Cafe Rio Tortilla Soup

5 from 39 votes
75 Comments

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If you love Cafe Rio’s Chicken Tortilla Soup, but don’t want to go out, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with this tasty copycat recipe!

A bowl of cafe rio chicken tortilla soup topped with tortilla chips, cilantro, and lime wedges
Featured with this Recipe
  1. Ingredients in Copycat Cafe Rio Chicken Tortilla Soup
  2. Add-ins and Substitutions
  3. Make Your Own Tortilla Strips
  4. A Few Twists on the Original
  5. Simple Steps to this Tortilla Soup Recipe
  6. Frequently Asked Questions
  7. Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes
  8. How to Make Cafe Rio Tortilla Soup
  9. Cafe Rio Tortilla Soup Recipe

This copycat Cafe Rio Tortilla Soup recipe tastes just like the Cafe Rio favorite, if not better! This is by far my most favorite chicken tortilla soup so I’m so excited to share this copycat recipe with you. It is so hearty you can serve it as a main dish or as an appetizer to other favorite Cafe Rio main dishes. It’s fresh, fragrant and full of shredded chicken and spices, plus this chicken tortilla soup recipe is a cinch to make! I just know you’re going to love it!

Ingredients in Copycat Cafe Rio Chicken Tortilla Soup

  • Onion – one medium yellow onion, diced
  • Vegetable oil – one tablespoon of your favorite vegetable or olive oil.
  • Cumin – half a teaspoon
  • Cayenne pepper – start with a quarter teaspoon, and add more if you like it spicier.
  • Chili powder – half tsp or more for extra kick
  • Chicken broth – five cups, which is about a box and a half of both. You can use low sodium chicken broth or make your own with water and chicken bullion cubes.
  • Fresh cilantro – three tablespoons, finely chopped
  • Lime – squeeze the juice about half a fresh lime.
  • Kosher salt and black pepper – to taste
  • Pinto beans – 1 can, drained and rinsed. the original Cafe Rio tortilla soup doesn’t have beans, but we find that it is more filling this way. You can also use black beans or small white beans.
  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts – cooked and shredded
  • Taco seasoning – two tablespoons. You can make your own taco seasoning with chili powder, cumin, cornstarch, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes,
  • Paprika – one tablespoon of this spice will give the soup a beautiful color and rich flavor.
  • Pico de gallo – we have a delicious recipe for homemade pico de gallo!
  • Avocados – two ripe avocados, diced
  • Cheese – two cups of your favorite shredded cheese. We love pepper jack cheese, cheddar cheese, monterey jack cheese, etc.
  • Tortilla Chips
  • Lime wedges and more fresh cilantro – for garnish
A white bowl with shredded chicken, avocado, cheese, and pico de gallo



Add-ins and Substitutions

The best part about making soup is you can easily toss in extra vegetables or leave out things you know your family doesn’t like. For extra bulk and variety of flavors, try some of these ingredients:

  • Sliced jalapeños
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Rotel
  • Mild green chilies
  • Shredded carrots
  • Sour cream
  • Celery
  • One or two cloves garlic
  • Green chiles
  • Red bell pepper
  • Spicy chipotle pepper
  • Squeeze of lime juice


Make Your Own Tortilla Strips

You can make your own homemade crispy tortilla strips with corn tortillas and a little oil. They’re so easy to make. You can either fry or bake them and then just sprinkle on a little salt then add to individual bowls of this delicious soup.

A Few Twists on the Original

  • Make slow cooker chicken tortilla soup. You can throw the chicken in the crock pot with the broth and it will taste rich and delicious. See the recipe card below for slow cooker instructions.
  • Personally I LOVE the smoky grilled chicken taste, so you can definitely grill the chicken on an outdoor grill and toss it into the soup.
  • I added pinto beans (not the Cafe Rio original way of doing things but it is totally worth doing). The meaty beans give it a deeper flavor and extra protein and actually makes the soup go further. If you want to keep it EXACTLY like Cafe Rio feel free to leave them out.
  • Instead of adding scoop of guacamole (as I know Cafe Rio does), I just diced avocado which just saves time having to make a separate little thing of guacamole. Plus I love having the chunks of cool avocado in there.
A bowl of shredded grilled chicken

Simple Steps to this Tortilla Soup Recipe

  1. First, saute the onion in a little olive oil or vegetable oil until it’s slightly soft and translucent.
  2. Then add all the fragrant spices: cumin, cayenne, and chili powder and saute an additional minute or two.
  3. To cook on the stovetop, transfer seasoned onions to a large pot or sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then simmer on low heat for at least 30 minutes.
  4. While that’s simmering, brush your chicken breasts with oil and rub on the taco seasoning and paprika. Grill on an outdoor or indoor grill until cooked through and then shred.
  5. In individual small bowls layer chicken, about a few tablespoons of the pico de gallo, some diced avocado, and and a sprinkle of your favorite cheese.
  6. Finally, ladle about 1 to 1 ½ cups of broth directly over the layers. Top with tortilla strips and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you take the heat out of tortilla soup?

