Quick Look at this Easy Chicken Taco Soup
- Ready In: 40 minutes
- Serves: 8
- Main Ingredients: chicken breasts, canned black beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, chicken broth, cream cheese, and an easy taco seasoning (or grab a packet).
- Dietary Info: Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free friendly
- One Pot: everything cooks together in the pot for minimal clean-up!
- Best For: mild, family-friendly flavor for an easy weeknight dinner or feeding a crowd.
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Why This Will Be Your Favorite Chicken Taco Soup
- Hits that taco craving in a comforting bowl of soup.
- Light and bright flavors of fresh lime zest and juice help to amplify all the BEST flavor.
- Adjust the heat to your liking – mild or spicy, up to you!
- Versatile with a variety of delicious toppings to make it your own.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for easy lunches all week long!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Chicken Breasts – Option to use boneless skinless chicken thighs, if desired. Or a rotisserie chicken for a super short cook time!
- Jalapeño and Anaheim Pepper – Remove the membrane/seeds of these peppers to keep the spice level present, but in check. They both add so much flavor!
- Taco Seasoning – Feel free to learn how to make homemade taco seasoning (so easy) or grab a store-bought packet.
- Cream Cheese –
- 4oz = lightly creamy
- 8oz = noticeably richer/creamier
How To Make Chicken Taco Soup
Step 1 – Sauté the onion and garlic in a little butter.
Step 2 – Add the broth and chicken breasts. Simmer until they are fully cooked.
Out Of Taco Seasoning?
No problem! Chances are that you probably have all of the spices that you need in your pantry. Our homemade taco seasoning is a blend of chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
Step 3 – Shred the chicken and add the rest of the ingredients (except the cream cheese).
Step 4 – Bring the soup to a simmer.
Step 5 – Add your desired amount of cream cheese.
Step 6 – Mix and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Erin’s Testing Tips: What We Learned
– Cooking chicken in the broth keeps all the cooking in one pot, plus it adds so much wonderful flavor to cook the chicken right in the soup.
– Softened cream cheese – simply set it out on the counter when you start cooking. Adding room temperature cream cheese that is cut into chunks will help it melt faster and distribute evenly to minimize any lumpiness.
– Serve with lime wedges for a fresh squeeze of lime juice. Trust us – the flavor is incredible!
Best Ways To Serve Easy Chicken Taco Soup
Enjoy this one pot chicken taco soup with any of your favorite taco toppings:
- sour cream or dairy-free sour cream
- fresh cilantro
- shredded cheese
- diced avocado
- jalapeño slices
- lime wedges
- tortilla chips or tortilla strips
Chicken Taco Soup FAQs
The biggest difference between these two soups is in the seasonings. Our taco soup uses taco seasoning, while our easy chicken tortilla soup uses just chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper. Both are delicious!
Yes, shred about 1 pound of cooked rotisserie chicken and it at the point when the shredded chicken is added back to the pot. It only needs to be reheated.
Yes, let the soup cool and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Store toppings separately.
Yes, for best results it is recommended to freeze before adding the cream cheese. Simply transfer it to freezer-safe containers (leaving room in the top for expansion) and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in a pot on the stove top and once it is simmering, add the cream cheese, mix to melt and serve.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter, sub plant-based butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Anaheim pepper, minced
- 1 jalapeño, minced (remove membrane and seeds)
- 15 ounces black beans, drained & rinsed
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 15 ounces canned corn, drained
- zest of 1 lime
- juice of ½ a lime, more if desired
- 1 package taco seasoning, (store-bought or easy homemade taco seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4-8 ounces cream cheese, softened (adjust amount to desired creaminess)
Serving Suggestions:
- sour cream
- fresh cilantro
- shredded cheese
- avocado, diced
- jalapeño slices
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Sauté: Bring a large dutch oven to a medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter, and sauté the diced onion with 3 teaspoons garlic until softened and fragrant.
- Cook Chicken: Pour 4 cups chicken broth into the large pot and add 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Let simmer for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat reaches 165℉ (use a meat thermometer).
- Combine: Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and use 2 forks to shred. Return shredded chicken to the pot, along with the minced Anaheim pepper, minced jalapeño, 15 ounces black beans, 15 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles, 15 ounces canned corn, zest of 1 lime, juice of ½ a lime, 1 package taco seasoning, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix and return to a simmer.
- Cream Cheese: Cut the softened cream cheese into large chunks and add to the simmering soup. Mix, cover, and let it all simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (allowing the cream cheese to melt).
- Serve: Ladle the soup into individual bowls and serve with your favorite toppings!
Notes
- Dairy Free: simply use a plant-based butter or olive oil and omit the cream cheese or use a dairy-free alternative.
- Storage: leftover soup can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Be sure to store the soup separate from any toppings that you choose to add.
Erin says
Love this recipe!!
Amy Woods says
This was the best soup. It was delicious and very easy to make. Very flavorful. My family loved it, no leftovers. This will be on my soup rotation schedule. Thank you for all the tasty recipes you share.
Erin says
Thank you so much, Amy!! So happy to hear you loved it and thanks for combing back to leave a rating and review – I really appreciate it!