Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup, High Protein Meal Prep 1

Soups and chilis are the real MVP in the winter. When I can load that much fiber and protein into a set-and-forget meal, I literally want to do a happy dance. And if you’re new to meal prepping, soups and chilis are the perfect place to start. Simply dump in your ingredients into the slow cooker or Instant Pot and let the appliance do all the cooking for you. The flavors meld together beautifully and, unlike salads that can start to wilt after a couple days, chilis and soups only get BETTER with time. Soups and chilis also freeze well… they’re essentially a meal prepper’s dream come true.

Watch Me Prepare It:

Are Frozen and Canned Veggies Up to Par?

Canned and frozen vegetables contain just as many nutrients as fresh, but they’re more accessible and affordable in the cold months. Frozen vegetables, in particular, are picked at the peak of season to lock in the freshness. Almost ALL of the vegetables in my homemade soups/ chilis are made with frozen and/or canned veggies. Nowadays, soup blends like mirepox and Tuscan vegetables are readily available in the grocery store, making it easier than ever to whip up a meal.

Instant Pot Tortilla Soup Recipe, Instant Pot Meal Prep

50% Creamy, 50% Dreamy

A 1/3 cup of cream goes a really long way to make this soup velvety. Other ingredients include shredded chicken breast, fire roasted tomatoes, green chilis, enchilada sauce, black beans, corn, and a little cream cheese. The first time I prepped this, I also added a can of diced jalapeno peppers which was the RIGHT CHOICE—but it did make it a bit spicy. Add jalapenos at your own risk!

Work That Instant Pot

Instant Pot Tortilla Soup Recipe, Instant Pot Meal Prep 2

This soup is made entirely in your Instant Pot using two different settings:

First, we’re sautéing the onions using the SAUTE function.

Warning: The SAUTE feature heats up HOT and FAST. Don’t overcook those onions, one to two minutes is perfect.

Next, use the POULTRY function to cook the chicken through and get the flavors melding together.
Finally, we’re going to go back to SAUTE to work in the frozen corn and black beans and let it all simmer together. Like I mentioned, the sauté function gets pretty hot, making it a great choice for the final simmer.

You got this, and if you need some visual guidance, I’ve included a video above.

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If you love this soup as much as I do, please let me know! Tag #fuelingfunction in your recipe photos or send me a message and let me know how it went!

Log recipe in My Fitness Pal

490 cal | 18g Fat | 53g Carb | 41g Protein | 12g Fiber

Instant Pot Chicken

tortilla soup

Yield: About 6 bowls

PANTRY INGREDIENTS

2 cups chicken broth
1 can enchilada sauce (I love Hatch brand)
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1.5 cans black beans (rinsed)
1 7oz can diced green chilies
1 4oz can jalapenos (optional for spice)
Oil drizzle

GROCERY INGREDIENTS

3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1/2 white onion (diced thin)
1 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup cream (you can also sub with coconut or cashew milk)
1/4 cup cream cheese (softened)
Topping options: Tortilla strips, fresh jalapenos, cheese

SPICES

1 tbsp + 1 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder

Instructions

Press the SAUTE function of your Instant Pot and drizzle 1 TBSP oil into the base. Once it’s warm, add diced onions.
Saute onions until they’re fragrant (1 to 2 minutes) then turn the Instant Pot off.
Add chicken broth, chicken breasts, enchilada sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, diced green chiles, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper, and diced jalapenos (optional). Stir well.
Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and seal the vent (upward position)
Press the POULTRY function and adjust time cook to 12 minutes if necessary.
After it beeps, allow the Instant Pot to natural release for 5 minutes, then turn the sealing knob to release the remaining steam.
Remove chicken breasts and shred them with two forks. Add shredded chicken back into the pot, followed by rinsed black beans and frozen corn.
Press the SAUTE function again and let all ingredients simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Last step: Stir in your cream and cream cheese until it’s smooth and combined.

If meal prepping,

Ladle soup into 6 containers and allow them to cool slightly before adding the lid. I recommend using containers with secure lids to avoid a soup spill!