This soup recipe isn’t super spicy, but you can leave out the cayenne pepper if you want to be safe.

Does chicken tortilla soup have a lot of carbs?

No, tortilla soup is a very low carb meal. Just leave out the tortilla strip toppings and you are good to go!

Can you freeze chicken tortilla soup?

Yes! This soup is great in the freezer. Store it in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Read Next:Easy Crockpot Soup Recipes: Cozy Meals for Cold Days

A bowl of chicken tortilla soup

Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes

Can’t get enough Cafe Rio or Costa Vida? Neither can we. That is why we have created a whole collection copycat recipes so we can enjoy all the flavors we love from these restaurants in our own homes. Here are links to more of our favorites:

How to Make Cafe Rio Tortilla Soup

A bowl of cafe rio chicken tortilla soup topped with tortilla chips, cilantro, and lime wedges

Cafe Rio Tortilla Soup

5 from 39 votes
If you love Cafe Rio’s Chicken Tortilla Soup, but don’t want to go out – don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with this AMAZING copycat recipe!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Simmering time 2 hours
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican/Spanish
Servings 6 servings

Video

Equipment

  • Skillet
  • Crockpot Slow Cooker

Ingredients

Chicken

Toppings

Instructions

  • In a small skillet, saute onion in oil until onion becomes slightly soft. Stir in cumin, cayenne, and chili powder. Saute an additional 1-2 minutes.
    Sauteed onions in a pot with spices
  • Crock Pot Method: Transfer seasoned onions to a small-medium crock pot. Add chicken broth, cilantro, lime juice, pepper, and pinto beans to onions and simmer on low heat for at least 2-3 hours.
    Stovetop Method: Transfer seasoned onions to a large pot or saucepan. Add chicken broth, cilantro, lime juice, pinto beans, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer on low heat for at least 30 minutes.
    Chicken broth, onions, cilantro, pinto beans, and spices in a pot
  • In the meantime, when you are close to serving, combine taco seasoning and paprika. Brush chicken with oil and rub with seasoning mixture.
    chicken breasts rubbed with spices
  • Grill chicken over medium heat until cooked through. (Try to turn only once during the grilling process.)
    grilled chicken breasts
  • Remove from grill and shred.
    A bowl of shredded grilled chicken
  • In small individual bowls, layer chicken, a few tablespoons pic de gallo, ⅓ cup diced avocado, and ⅓ cup pepper jack cheese.
    A white bowl with shredded chicken, avocado, cheese, and pico de gallo
  • Ladle about 1 ½ cups of broth directly over the layers. Top with tortilla strips and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.
    A bowl of cafe rio chicken tortilla soup topped with tortilla chips, cilantro, and lime wedges

Notes

  • You can cook this soup in a slow cooker instead of simmering it on the stove. Put the sauteed onions and the remaining soup ingredients in a medium-sized slow cooker on low for at least 2-3 hours. You can throw the chicken in the slow cooker with the broth and it will taste rich and delicious but personally, I love the smoky grilled chicken taste. Grill it if you can. 
  • I added pinto beans to this recipe. It’s not Cafe Rio’s original way of doing things, but it is totally worth doing. The meaty beans give it a deeper flavor and actually make the soup go further. If you want to keep it exactly like Cafe Rio, feel free to leave them out.
  • Instead of adding a scoop of guacamole as I know Cafe Rio does, I just diced avocado, which saves the time of having to make a separate little thing of guacamole. Plus I love having the chunks of cool avocado in there. 
  •  

Nutrition Information

Calories: 642kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 44gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 1647mgPotassium: 1243mgFiber: 13gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 3057IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 659mgIron: 4mg

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About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her three beautiful girls. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride.

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Comments

  1. Tastes good but does not taste the same as Cafe Rio tortilla soup. Doesn’t have some of the basic ingredients in the primary recipe like carrots and added in pinto beans. Even leaving out the beans and adding in the carrots it still didn’t taste like Cafe Rio tortilla soup, but it tasted good. 3 stars because for me the whole point was that it’s supposed to taste like Cafe Rio’s tortilla soup.

