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Chicken Taco Soup

Chicken taco soup with a golden-orange broth simmered with seasoned shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and Rotel tomatoes. This Tex-Mex soup finishes by melting cream cheese for a creamy, spoonable texture and topping with cheddar, sour cream, tortilla strips, lime, and cilantro.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken base
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast or thighs
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 4 oz cream cheese, cubed (optional for creaminess) Optional—stir in near the end so it melts into the broth.
Toppings
  • 4 oz shredded cheddar
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup tortilla chips
  • 0.5 lime wedges
  • 0.25 cup cilantro
  • 1 salt and pepper

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Simmer and shred the chicken
  1. In a Dutch oven, simmer the chicken in the chicken broth with the taco seasoning for 18-20 minutes, until cooked through. You should see gentle simmering bubbles and the chicken will shred easily.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it, then set it aside. Keep the broth in the pot so it can continue as the soup base.
Build the soup
  1. Return the seasoned broth to the pot, then add the diced onion, minced garlic, ranch dressing mix, and all canned ingredients. Stir to combine so the liquids and beans look evenly distributed.
  2. Bring the soup to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Look for steady bubbling and slight thickening as the flavors meld.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir in the cream cheese if using. Cook just until the cream cheese melts and the broth turns creamy.
  2. Season with salt and pepper, then serve immediately with shredded cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, lime wedges, and cilantro on top. Finish with toppings so they stay bright and crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: shred the chicken while it’s still warm so the pieces stay tender and shred faster. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; the soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. For a lighter option, swap the cream cheese for 0% Greek yogurt stirred in off-heat (add after simmering) to keep it creamy without extra fat.