Keto Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

My Keto Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup is bursting with flavor. Made in the Instant Pot, the juicy chicken, chile peppers, and roasted cauliflower come together beautifully. Slow cooker and stovetop directions included!

The explosive flavors in this Keto Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup come from simple ingredients! Juicy chicken thighs, roasted cauliflower, tomatoes, and just the right amount of chile peppers give this soup layers of flavor without being too spicy. 

This is a keto-friendly and low carb take on the classic chipotle chicken tortilla soup. We’re using pork rinds instead of the fried tortilla chips on top! Still crunchy and tasty, pork rinds are the perfect keto topping, along with fresh vegetables, sour cream, and lime wedges.

Go ahead and easily make this soup in the Instant Pot or use your slow cooker or a pot on the stove instead. All three cooking methods are easy, fast, and result in delicious leftovers to enjoy with my hearty smoked salmon tacos.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Chicken thighs – Boneless and skinless chicken thighs are so juicy and tender. You can easily replace these with chicken breasts or stir in pre-cooked shredded chicken once the soup is ready.
• Roasted cauliflower – The magical flavors that are released from cauliflower that’s been roasted in the oven are remarkable. Just let the florets roast as you prepare the rest of the soup.
• Onion, garlic, and jalapeños – For flavor and a little spice. Leave the seeds in the jalapenos to add more heat.
• Chipotle in adobo peppers – This is what gives the soup its signature Mexican flavors. You should be able to find these in a can at most grocery stores.
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes – Combined with the broth, the tomatoes add texture and a tomatoey base. For extra texture, fiber, and protein, add in a can of cooked black beans!
• Seasonings – Like smoked paprika and cumin.
• Chicken broth – Feel free to swap this with vegetable broth or homemade chicken broth.
• Lime – You’ll need both the lime zest and juice for extra tang.

How to make Keto Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Instant Pot

1. Roast the cauliflower: Season the cauliflower florets and bake while you prepare the soup.
2. Saute the veggies: Turn the Instant Pot to Saute mode and saute the onion, garlic, and jalapeño in oil.
3. Add the rest of the soup ingredients: Add in the chicken to get a nice sear. Then add the chiles, seasonings, broth, and tomatoes.
4. Cook the soup: Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Let the pressure quick release fully.
5. Shred the chicken and serve: Use two forks to shred the chicken in the pot or on a plate and then stir in the lime and cilantro. Place the roasted cauliflower in bowls and ladle the soup on top. Add your toppings and enjoy!

Slow cooker instructions

Add all of the keto tortilla soup ingredients into the bowl of a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours. 

When it’s done, shred the chicken and stir in the lime and cilantro. Serve in bowls on top of the roasted cauliflower and the rest of the toppings.

Stovetop instructions

Saute the onion, jalapeños, and garlic in a large pot. Add the chicken, chipotle chilies, paprika, cumin, and salt. Once it’s fragrant, stir in the broth and tomatoes and simmer until the chicken is cooked.

When it’s done, shred the chicken and stir in the lime and cilantro. Serve in bowls on top of the roasted cauliflower and the rest of the toppings.

What to serve with keto and low-carb tortilla soup

It isn’t a tortilla soup without the toppings. Top the soup with pork rinds to replace the traditional tortilla chips, and then add avocados, lime wedges, radishes, cilantro, cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.

Make this a full meal with the right side dishes and appetizers, like Spanish rice, corn salad, cauliflower rice, shrimp tacos, radicchio salad, chips, and salsa, or buffalo chicken tenders. 

Storing, freezing, and reheating

I would recommend storing the roasted cauliflower and soup separately to ensure the cauliflower keeps its firm texture. Keep the leftover soup in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

You can reheat the soup in a pot on the stove over medium heat or for a few minutes in the microwave (making sure the stir in between each minute).

More soup recipes to try

Slurp on these flavorful and easy soup recipes for dinner or lunch:

• Keto Zuppa Toscana Soup
• Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup
• Easy Lasagna Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

If you give this Keto Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup a try, let me know what you think. Leave a comment and don’t forget to take a picture tag me on Instagram or use #lenaskitchenblog to be featured in my stories! I love seeing what you come up with!

Keto Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

5 from 4 votes

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Lena Gladstone

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My Keto Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup is bursting with flavor. Made in the Instant Pot, the juicy chicken, chile peppers, and roasted cauliflower come together beautifully. Slow cooker and stovetop directions included!

Ingredients

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1-2 large jalapeños, seeded and chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 lbs chicken thighs, boneless skinless
• 3-4 chipotle in adobo peppers, chopped
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, add more to taste
• 6 cups chicken broth, low sodium
• 14 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes, canned
• 1 large lime, zested and juiced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Roasted Cauliflower

• 4 cups cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp kosher salt

Optional Soup Toppings

• pork rinds, or tortilla chips
• 2 large avocados, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 1 medium lime, cut into wedges
• 3 radishes, thinly sliced
• 6 tbsp cotija cheese, crumbled or sub with feta cheese or skip for dairy-free option
• 6 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

Instructions

Roasted Cauliflower

• Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
• Cut the cauliflower florets into small bite-size pieces. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and ¼ salt. Add to the baking sheet.
  
• Bake cauliflower florets for 12 minutes. Flip halfway. Transfer to soup bowls.
  

Instant Pot instructions

• In the bowl of the Instant Pot, on Sauté mode, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the whole pieces of chicken, sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add the chopped chipotle chilies, paprika, cumin, and salt. Stir to combine.
  
• Add the broth and canned tomatoes. Cover and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Quick release the pressure.
  
• Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred the meat using two forks. Add it back into the Instant Pot. Zest the lime, then squeeze in the lime juice, and add the chopped cilantro. Stir to combine.
  
• Divide the cauliflower between bowls, then ladle the soup over top of the cauliflower. Top each bowl with avocado, a tablespoon of crumbled cotija cheese, radishes, a wedge of lime, cilantro, and pork rinds.

Slow Cooker Instructions

• In your slow cooker bowl, add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, chopped chipotle chilies, paprika, cumin, and salt. Then add the chicken, the broth, and canned tomatoes. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred using two forks. Add it back into the slow cooker. Zest the lime, then squeeze in the lime juice, and add the chopped cilantro. Stir to combine.
• Divide the cauliflower between bowls, then ladle the soup over top of the cauliflower. Top each bowl with avocado, a tablespoon of crumbled cotija cheese, radishes, a wedge of lime, cilantro, and pork rinds.

Stove-Top Instructions

• In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeños, and garlic, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, chopped chipotle chilies, paprika, cumin, and salt. Stir and cook for 5 more minutes, until very fragrant. Add the broth and tomatoes. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred using two forks. Add it back into the pot. Zest the lime, then squeeze in the lime juice, and add the chopped cilantro. Stir to combine.
• Divide the cauliflower between bowls, then ladle the soup over top of the cauliflower. Top each bowl with avocado, a tablespoon of crumbled cotija cheese, radishes, a wedge of lime, cilantro, and pork rinds.

Notes

Notes: You can use boneless chicken breast instead of chicken thighs. If you’re not doing Keto, you can substitute pork rinds for tortilla chips. You can add a can of black beans for more fiber.

To store: Keep the leftover soup in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To freeze: Keep the leftover soup in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat: Reheat the soup in a pot on the stove over medium heat or for a few minutes in the microwave (making sure the stir in between each minute).

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: cauliflower, cauliflower recipe, instant pot, keto, keto dinner, low carb, low carb dinner, soup

Nutrition

Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 2430mg | Potassium: 1064mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1393IU | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 3mg