On The Border Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe [Copycat Version]

On The Border chicken tortilla soup recipe is one of the most comforting and flavorful classic Mexican soups I have personally ever tasted. Whenever I visit the On The Border restaurant, I grab a cup of their chicken tortilla soup and every time I get amazed.

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This recipe is loaded with rotisserie chicken, sautéed zucchini and squash, bold and zesty On The Border salsa, and a rich, savory chicken broth. Along with these crispy tortilla chips add the perfect crunch, while toppings like avocado, cheese, and rice let everyone build their own perfect bowl. It’s simple to make with flexible ingredients you likely already have.

And if you can’t find one, I have also given some alternatives for several hard-to-find ingredients.

Inspired by the famous On The Border restaurant, this copycat version delivers all the warmth and rich charm right from your stovetop.

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients that you’ll need to prepare this amazing On The Border chicken tortilla soup recipe:

1. OTB Cafe style tortilla chips: These crispy chips create a flavorful, crunchy base for the soup. It soaks up the soup while adding texture. As you follow the recipe, you will know that we have used it lightly in the soup at last for extra crispiness and ultimate satisfaction.
2. Yellow and green zucchini: These fresh veggies add subtle sweetness and heartiness, balancing out the heat of the broth.
3. OTB Salsa (Mild or Hot): If you know the Mexican restaurant On The Border, you might know this product. This is a flavorful blend of tomatoes, onions, water, tomato paste, jalapeno peppers, and many more seasonings. This is why I love it so much that you don’t need to think about the seasoning much if you add it. Yet, you can add some seasonings to the recipe if you want. But typically, you would not want to do so. Currently, they are producing two types of salsas: mild and hot. If you don’t like spice much, then use mild, and if you do, then go for hot. I use mild because I, along with my children, don’t love too spicy recipes.
4. Avocados: Avocados at the top add a creamy, cooling contrast to the spicy soup, enhancing richness and visual appeal. (*note: want to give a pro tip about squeezing lime juice over slices to keep them vibrant)
5. Chicken broth: It creates the juice, or you can say base, for the soup. It acts as the flavorful liquid foundation, tying all ingredients together. You can use low-sodium broth if you prefer more control over salt. I am too cautious about fat ingredients. So, I used the broth that had the label 99.9% fat-free.
6. Rotisserie chicken: This is the main ingredient of this On The Border chicken tortilla soup. Make sure to debone them and cut them into your desired pieces before using them to cook.
7. Cooked Rice: It is quite optional because I have previously experienced that when you put rice in the soup, the rice soaks up the broth or the juice. This dries up the soup and makes it worse. You can use white rice or Mexican rice, or any type of rice you like.
8. Mexican Shredded cheese: I use this creamy, melty cheese to decorate the bowl full of soup. It adds richness and a savory depth to each bite.
9. Carrots (optional): This is a completely optional ingredient. If you can just use them in the soup while you are adding all the other veggies. They give natural sweetness and vibrant color to the dish, making the soup more robust and nutritious. Make the slices thinner to get a softer texture.
10. Onions (optional): As you know that the OTB salsa already contains onions. But still, if you want, you can saute the onions a bit and use them in the soup to enhance the flavors even more.

Possible Substitutions/Alternatives

Among all these ingredients, the only ingredient that you will not be able to find is jalapeno peppers. Don’t worry if you can’t find it. As a substitute for jalapeno peppers, you can use green chilli or serrano pepper for a spicier kick. Moreover, if you are using serrano peppers, then roast them before adding them to the salsa for even deeper flavor.

Also, if you are using rice, then do not throw cooked rice directly into the soup. Bring raw rice first, cook it, and then use it in the soup. Because what I have personally felt is that when we use pre-cooked rice or canned rice directly in the soup, first off, it soaks up liquid too much, making the soup dry, and second off, canned rice can clump together and look unappetizing in the bowl. So, it’s best to use freshly cooked ones.

Equipment Needed For This Recipe

Here is all the equipment you will need to make this amazing recipe. Just make sure you have all of them or not. If not, then buy one, and if you have, then just move on.

1. A Large Pot: You will need a large pot to boil the chicken broth along with all the other ingredients.
2. Medium or large saute pan: For sauteing veggies, you will surely need to have a medium or large saute pan.
3. Rice cooker: We will need to use a rice cooker to cook the rice perfectly. You can use a saucepan as well for this purpose.

Now, once you have all of these, let’s move on to the next part, which is how to cook this amazingly delicious On The Border Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe.

How To Make On The Border Chicken Tortilla Soup?

