Chicken Taco Soup is secretly so easy to make and is one of the best and most delicious comfort foods. Quickly combine chicken, broth, corn, beans, salsa, and seasonings in a Dutch oven for a delicious dinner any night of the week. Then top this Mexican dish with cheese, cilantro, sour cream, and tortilla chips for an easy one pot recipe.
Probably one of my favorite soups of all-time is a good ole’ chicken taco soup. In fact, I love this flavor combination so much I have made an Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup and a Crock-Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Now, however, it was time to take it to the trusty Dutch oven and make it on the stove.
It is surprisingly incredibly simple to make – even taking the extra time to whip up a Homemade Taco Seasoning! (which is TOTALLY worth the extra 5 minutes of effort!)
All you have to do is throw in a couple cans of black beans, corn, and salsa and you will have a hearty and healthy soup ready in just 30 minutes for any night of the week.
Then, finish it off with your favorite toppings like sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips, cilantro or chopped green onions.
Both kiddos and adults will go crazy for this!
Ingredients
The simple ingredients you need to make this Chicken Taco Soup recipe include:
- Chicken. You can either use thighs or breasts. Thighs have more fat and flavor, which will give you a richer broth, but breasts are a bit healthier and lower in fat. Throw in additional beans for a vegan alternative.
- Broth. Regular sodium chicken broth makes up most of the base in the soup. But you can opt for low sodium chicken broth if needed. Vegetable broth is a good option if that is all you have.
- Oil. Avocado is a mild oil with a high smoke point, but olive oil will work, too.
- Onion. A finely diced onion is used, white is best. But you can use yellow or sweet if that’s what you have on hand.
- Garlic. Minced garlic adds so much flavor throughout the entire soup.
- Taco seasoning mix. It is so easy to make your own blend or go for the store-bought kind.
- Salsa. Roasted tomato salsa is delicious, or grab a jar of your favorite brand at the store. If you want your soup to be spicy, opt for a medium heat. Don’t want much spice? Make sure you use a mild salsa.
- Corn and Black Beans. Rinse and drain a 15-ounce can of each before adding them in.
How to Make Chicken Taco Soup
These are the steps to follow to make this Chicken Taco Soup recipe:
Sauté the Onion
Set the stove top to medium heat and add oil to a large Dutch oven. Toss in the onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir until they’re translucent.
Add the garlic and continue cooking for another 30 seconds, or until it becomes fragrant.
Stir in the broth, being sure to scrape the bottom gently and loosen up any bits or pieces that may be stuck.
Add Ingredients
Drain and rinse both the beans and the corn.
Add the spice mix, salsa, corn, and black beans. Stir thoroughly to combine, being careful of the hot liquid, though.
Add the chicken to the broth and bring the entire soup to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. The soup is ready when the chicken is cooked through.
Shred the Chicken
After cooking, the tender chicken should shred easily. Use two forks to carefully pull the chicken into small, bite-size pieces. Then give the entire soup a good stir.
Use a ladle to spoon some into bowls and top with sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, chopped green onions, diced tomatoes, or even tortilla chips.
Enjoy!
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: You can chop the green onions and make your salsa and taco seasoning if you’re using homemade versions ahead of time.
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Place cooled soup without toppings in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
- To Reheat: You can warm the soup up in a bowl in the microwave or put it back in a pot on the stove.
Dietary Modifications
The recipe you’ll find below is already gluten-free and low-carb as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:
- Vegetarian. Opt for extra beans instead of chicken and use a vegetable broth.
FAQs
Typically, chicken taco soup is made of either chicken breast or thighs along with salsa, corn, and beans and seasoned with Mexican spices like cumin and chili powder.
Chicken taco soup is usually not a thick soup. However, you can opt to make it thicker by adding less broth, or mixing in a cornstarch slurry at the end.
Overall, chicken taco soup is a healthy choice. Be careful with toppings, as cheese and sour cream can increase the calorie count and fat content quickly.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- You pick. Thighs add a little extra flavor, but breasts work just as well.
- DIY. Opt to make your own taco seasoning mix, it is so simple!
- Some like it hot. You can really make this soup as spicy or mild as you like, either use a hot salsa or add extra cayenne pepper to your seasoning blend.
- Let it simmer. This extra time allows the flavor to marry beautifully.
- Serve it up. You can top this soup with SO many things like sliced avocado, chopped green onions, homemade tortilla chips, cilantro, and shredded cheese.
What to Serve with Chicken Taco Soup
This soup is delicious as is, but you can pair it with any of these things for a mouth-watering meal:
More Chicken Soup Recipes
Try one of these comforting and hearty chicken soup recipes any night of the week:
- Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
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Chicken Taco Soup Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. oil avocado or olive
- 1 cup white onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 ½ lbs. chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- 3 Tbsp. taco seasoning mix
- 16 oz. jar salsa mild or medium
- 15 oz. corn canned, rinsed and drained
- 15 oz. black beans canned, rinsed and drained
- 4-5 cups chicken broth regular sodium
- ¼ – ½ tsp. salt to taste
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice freshly squeezed
Optional Toppings:
- Sour cream shredded cheese, tortilla chips, green onions, cilantro
Instructions
- Add oil to a large Dutch oven along with the onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions become translucent. Add garlic and continue sauteing for an additional 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add the taco seasoning mix, salsa, corn, black beans, and broth. Stir to combine.
- Place the chicken carefully into the hot broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Once fully cooked, shred the chicken using two forks and then serve the soup with sour cream, shredded cheese, and either cilantro or chopped green onions. Enjoy!
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Notes
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: You can chop the green onions and make your salsa and taco seasoning if you’re using homemade versions early.
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Place cooled soup without toppings in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
- To Reheat: You can warm soup back up in a bowl in the microwave or put it back in a pot on the stove.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
