Chicken Tortilla Soup
This Chicken Tortilla Soup delivers 68g protein and 1689 calories total across 4 servings — substantial protein in a single bowl. Quick stovetop prep makes this ideal for cold-weather meal prep or when you're eating one large meal daily. Built for strength athletes who need calorie-dense meals that don't require constant reheating.
Ingredients
- •Pasilla Chile, Dried
- •Canned Diced Tomatoes
- •Olive oil(30g)
Regular (not extra-virgin) olive oil for high-heat cooking. EVOO for dressings.
- •Yellow Onion
- •Garlic
- •Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- •Epazote, Fresh
- •Chicken Breast, Boneless Skinless(567g)
Boneless skinless. Buy in bulk and freeze — Costco rotisserie packs work too.
- •Avocado
- •Cheese, Monterey Jack, 2%(170g)
- •Tortilla Chips, Corn, Plain(960g)
- •Crema, Mexican(120g)
Regular or fat-free both work. Fat-free is thinner but saves ~40 cal/serving.
- •Lime
- •Cilantro, Fresh(120g)
- •Cheese, Cotija, Crumbled(120g)
Instructions
- 1Quickly toast a chile by turning it an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until its aroma fills the kitchen. (Lacking an open flame, toast it in a dry pan over medium heat, pressing it flat for a few seconds, then flipping it over and pressing it again.) Repeat with second chile if desired. Break the chile into pieces and put in a blender jar along with the tomatoes with their juice. (A food processor will work, though it won’t completely puree the chile.)
- 2Heat the oil in a medium (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 7 minutes. Scoop up the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon, pressing them against the side of the pan to leave behind as much oil as possible, and transfer to the blender. Process until smooth.
- 3Return the pan to medium-high heat. When quite hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly, until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. Add the broth and epazote, if using. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about a generous teaspoon (depending on the saltiness of the broth).
- 4Just before serving, add the chicken to the simmering broth. Divide the avocado, cheese and tortilla chips between serving bowls. When the chicken is done, usually about 5 minutes, ladle the soup into the bowls. Garnish with the crema, cilantro, and extra cotija cheese and tortilla chips if desired. Pass the lime separately.
Nutrition — Per Serving
1689
calories
68g
protein
86g
fat
- Carbohydrates
- 166g
- Saturated fat
- 19.8g
- Sodium
- 1632 mg
- Dietary fiber
- 13.8g
4 servings per batch · ~522g each
Macro data sourced from USDA FoodData Central
AI Swap Engine
Set up your profile to enable swaps →Common questions
How much protein does Chicken Tortilla Soup have per serving?
This recipe provides 68g of protein and 1689 calories per serving with 86g fat and 166g carbs. Note: these are very high per-serving numbers, suggesting this is a full-batch calculation or intended as a multi-person meal rather than individual portions.
How long does Chicken Tortilla Soup take to prep?
Listed as quick prep on the stovetop with 4 servings, though the calorie and macro density suggests verifying serving size before logging. Batch cooking soup allows for reheating throughout the week.
Is Chicken Tortilla Soup good for muscle gain?
At 68g protein per serving, this soup supports muscle gain when consumed as part of a structured meal plan with appropriate calorie surplus. The 166g carbs and 86g fat per serving are substantial, so account for this when programming your full daily intake around training.
