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Santa Fe Taco Soup

Santa Fe taco soup with a smoky, brothier base simmered with shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and green chiles. Finish it with cool sour cream, creamy avocado, salty cotija, and crisp tortilla strips for a bold Southwestern bowl.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken taco soup base
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Cooked and shredded
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drained
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Seasoning and toppings
  • 0.5 salt To taste
  • 0.5 black pepper To taste
  • 0.25 sour cream For toppings
  • 0.25 avocado Diced
  • 0.25 cotija cheese Crumbled
  • 0.25 cilantro Fresh
  • 0.5 lime wedges For serving
  • 0.25 tortilla strips Crispy

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the taco soup
  1. In a large pot, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, corn, diced green chiles, both tomatoes, both seasoning packets, chicken broth, cumin, and smoked paprika.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
  3. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve with Santa Fe toppings
  1. Ladle the hot taco soup into bowls and top with sour cream, diced avocado, crumbled cotija, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
  2. Finish each bowl with crispy tortilla strips for crunch before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer until the flavors meld, but don’t let it boil hard after adding the seasoning packets—keep it at a gentle simmer for a smoother broth. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave. Freezing: yes—freeze the soup base without toppings for up to 3 months, then thaw and reheat and add fresh toppings. Dietary swap: use cooked shredded turkey or rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breast for a different flavor while keeping the same texture.