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Chicken Taco Soup

Chicken taco soup with tender shredded chicken and a rich, golden-orange broth simmered with Rotel, corn, and black beans. Built for a one-pot Tex-Mex meal with a creamy option from cubed cream cheese.
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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
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast or thighs
Soup base
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 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 for extra creaminess.
Toppings
  • 0.33 cup shredded cheddar
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 0.75 cup tortilla chips
  • 1 lime wedges
  • 0.25 cup cilantro

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Simmer and shred the chicken
  1. In a Dutch oven, simmer the chicken breasts in the chicken broth with taco seasoning at 200°F to 205°F for 18-20 minutes, until cooked through. The chicken should shred easily when tested.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it, then set it aside. Reserve the broth in the Dutch oven for the next step.
Build the soup
  1. Return the seasoned broth to the pot and add the diced onion, minced garlic, ranch dressing mix, black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine so the seasoning disperses evenly.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer at 200°F to 205°F for 10 minutes. The broth should look golden-orange and slightly thickened.
  3. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir, then add the cubed cream cheese if using and cook until melted. The soup should become creamy and smooth.
Season and serve
  1. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust to your preference for overall flavor balance.
  2. Serve hot with shredded cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, lime wedges, and cilantro on top. Add tortilla chips last so they stay crisp.

Notes

For the best texture, shred the chicken while it’s warm and add cream cheese only after the soup simmers so it melts without curdling. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave. Freezing is OK up to 2 months, but for best creaminess, freeze without toppings and consider skipping the cream cheese if you plan to freeze. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and reduce sour cream slightly.