Easy And Delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe To Try This Fall

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 oz skinless chicken breasts, shredded
• 2 tbsp cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 ½ tbsp onion
• 1 ½ tbsp carrots
• 1 ½  tbsp celery
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ¾ medium avocado
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• scallion (garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place olive oil, onion, carrots, and celery in a saucepan or a large pot.  
2. Turn pressure cooker to medium-low heat and cover. Cook it on low for 10 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste and smoked paprika. Cook on low for 5 minutes.
4. Add broth and chicken. Cook for 10 mins.
5. Add salt/pepper to taste. Garnish with scallions or fresh cilantro.
6. Ladle soup in a bowl and serve with avocado and cheese crackers/sour cream.

What Is Sweating?

Sweating refers to cooking vegetables in a small amount of oil at a very low heat to pull out the flavor. People use this method to add a deep flavor to soups and sauces, such as this chicken tortilla soup. It is especially useful when using ingredients like onions or garlic cloves. The key to sweating vegetables is cooking on low/slow heat. Try to avoid any browning color on the vegetables. Think of it like steeping tea.

What Makes This Chicken Tortilla Soup Delicious and Keto-Friendly?

I would not introduce this best chicken tortilla soup recipe if there wasn’t something special about it. So, what makes it unique among other soup recipes? The ingredients! I will discuss each ingredient below to let you know why it’s keto-friendly, the nutrition you can take advantage of, and its other health benefits.

Chicken

Chicken recipes are one of the many favorite recipes today because they are delicious and nutritious. Chicken is a poultry product that can be grass-fed or grain-fed. I always recommend getting grass-fed because their meat gives high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which is a healthy fat. Five ounces of it has zero grams of net carbs. It has the following nutrients you can benefit from:

• Iron
• Calcium
• Protein
• Potassium
• Sodium

  
Iron, for example, is an important mineral for your body as it is mostly present in your red blood cells. A good level of iron in your body can help eliminate fatigue and plays a crucial role in the function of your immune system. 

Calcium is essential for the creation and maintenance of your bones. As you age, calcium levels start to go down. This can significantly affect your teeth and bones where calcium mostly resides. This is why it is important to increase the levels of this nutrient to keep your teeth and bones stronger.

Sodium is a mineral that aids in regulating body fluid as its channels and gateways help regulate the extracellular fluid in the body and pump water into your cells. Your brain can also benefit from sodium as low levels of it manifest lethargy and confusion. Good levels of sodium in the body are essential for brain development and keep the mind sharp. Sodium plays an important role in taking care of your skin health as well because it hydrates and moisturizes the skin, keeping it healthy. 

Olive Oil

This oil is a type of healthy fat from olives making it a great keto ingredient. You can use olive oil as a keto alternative to your other recipes that require oil. It is also rich in iron, which is vital for your muscle health. You can find the nutrient in your muscle tissues as it aids in providing oxygen for muscle contraction. Without iron, your muscles lose their elasticity and tone.

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Smoked Paprika

Smoked paprika is made from pimiento peppers. What makes this keto-friendly is it only has few carbs. A teaspoon of smoked paprika contains only 1.17 g of carbs. This spice also has Vitamin A and protein. 

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble compound essential for eye health. Your eyes need Vitamin A to convert the light entering your eyes into an electrical signal sent to your brain. People who suffer from night blindness may be deficient in the vitamin. 

Protein is crucial for the cells in your body. Hair and nails are made of a tough protein called alpha-keratin. This nutrient is also important in building and repairing tissue and is a building block of your blood, skin, cartilage, muscles, and bones. 

Onion

Onions are one of the healthiest ingredients you can find. They are keto-friendly because they are low in carbohydrates. Onions are also rich in the following nutrients:

• Magnesium
• Vitamin B6
• Iron
• Vitamin C
• Calcium
• Protein
• Potassium
• Dietary fiber 

 Magnesium, for example, is a macromineral essential for the maintenance of your heart muscles and the electrical signal transmission in the body. It is also important in the formation of your bones as it aids in assimilating calcium into your bones. 

Vitamin B6 may help regulate your mood as the vitamin is necessary for producing neurotransmitters that stimulate emotions. It can also help minimize your risk of heart disease since it plays a role in decreasing homocysteine which is linked to various disease processes.  

Homocysteine Definition: An amino acid in the body that may increase the risk of heart disease when there are high levels of it.

Carrots

Carrots are also a nutritious ingredient in many recipes. This keto chicken tortilla soup recipe only requires 1 ½ tbsp of it, which contains about 1.2 g of carbs. It’s not much for this soup. This colorful veggie contains the following nutrients:

• Omega-6
• Fiber
• Protein
• Water

Omega-6 fatty acids, for example, are essential for your body, but your body cannot naturally produce them. You need to get them from food because they are crucial for brain function and can help keep a healthy reproductive system, regulate metabolism, maintain bone health, and stimulate hair and skin growth. 

Fiber aids in normalizing your bowel movements as it makes your stool bulky by increasing its weight and size. This decreases the risk of constipation for a healthy bowel movement.

Celery

Celery is a marshland plant with its stalks and leaves usually eaten. It is great for your ketogenic diet because it's low in carbs and calories. The veggie is rich in the following nutrients:

• Potassium
• Calcium
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Fiber
• Sodium
• Protein

Potassium, for example, is an electrolyte that helps regulate fluid balance in the body, which is responsible for determining how much water should be in the cells. The electrolyte is also essential for relaying messages between your body and brain, which helps to regulate the heartbeat, reflexes, and muscle contractions. 

Vitamin C is an antioxidant acting to protect cells from environmental damage by neutralizing free radicals. This vitamin is also water-soluble serving as a diuretic, which lets your kidneys eliminate more water and sodium from your body, thus, relaxing the blood vessel walls resulting in low blood pressure. 

Tomato Paste (Tomato)

Tomatoes are naturally rich in nutrients, too, and they only contain few carbs. The standard tomato only has 4 g of carbs, which is good for your keto diet. You can get the following nutrients from tomatoes:

• Fiber
• Protein
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Phosphorus
• Potassium
• Calcium

Phosphorus, for example, is one of the most plentiful minerals in your body. It helps facilitate nerve conduction, assist in muscle contraction, filter out waste in your kidneys, and build strong teeth and bones. Too low or too high of this mineral can lead to medical issues like joint pain, fatigue, and heart disease.

Scallions

Scallions are a variety of young onions, and because they are technically onions, they are also low in carbs. This makes them a great addition to your keto-friendly recipes, such as this chicken tortilla soup. They have the following nutrients:

• Magnesium
• Vitamin B6
• Iron
• Vitamin C
• Calcium
• Vitamin A
• Protein
• Fiber
• Potassium

In addition to the health benefits of potassium mentioned above, this nutrient is great for your muscles. Potassium provides your body with the components necessary for energy production to improve performance in your workout and improve muscle mass. The nutrient also helps you build muscles as it joins with magnesium to promote muscle growth, control, and contraction.  

If you are trying to warm your body up in a healthy and delicious way, this gluten-free chicken tortilla soup can do that for you. It’s easy and simple to make so you can even share with other keto dieters you know. Just make some adjustments to the ingredients if you plan to let others taste it. Enjoy!

Have you tried making a keto-friendly chicken tortilla soup? What ingredients did you use? Share them in the comments section below!

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Disclaimer: Our educational content is not meant or intended for medical advice or treatment.

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for quality and relevancy.