delicious and it freezes and reheats so well without flavor sacrificed!
So happy to hear, Carol! Continue to enjoy!
Absolutely fabulous! I’ve wanted a recipe like CFA’s for some time. Truly enjoyed this recipe and from now on this is my go to chicken tortilla soup recipe. I never post reviews so you made a mark. Great job!
Recipe was easy and delicious… very close to Chick-fil-a. I did add in some “Better than Boullion Roasted chicken base” that gave it a little more chicken flavor. Thank you for sharing this.
Love, love, love this soup! I’ve made it multiples times and just came back again to get the recipe to make this week. I figured I’d leave a review because we love it so much! 🙂
Hi Maegan,
Copycat recipes are my favorite, so I can’t wait to make this soup! I haven’t seen too many copycat Chick-Fil-A recipes out there. I am going to make a pot this weekend for sure. Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Any ideas on how to make in the instant pot?
Hi Monica! I haven’t tested the recipe in our instant pot so I couldn’t say for sure. Here’s a good article on converting stovetop soups to the instant pot: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/how-to-convert-a-recipe-from-stove-top-to-instant-pot-with-vegan-recipes/ Hope this helps. Enjoy!
While this recipe is very good it tastes nothing like chick-fil-a’s chicken tortilla soup. The Chick-fil-A soup has more of a chili flavor with no tomatoes and pinto beans instead of canellini beans.
Love this!! Do you have directions for cooking in an Instant Pot?
Hi Deborrah! I haven’t tried it in the Instant Pot because it’s so quick to make on the stovetop. Sorry I can’t be of help with exact instructions and timing for success in the Instant Pot.
hi i made this and it was very good!! i was wondering if i could use retried beans instead of the blended beans next time since that’s what i have. thanks!
Hi Brooke! Yes, you can definitely use refried beans, but the taste will be more of a pinto bean flavor. Just be sure to stir the refried beans in well so there’s not clumps throughout the soup. Enjoy!
Made it tonight and it is awesome! Will need to add some extra spices to make this spicy, but is an amazing soup nonetheless!!
We love this recipe! I serve with tortilla strips, chips, and cornbread on the side. This is the time of year for it.
We made this recipe tonight and WOW! It came together so easy, was loaded with healthy ingredients, and tasted delicious! We served with a little sprinkle of cheese on top along with the tortillas and it was delicious. This will definitely be a recipe I add into our regular rotation!
I just had CFA chicken tortilla soup . It was soo delicious! I thought there might be a copy cat recipe on the internet. Found yours! I’m making it tomorrow. Thanks for sharing !
I’m one of those who got excited every year when this was at Chick Fil A. I used to joke with the managers that they need to sell a five gallon container.
Well it hit me that someone had to have figured out the recipe by now!
Well, let me just say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! It was spot on!❤️
Would love for you to try and recreate their chicken noodle soup!!
Hi Danielle! I definitely need to do that. It’s so good too! I’ll add it to my recipe testing list. Stay tuned…
Can I sub cannelini for Northern bean?
Hi KH! Yes, they’re interchangeable beans and either works great in this recipe. Enjoy!
Made this for my family and it was a hit. I wonder if you could can this? I would love to have it on my pantry shelf to be able to grab, heat and eat.