Chicken Tortilla Soup is offered each fall on the menu at Chick-fil-A. It’s a seasonal offering and loaded with shredded chicken, navy beans, black beans, vegetables and spices. Made with a creamy broth, it has always been one of our favorite fall soups.
There’s no need to pull through the drive-thru to grab a bowl of this delicious soup, especially when you can make Copycat Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Tortilla Soup at home. Hearty, creamy and slightly spicy, it warms you from the inside out.
And before you ask, NO, it doesn’t have tomatoes in it like most tortilla soup recipes. It’s a hearty combination of navy beans, shredded chicken, vegetables and spices. The base of the soup is creamy and delicious, making a substantial bowl of warm and inviting Chicken Tortilla Soup.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
Although Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Tortilla Soup made its debut on the drive-thru menu in 2012, its origins go back much farther than that. Samuel Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A, served the soup at his first restaurant known as Dwarf House in Hapeville Georgia. It became so popular that he decided later to use it as a seasonal offering at his Chick-fil-A restaurants each fall.
This comforting soup can be made right in your own kitchen. Chicken, navy beans, black beans, corn, green chiles and vegetables come together to make a slightly spicy bowl of thick, creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup.
What kind of beans should I use?
In this soup, it’s all about the beans! They form the backbone of the soup, making it hearty and creamy. There are two kinds of beans in this recipe for Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup.
One full pound of dried navy beans are used in this recipe. One cup of canned black beans are added for even more texture and color. I rinsed and drained the navy beans, then boiled them for 10 minutes, removed the beans from the heat and allowed them to sit for 2 hours to soften before adding them to the soup. One pound of dried navy beans costs about $1.49, making this an affordable choice.
If you are able to locate canned navy beans, you can also use those in this soup recipe. You will need 3 1/2 to 4 cans of beans (drained) to equal one pound of beans. And while it may cost a bit more, it cuts down on the amount of time it takes to make the soup.
How to prepare the beans?
- Pour the dried beans into a mesh strainer and rinse them thoroughly with cool water. Remove any stones or broken beans.
- Soften the beans by placing them in a large bowl or pot and covering them with 3-4 inches of water. Let sit at room temperature overnight to soften.
- For the quick method, boil beans in water for 10 minutes, turn off the heat, cover the pot and allow them to sit for two hours until soft.
Copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
BEANS– One pound of navy beans and one cup of black beans are used in this soup. They add texture, fiber, flavor and creaminess.
CHICKEN– Two chicken breasts or 1 1/2 pounds of cooked and shredded chicken is needed for this recipe.
CHICKEN BROTH– I used 4 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of water for the soup.
AROMATICS– Chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic are used to create the base of the broth for the soup, along with spices like chili powder, cumin and white pepper.
VEGETABLES– Red peppers chunks and corn add sweetness and green chiles provide warm heat.
HEAVY CREAM– Stir in 1 cup of heavy cream during the last 15 minutes of cooking to make the broth thick and creamy.
How to make Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup
Step-by-step Instructions:
- See notes on how to prepare the navy beans, if using dried beans.
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the navy beans, chicken broth, red pepper, shredded chicken, corn, 1 cup of water and green chiles. Add the chili powder, cumin and white pepper and simmer for one hour, allowing the spices to blend and beans to soften completely.
- Stir in 1 cup of black beans and 1 cup of heavy cream, simmer for 15 minutes until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with sour cream and crispy tortilla strips. Recipe makes 8 servings.
Can I make Chick-fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup in the slow cooker?
Yes, once the beans have soaked and softened, add them along with all ingredients, except the heavy cream to the slow cooker. Cook on high heat for 4 hours. Stir in the heavy cream during the last 30 minutes of cooking to thicken the soup. Salt and pepper to taste.
Got leftovers? Allow it to cool and store leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Portion the soup into freezer containers and place them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried navy beans, prepared as instructed below (or use canned navy beans, drained)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped or shredded
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
- 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast, cooked and shredded
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sweet corn, drained
- 1 cup black beans, drained
- 6 ounces green chiles, 2 3-ounce cans
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- See notes below on how to prepare the navy beans, if using dried beans.
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the navy beans, chicken broth, red pepper, shredded chicken, corn, 1 cup of water and green chiles. Add the chili powder, cumin and white pepper and simmer for one hour, allowing the spices to blend and beans to soften completely.
- Stir in 1 cup of black beans and 1 cup of heavy cream, simmer for 15 minutes until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with sour cream and crispy tortilla strips. Recipe makes 8 servings.
Equipment
- 1 mesh strainer
- 1 large soup pot
- 1 sharp knife
Notes
- Pour the dried beans into a mesh strainer and rinse them thoroughly with cool water. Remove any stones or broken beans.
- Soften the beans by placing them in a large bowl or pot and covering them with 3-4 inches of water. Let sit at room temperature overnight to soften.
- For the quick method, boil beans in water for 10 minutes, turn off the heat, cover the pot and allow them to sit for two hours until soft.