Whole30 Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup (Paleo)
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This Whole30 Instant Pot chicken tortilla-less soup is full of flavor and so easy to make! Super quick and filling, this Mexican soup is creamy, spicy, and low carb.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- It’s crazy easy – throw (almost) everything in the Instant Pot, cook for about 18 minutes, dice your chicken, then add the remaining ingredients. You’ll have a complete meal on the table in no time, and with very little effort!
- It’s creamy, filling, and spicy, making it a great one-dish meal and perfect for cold weather. You can even meal prep this Mexican soup ahead of a busy week! I love having access to this delicious soup for a quick lunch.
- It’s also low carb and keto-friendly, with only 8 grams of net carbs per serving! This Whole30 Instant Pot chicken tortilla-less soup fits a variety of diets. It’s just about as healthy as a soup can get!
Key Ingredients
Chipotle Pepper Powder – I have unfortunately yet to find Whole30 compliant chipotle peppers. Therefore, we use chipotle pepper powder to give this soup a hint of that signature flavor. However, if you’re not on a Whole30, you can simply replace the powder with 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, plus 2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce. Also, feel free to include as much or as little chipotle as you’d like based on your spice preference.
Full-Fat Coconut Milk – The coconut milk gives this Whole30 Instant Pot chicken tortilla-less soup an irresistibly creamy texture and flavor! If you’re not a fan of coconut, don’t worry, the flavor barely shines through in this tasty recipe. Also, be sure to use a full-fat coconut milk for that thick, velvety texture!
Chef’s Tips
- If not on a Whole30, feel free to add some shredded cheese in there if you’d like! You can also enjoy this with a side of tortilla chips for a tasty crunch.
- Get creative with this recipe and make it your own! Stir in some spinach, kale, or chard for extra greens. You can even replace the chicken with about a pound of browned and drained ground beef!
- If you have a coconut allergy, replace the coconut milk with cashew cream. To do this, blend 1 cup of raw cashews with 3/4 cup water in a high-speed blender until smooth. This coconut-free option is also Whole30 compliant!
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Mexican Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (Instant Pot, Whole30, Paleo)
- Whole30 Breakfast Tacos
- Healthy Zuppa Toscana (Whole30, Paleo, Dairy Free)
- Paleo Lime Bars (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
- Instant Pot Bone Broth That Gels (Whole30 Bone Broth)
- 3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken
- Whole30 White Chicken Chili
- Healthy Chicken Tostadas
- Whole30 Tzatziki (Paleo, Keto, Dairy Free)
- Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole with Eggs and Sausage (Whole30, Dairy Free, Gluten Free)
- Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas
- Whole30 Gyro Meatballs
Whole30 Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1 ½ pounds
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 10-ounce cans tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 14.5-ounce can chicken broth Whole30-compliant
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1-3 teaspoons chipotle pepper powder 1 teaspoon for mild, 3 teaspoons for hot
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 zucchinis chopped or cut into ½-inch half moons
- 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream whisked until smooth
For the Garnish
- fresh avocado slices
- red onions sliced thin
- fresh cilantro chopped
- coconut cream
- lime juice
- shredded cheese if not paleo or on Whole30
- tortilla strips if not paleo or on Whole30
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Instructions
- Sprinkle boneless skinless chicken breasts with salt. Add the chicken breasts to the Instant Pot. Add the remaining ingredients in order, through zucchini.
- Secure the lid on the pot. Cook at high pressure for 18 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for ten minutes, then use the manual release. Pull out the chicken breasts and add coconut milk. Switch Instant Pot to Sauté mode and stir to combine.
- Dice or shred chicken, then return it to the soup. Serve hot, topped with garnishes of choice.
Notes
- Slow Cooker Method: If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make this Whole30 chicken tortilla-less soup in the slow cooker. Add all ingredients, except coconut milk, in order listed. Cook on low heat for 7 hours or on high heat for 4 hours. Remove chicken breasts and dice. Stir in coconut milk, then return chicken to slow cooker. Serve with garnishes.
Video
Nutrition Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Ellie Kahn says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Does it freeze well?
Cheryl Malik says
I haven’t tried that but I’m sure it would freeze just fine!
Gayle says
Great recipe! I like the addition of the coconut milk, very delicious and unique flavors.
Cheryl Malik says
I’m so glad you like it! I love the rich creaminess the coconut milk adds 🙂
Anne says
The ingredients list says to dice chicken and then the recipe says to dice chicken. Should I be putting it in whole and dicing after cooking? Thank you!
Cheryl Malik says
What a great catch! You can honestly do either, but I like to cook the chicken breasts whole and dice after cooking 🙂 I’ll update the recipe to reflect that. Thank you Anne!
Anne says
I had about 2lbs of thighs so I used those instead and added an extra chipotle pepper. It came out so delicious. The chicken was shreddable by the time I opened the pot. Really great. Thank you!
Cheryl Malik says
Awesome! I’m so glad you liked it and that those subs worked for you 🙂
Ileana says
Hi. How many servings should I use die this dish when accounting for carbs and such
Cheryl Malik says
It makes about 4-6 servings depending on size of bowl 🙂
Janice says
Nutritional info? How many servings per recipe?
Cheryl Malik says
I’ve updated with a label! 🙂
BigBen says
Where?
Cheryl Malik says
Right below the recipe card!
Becca says
What if I accidentally added the coconut milk with the rest of the ingredients… ?
Cheryl Malik says
Ha! That won’t hurt a thing ?
Marla says
Oh good! I just did the same thibg
Cheryl Malik says
😀
Pamela B says
I was so excited to make this and headed straight to the store to get the two ingredients I was missing….chipotle peppers with adobo sauce and adobo sauce. They both had sugar (every brand I checked–including the one you link to), and just the sauce also had wheat. 🙁
Cheryl Malik says
Hi Pamela! Did you check the note in the recipe? You can use chipotle pepper powder if you can’t find compliant chipotle peppers in adobe sauce 🙂 The link in my recipes is universal for all chipotle peppers across my site, so they’re not always compliant. Try the powder and let me know how you like it!
Jennifer S Clement says
The adobo sauce has sugar in it. 🙁 Have you found one that doesn’t?
Cheryl Malik says
I’ve seen a can of compliant chipotle peppers at Whole Foods but they can be hard to find! Try subbing 1-2 tablespoons chipotle powder if you can’t find them 🙂
Teresa Delucchi says
Can I put the chicken in frozen and then shred later? And maybe add a couple minutes of time to the cooking? Ate all that’s the best part of my instant pot:frozen to done in just a few minutes!
Cheryl Malik says
Hi Teresa! Yes! That would totally work. I’d add 2-3 minutes to the cooking time, and you should be set with frozen chicken breasts.
Diana says
I want to use my crockpot. In you directions, did you mean 7 hours on low and four hours on high? You said the opposite and that doesn’t make sense.
Cheryl Malik says
Oh! Yes, great catch. That was a typo – it’s 7 hours on low and 4 hours on high. Thanks!
Charmaine Warren says
When do you add the rest of the ingredients?
Cheryl Malik says
Hi Charmaine! You add all of the ingredients in step 1, except for the coconut milk. Garnishes when you’re ready to serve. Let me know if you need more help! Thank you 🙂