Here’s how you can make this super delicious chicken tortilla soup recipe in the border style:

Step 1: Prepare the Broth and Add Salsa

In this step, take a large pot and put 32 ounces of chicken broth and heat that up to almost a boil. You can adjust the amount of chicken broth used according to your preference and the size of the pot you are using. 32oz of broth worked best for me. Once boiling, add the On The Border salsa to the broth and stir well. Make sure that the salsa is fully mixed and incorporated with the broth. Now let them heat up again.

Step 2: Saute the Vegetables and add them to the Broth

While the broth is heating up, saute the chopped squash and zucchini (and optionally carrots and onions) in a separate pan until they are soft and perfect. Once they are just poured into the heating broth and stir the whole mixture to combine.

Step 3: Add chicken and simmer

Now, have your deboned rotisserie chicken shredded and pour them all into the large pot. Once poured, stir the mixture again to incorporate all the chicken and mix them with all the juices. Once you’re done, cover the pan and let the whole thing simmer for around 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 4: Cook Rice on the side

This step is optional, but I personally like a bit of rice with this soup, so I will make it. While the broth and all the other ingredients are simmering, take a rice cooker or a pan and cook 1 cup of white or Mexican rice. I used a rice cooker, added 2 cups of water and 1 cup of rice, and it got perfectly cooked.

Step 5: Prepare The Bowls, Decorate, And Serve!

Once you have the rice cooked and the soup ready, it’s time to prepare the bowls. To prepare a bowl, just put some On the Border cafe-style tortilla chips at the bottom of each bowl. Now, pour enough amount over it. Now, put some rice in the soup, place some avocado slices, and lastly, add some shredded cheese all over it to make it more visually appealing and make it richer in taste.

Topping Ideas

Here are some superb topping ideas that I will go superb with this On The Border chicken tortilla soup:

1. Extra tortilla chips or strips: As the name suggests, you can add the extra tortilla chips over the soup just before serving to keep them crunchy.
2. Fried jalapeno slices: Use these fried jalapeno slices for crunch and heat.
3. Toasted pepitas: You can toast pumpkin seeds or pepitas if you want crunch.
4. Crumbled cotija cheese: This is a type of salty, firm Mexican cheese that adds bold flavor and texture contrast.
5. Sour cream or Mexican cream: This sour cream adds cool, tangy richness that softens the heat and thickens the texture slightly. You can swirl it in for a creamy finish or dollop on top for a pretty and tasty garnish.
6. Fresh Cilantro: Cilantro brings a burst of freshness to each bite. You can garnish the whole dish with fresh cilantro right before serving to keep it vivid and aromatic.
7. Diced tomatoes: Juicy, sweet, and slightly acidic. They just add a refreshing contrast to the warm soup. Use fresh Roma or grape tomatoes for the best texture and flavor balance.
8. You can also top it with some green chilies or sweet corn. Otherwise, as I said in the main recipe, you can and should top it with shredded Mexican cheese.

Storage and Reheating

If you ever have some leftovers, then you can store them for later and reheat them to enjoy again. Below are the processes or how-tos that will teach you how to store for a short period, freeze for a long time, and reheat to its original flavor and taste.

Storage

If you want to store the leftovers for around 3 to 4 days, then you can use the refrigerator. The process is very simple. Let the soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container. Also, you can and you should separate the toppings like avocado slices, cheese, chips, and rice to prevent fogginess and spoilage. I mean the toppings that you haven’t added to the soup already.

By the way, I don’t think that you will have any leftovers because this On The Border chicken tortilla soup is so delicious that you will not be able to stop. Now, let’s talk about how you can freeze it for 3 to 4 months.

Freezing

If you are thinking of storing for 2 to 3 months straight, then follow this process:

First off, remove the tortilla chips, cheese, avocado,o and rice as they can ruin the whole dish when frozen. Now, cool the soup completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers or freezer bags. Leave 1 inch of space at the top of the container for expansion. label with the date for remembering when you have sealed it. Now you can set it to freeze for 2 to 3 months without any worries. But try to consume the food within 2 months for the best results.

Reheating process

For this recipe stovetop method will be the best. First, take a saucepan and pour the soup into it. Heat over medium heat until the soup is steaming and hot, and don’t forget to stir the soup occasionally while it’s being reheated.

But if you are short on time, you can use your microwave. All you need to do is place the soup in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a paper towel or lid. If using a lid, then leave a vent for air circulation. Now, when you are all set, heat in 1-minute bursts, stirring in between until hot. Don’t add the toppings before reheating. Add all the toppings like cheese, avocado, and chips only after reheating to keep textures fresh.