  2. 5 stars
    My husband and I loved going to Cafe Rio for this soup, but moved to the east decades ago where the restaurant has no locations open (at this time). Missing the soup, we searched for a copycat recipe and found this one. We decided to try it and now it’s a family favorite! We have to double the recipe for our family. We even add cilantro rice to it on occasion. All those we share it with also enjoy it. In fact, we now believe it is better than the original restaurant version. This is a great recipe!

  3. 5 stars
    This was so delicious! And it turned out exactly like your pictures. It looks so appetizing and it was filling and healthy. Thanks for this delicious recipe!

  4. 5 stars
    I have always loved this soup. Come cooler temps, it’s all I order. I had no idea it was so easy to make. It tastes even better!

  5. 5 stars
    I love their tortilla soup, so making it at home makes me so happy!! I love that I can bring Cafe Rio in my kitchen!

  6. 5 stars
    Thanks a lot for this awesome and really delicious recipe! Will surely make this again, highly recommended! It’s super easy to make as well!

  7. 5 stars
    I make this all the time. My family loves it and actually refers to it as “MY” Tortilla Soup recipe. Of course I give credit to this receipe.

    1. Thank you for commenting. I just looked at the nutritional information and it was set for 4 servings. This recipe makes 6 servings and the nutritional information now reflects the amount per serving.

  8. Has anyone put all the ingredients together except the garnishes in one pot, ,after grilling the chicken, for easier freezing?

  9. 5 stars
    We are not near Cafe Rio, so, I am so glad you made these copycat recipes. They all look so inviting and delicious. The tortilla soup sounds like its right up my alley.

  10. Oh gosh, I cannot wait to make this. I am so looking forward to the cooler weather and this will be at the top of my “to make” list!!

  11. why do you need beans in this recipe? the cafe rio soup doesn’t have beans. would the taste be altered If I don’t add the beans?

    1. You can totally take the beans out if you would like. It won’t alter the taste at all. 🙂

  12. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for this recipe! I have never been to a Cafe Rio, but I was looking for a chicken tortilla soup recipe and gave this a try. I’m so glad I did! I will be making this over and over.

  13. 5 stars
    Delicious soup! I have tried a lot of recipes for chicken tortilla soup and this one is the best! Very fresh tasting. One of my favorites. A must make!

  14. 5 stars
    This was a winner! my whole family loved it!!! this made just enough for one meal for us. next time i will double it!

  15. Looks delicious. I am going to give it a try. I’m pretty sure there are carrots in Cafe Rio’s soup. Diced ones. Thanks for the recipe!

  16. Hello 🙂
    Just wanted to ask if this soup has alot of claories or if it is a good way for loosing weight?
    I love your recipes!

  17. 5 stars
    Made this tonight and it was amazing! I just used corn chips instead of tortillas, but the avocado chunks tasted so good! Never had Cafe Rio, but this soup is awesome!

  18. This looks absolutely amazing and I’m sure it tastes even better than that! I’m loving the chunks of avocado in it!

  19. 5 stars
    I made this last night and it was delicious !! My entire family loved it, and all was gone;) I love this easy recipe and I strongly recommend it to all 😉 yummy!!!

  20. 5 stars
    made this tonight and it was really good! I am gonna have a bowl for breakfast when I get up!!!! My girls loved it too!!

  21. I have made this several times for my husband I, and we love it. I am making it soon though for company and I am trying to decide what sides would be good with this… Any suggestions?

  22. 5 stars
    Flavorful, colorful – so much more than a soup! I discovered the recipe while looking for General Tso’s Chicken (which I also made and it was so great!)

    Our son and 3 of his college aged friends were home for a visit when we decided to embark on an adventure for dinner. After looking at the recipe, and determining it would take about 2 hours to pull this off, it looked so good that all the kids filed into our tiny galley kitchen and began to dice and chop and measure and stir. From the simple broth which we simmered on the back burner for 2 hours, to the fresh pico de gallo and the smokey grilled chicken the soup was perfect. I pared it with another fan favorite around our home, Taco Ring. What a memorable meal time with our 20 somethings. Certainly one which will not soon be forgotten.

    Made the soup again tonight for just me and my husband, we both worked on it, that’s part of the enjoyment!

  23. 5 stars
    I was skeptical before trying this, but holy cow, THIS IS IT! It has SO MUCH FLAVOR! I followed the directions for grilling the chicken (I did it 1 piece at a time on my mini George Foreman) and it was awesome! The spices in the rub were delicious. I put in the pinto beans as recommended (and I agree that makes it better than Cafe Rio’s). I did buy the pico de gallo at the grocery store instead of making my own, and I mashed up the avocados instead of dicing them. This is a solid recipe. I’ll do it the same way again. THANK YOU for figuring it out! 🙂 Well done.

