By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 12, 2026
Serves 4
668 cal · 45 min
Healthy Chicken & Quinoa Tortilla Soup
Recipe GLPR4461198171a34b
A vibrant, nourishing soup combining tender poached chicken, nutritious quinoa, and fresh vegetables in a savory tomato broth, topped with crispy tortilla strips, creamy avocado, and fresh cilantro.
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Ingredients
1 tablespoon cooking oil
14g fajita seasoning mix
1 large chicken breast, about 300g
750ml filtered water
400g tomato passata
½ cup uncooked quinoa
1 green bell pepper, deseeded and diced
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 can (435g) black beans, drained and rinsed
3 flour tortillas, cut into strips
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 lime, cut into wedges
A handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
½ cup grated cheese, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Heat the cooking oil in a medium pot over low heat. Add the fajita seasoning mix and stir constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Place the whole chicken breast into the pot and toss gently to coat it with the seasoning mixture. Cook for a few seconds, then pour in the filtered water.
Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Poach the chicken breast until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (about 15-20 minutes), ensuring it is thoroughly cooked.
Carefully remove the chicken breast from the broth and place it on a plate to cool slightly.
Add the tomato passata, uncooked quinoa, diced green bell pepper, frozen corn kernels, and drained black beans to the broth. Increase heat to high until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
While the soup simmers, shred the cooled chicken breast into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
Heat a separate skillet over medium-high heat with a small amount of oil. Add the tortilla strips and toast, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel to drain.
Dice the avocado and drizzle lightly with lime juice to prevent browning.
After 30 minutes, the soup is ready. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Ladle the soup into four bowls. Top each serving with shredded chicken, crispy tortilla strips, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, a lime wedge, and grated cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
Comments
This soup lands solidly in the weeknight rotation: every ingredient is standard at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI, or Kroger, with no special stops required. Cost runs roughly $2.50 to $3.00 per serving, driven mainly by the chicken breast and avocado; use store-brand fajita seasoning and passata to keep it down. The stated 45 minutes is honest if you're shopping ahead, though chopping the pepper, cooking chicken, and simmering the base takes real attention and won't compress much. It reheats well for lunch the next day, and the recipe naturally scales for a family—just note that avocado browns quickly, so add it at the table rather than stirring it in.
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