Chicken Tortilla Soup

This low-FODMAP chicken tortilla soup swaps onion and garlic bulb for garlic-infused oil and scallion greens, with tomato, black beans, and corn kept to tested serving sizes.

Prep 20 min

Cook 30 min

Serves 4

Gluten-freeDairy-free

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
• Green tops of 2 scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced, plus more to serve
• 1 medium carrot (about 60g), finely diced
• 1/2 small red bell pepper (about 45g), diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon pure chili powder or ground ancho (check the label for added onion or garlic)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• Pinch of cayenne (optional)
• 1 tablespoon plain tomato paste (no added onion or garlic)
• 1 cup (about 240g) canned diced tomatoes, with juice
• 4 cups (1 liter) low-FODMAP chicken broth, plus extra to thin
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 450g), or 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1 cup (about 160g) canned black beans, rinsed and drained (works out to about 1/4 cup per bowl)
• 3/4 cup (about 115g) canned or frozen corn kernels, drained
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Optional toppings

• 4 corn tortillas, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon garlic-infused oil, for the tortilla strips
• Avocado, about 2 tablespoons diced per bowl (roughly 30g)
• Grated cheddar or lactose-free cheese
• Fresh cilantro, sliced scallion greens, and lime wedges
• Sliced fresh jalapeno

Instructions

Crisp the tortilla strips

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the corn tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon garlic-infused oil and a pinch of salt, then spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.
2. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing once, until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool. They will firm up as they sit.

Build the soup base

1. Warm the 2 tablespoons garlic-infused oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrot, bell pepper, and scallion greens and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened.
2. Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, coriander, and cayenne. Toast for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the canned diced tomatoes and their juice. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer.

Poach the chicken and finish

1. Lower the chicken breasts into the simmering broth. Cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove, shred with two forks, and return the meat to the pot.
2. Stir in the black beans and corn and simmer for 5 minutes to heat through.
3. Add the lime juice, then season with salt and pepper. Thin with extra broth if you like a brothier soup.

Serve

1. Ladle into bowls, keeping the beans and corn evenly divided so each portion stays within its tested amount.
2. Top with tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, cilantro, scallion greens, jalapeno, and a lime wedge.

Tips & Substitutions

• Watch the chili powder. Many spice blends hide onion and garlic powder. Use a pure chili powder, ground ancho, or chipotle, and read the label before buying.
• Rotisserie shortcut. Swap the raw breasts for 2 cups of pre-cooked shredded chicken. Add it with the beans and corn and simmer just until hot.
• Keep the beans portioned. About 1/4 cup of rinsed canned black beans per bowl is the Monash-tested low-FODMAP amount, and rinsing washes away some of the FODMAPs. Check the Monash app for current tested serving sizes.
• Corn tortillas only. Flour tortillas are wheat-based. Corn tortillas are low-FODMAP and crisp up well for strips.
• Add heat safely. Fresh jalapeno and a pinch of cayenne are low-FODMAP, but bottled hot sauces and salsas often contain onion or garlic.
• Dairy-free as written. The base soup has no dairy. If you want cheese, use aged cheddar or a lactose-free cheese, kept as a topping.

Why This Works

• Garlic flavor without fructans. The fructans in garlic are not oil-soluble, so garlic-infused oil carries the flavor while the FODMAPs stay behind in the discarded solids.
• Onion swap that holds up. The fructans in scallions concentrate in the white bulb, so using only the green tops gives an onion note without the load.
• Portioned tomato, beans, and corn. Canned tomato, black beans, and corn are each low-FODMAP in modest amounts, so dividing them evenly across four bowls keeps every serving in range.
• From-scratch broth and seasoning. Store-bought broths and taco seasoning packets almost always list onion and garlic. Making both yourself keeps them out entirely.

Storage

Cool leftovers and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, storing the tortilla strips and other toppings separately so they stay crisp. The soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth to loosen. If you batch-cook, divide into single servings before storing so the beans and corn stay within their tested amounts per bowl.

Not sure about an ingredient? The FODMAP Foods app rates 1,000+ foods low, moderate, or high FODMAP, with the safe portion for each, so you can cook with confidence.