  24. Anyone know the calorie count of a cup of this soup? MINUS the strips and the picode gallo. It is so good. I used to work in a resturant that served tortilla soup and have been looking for a receipe. Thanks Cafe Rio wherever you are.

  25. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight. Except I used black beans, added corn and used a whole chicken (boiled) shredded and then used a skillet to season the chicken with the taco seasoning ect… I also made the pico de gallo…yummy!!!!

  26. 5 stars
    I’m not a big soup person but I made this last night and wow! It is the best soup I’ve ever had! So flavorful and really hits the spot. My husband said this can stay on the keep list!

  27. Have you ever made this with black beans? I just realized I’m out of pinto, but I”m dying to make this right now!

      1. 5 stars
        So, I know this reply is 2 year late, BUT I made this soup tonight with black beans and it was very tasty! I had company over and they loved it! Thanks for the recipe!

  28. 5 stars
    I made this recipe for my family. I wouldn’t say it is exactly Cafe Rio’s recipe, but found it to be better. Yum!!

  29. 5 stars
    i have never ate at cafe rio but i did make this soup today and it was delicious! i did tweak it just a bit for my own taste, and i seldom measure things unless baking…but i was very pleased with the result and will definitely make this again!!!

  30. 5 stars
    I made some modifications and it turned out delicious! I grilled the chicken and sautéed the onions in the same pan (just because I’m lazy like that) and put it in the crock pot to simmer with the broth. I switched out the pinto beans for black beans. I also served it with sour cream, the sour cream on top melts a little with the hot broth and was very yummy!
    Adding rice too would probably help it go further for a crowd. My husband isn’t generally a soup fan, but he LOVED this hearty, flavorful soup.
    I’ve had the cafe rio version, and I actually liked this more! I liked the diced avocados better than guacamole, because as you mentioned, the cold chunks are delicious!

  31. Good morning! I wanted to let you know that I featured this on my “What I Bookmarked This Week” post this weekend. Stop by and see!

  32. I was hoping you would figure this one out! I was going to request it, so thank you! Can’t wait to try it!

  33. would you do anything differently if you were freezing the leftovers? 🙂 can’t wait to try this & save some money on my cafe rio addiction

  34. Wow, Great pictures! This looks fantastic! Will be trying soon! Found you on pinterest.

  35. This is as good as my recipe. The only thing that I do differently is that I use rotisserrie chicken, shred it and add the three ingredients used to rub the chicken and quickly heat up in hot pan. Then I start building up the ingredients in the bowl. The “BOMB”. My husband loves this soup anytime of the year.

    1. Rotisserie chickens add sooo much flavor to soups! I never throw away the deboned chicken without making chicken broth also!

  36. Oh my gosh! I tried their soup for the first time last night. I usually get the Tostada (my fave), but I had some work done on my teeth, so I needed something easier to eat. I had no idea I was going to LOVE the soup as much as I did. I immediately had to search for a copycat recipe and here one is. I can not wait to try this. BTW – your pics are gorgeous!

  37. 5 stars
    Wow! This soup is really delicious! We’ve never been to Cafe Rio as we live in Australia, but We’ve never tasted a better soup. The Salsa Fresca is really good too, and we plan on making that quite often. Thanks for such a yummy dinner:)

  38. Thank you soooo much for the recipe. I live in Japan but everytime we go home to Utah for a visit Cafe Rio is the first place we go to. I love this soup. My husband usually gets something else and I get the soup and we share. I have been wanting to try and make this forever and now I can try. Thanks again. Amazing!

  39. Erica I LOVE you for figuring this one out. I LOVE this soup, I order it every time I go to cafe rio (far and few in between but at least they finally have one somewhat close in CDA). It’d be so much easier to make at home instead of stuffing myself with soup and a salad cause I love them both so much.

  40. This is my favorite thing to get at Cafe Rio when I only want to spend $5. Thank you so much for sharing this!

  41. I’m making this tonight! I made crockpot chicken tacos last night, so I am using the leftover shredded chicken instead. It looks so good, thank you for the recipe!!

  42. I have never had their soup. I’m one of those people who gets the same thing every time, because I just love it so much. But I totally want to try this out. It looks so good. Plus I love your other Cafe Rio recipes. They are better than the actual Cafe Rio in my opinion. Thanks for sharing.

  43. I will be making this this week. I love your recipe. I think I will add some Rotel tomatoes to my soup or some of the Pico. I like tomatoes in my Tortilla Soup. I’ve never had Cafe Rio, but grilled chicken in a great chicken broth sounds wonderful to me!