Diet Optimized Recipe Variations

The above recipe is the main recipe. But what if you are following a certain diet? Don’t worry, I got you covered. Below, I have provided some recipe variations of some popular diets (according to me). I have included the keto-friendly version, low-carb, high-protein, Whole30, and Paleo versions, and some others. Check them out below:

1. Keto-friendly version: To make this recipe keto-friendly, just remove rice, tortilla chips, carrots (optional), and store-bought salsa if it has sugar. Instead of plain rice, use cauliflower rice, keto-friendly tortilla chips instead of normal tortilla chips, or you can skip the chips part.
2. Low-carb version: For a low-carb diet, just remove the rice from your ingredient list and also cut down on tortilla chips. Instead, to bulk the soup up, use extra zucchini or cauliflower rice. You can also try a mix of green veggies like spinach or kale near the end for nutrition.
3. High-protein version: For a high-protein version of this recipe, just add some extra shredded chicken, or you can mix the soup with black beans. You can also add a soft-boiled egg or top with Greek yogurt for a protein boost.
4. Whole30 and Paleo version: For this diet, just remove the cheese, rice, tortilla chips, and most store-bought salsa from your ingredient list. Instead, use homemade salsa with no sugar and add avocado, lime, and herbs to the recipe.
5. Dairy-free version: For dairy dairy-free version of this recipe, remove the shredded cheese and sour cream (if using) and use avocado, dairy-free cheese (like cashew or coconut-based), and extra salsa instead.
6. Gluten-free version: In this on-the-border style chicken tortilla soup recipe, gluten only exists in the chicken broth and salsa. So, when you are buying your broth and salsa, check the label for gluten-free certification. I also personally use gluten-free chicken broth.

I think I have covered all the most popular diets that everyone does, but still, if I have missed something, feel free to notify me in the comments. I will surely add something if I have missed that.

Recipe Card

Common FAQs

How To Serve Chicken Tortilla Soup?

There are various options you can try. As said in this recipe, you can put tortilla chips at the bottom of the bowl, then the soup, then some rice over the soup. Finally, put some avocado slices and put a handy of shredded cheese all over it. However, this is the On The Border restaurant-style serving.

You can also check out our Cafe Rio chicken tortilla soup recipe. That’s also an amazingly delicious recipe.

What Is The Secret Ingredient In Chicken Tortilla Soup?

The only secret to a perfect chicken tortilla soup is the salsa. As we are doing the On The Border style recipe, we have used On The Border salsa that has the perfect combination of almost every seasoning.

What Country Is Chicken Tortilla Soup From?

The origin of the chicken tortilla soup is Mexico. It’s a classic traditional example of the country’s traditional home cooking. It shows their love for recipes that are spicy, savory, and rich, combined with regular staples like chicken and rice.

Do Tortillas Have Gluten?

When some tortillas contain gluten, but some don’t. Like the corn tortillas don’t usually contain gluten, but the flour tortillas do. So, it’s best to choose wisely. Moreover, if you want to have a gluten-free version of this recipe, then you can check the dedication section above.

Why is it called chicken tortilla soup?

It is called so just because of the two main ingredients used in this recipe – chicken and tortillas. So, to express how it tastes and what the main ingredients of this recipe are, the name is set to chicken tortilla soup.

How long does chicken tortilla soup last in the fridge?

As I have said in the storage and reheating part, chicken tortilla soup lasts for around 2 to 3 days in the fridge or refrigerator, and in the freezer, it lasts about 2 to 3 months.

To know about the storage and reheating process, read the dedicated section above.

What type of cheese to use?

As this is a classic Mexican food, you can and you should use shredded Mexican cheese to top this On the border chicken tortilla soup recipe.

Can I use rotisserie chicken for this soup?

Of course, why not? If you are out of time, you can surely use rotisserie chicken for this soup as I myself has use rotisserie chicken in this recipe.

Final Words

So, now you know how you can cook the super delicious, rich, and savory-filled On The Border chicken tortilla soup recipe. If you like this one, you’ve got to try the chicken noodle soup in a jar recipe and the chicken corn soup Pakistani recipe. Those are also amazing, like this one. Make sure you try them out.

If you have any questions or feel like I missed something, don’t hesitate to tell me in the comments section. Have you tried this recipe out? If yes, then please let me know how it was. I can’t wait to know about it. Also, I you have any suggestions regarding this recipe, then you can comment down below.

For today, Thanks for reading and Happy cooking!