Chicken Taco Soup

Chicken Taco Soup is a perfect soup for the colder months. Made with diced tomatoes with green chiles, corn, and a creamy broth, your whole family will enjoy this quick and easy recipe and it will certainly elevate your taco Tuesday!

 

Chicken Taco Soup with Cream Cheese warms the soul!

There’s nothing like a bowl of delicious soup to warm you up on a cold night. This easy chicken taco soup gives you the best of both soup and tacos with bold flavors from Tex-Mex seasonings and a hint of spice for a quick dinner. 

The best part? This recipe is a lot easier than making traditional tacos and also slightly healthier.

Chicken Taco Soup Ingredients

This creamy chicken taco soup comes together in no time with just a handful of ingredients.

• Onion: white, yellow, or even red onions will give this soup a ton of flavor.
• Ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chilies: this will give the soup a nice kick. Substitute for regular diced tomatoes if you don’t want it spicy.
• Chicken bone broth: you can use chicken broth if you don’t have bone broth, but bone broth is tastier and perfect for this soup.
• Taco seasoning: store bought taco seasoning packets work just fine or you can make your own with just a few spice cabinet staples.
• Corn: frozen sweet corn is best, but you can use canned corn if necessary.
• Cream cheese: a block of cream cheese softened and cut into cubes makes this soup ultra-creamy. Use Neufchatel cheese for a low-fat option.
• Chicken: chicken breast is best for shredding. You can even shred store-bought rotisserie chicken if you are short on time.
• Toppings: shredded cheese, sliced avocado, tortilla chips or strips, cilantro, and any of your other favorite taco toppings.

How to make this Chicken Taco Soup Recipe

You’ll be surprised at just how easy it is to make this delicious soup! Follow the steps below to find out how.

1. Sauté the onion. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or a large dutch oven. Add the onion and sauté it for 3-5 minutes, or until softened.
2. Mix in the ingredients. Add the can of ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chilies, chicken bone broth, taco seasoning, and corn to the pot. Mix until combined and increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese has melted into the soup.
3. Add the chicken. Add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add your favorite toppings. Add shredded cheese, sliced avocado, tortilla stripes, cilantro, and any other ingredients you love, serve, and enjoy!

How to Make Taco Seasoning

Making your own taco seasoning is so quick and easy to do using staple spice cabinet favorites. You can adjust this recipe to taste, so you have fresh taco seasoning any time you want to use it. 

Homemade taco seasoning will definitely give your soup a richer flavor than a packet of taco seasoning you can buy from your local grocery store.

You’ll need: 

• chili powder
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• red pepper flakes
• oregano
• paprika
• cumin
• sea salt 
• Pepper

You can also add cornstarch to thicken it up if you want.

How to thicken Taco Soup

To thicken taco soup, you can use one or a combination of the following methods:

1. Simmer: Allow the soup to simmer uncovered for an extended period. As the liquid reduces through evaporation, the soup will naturally thicken
2. Cornstarch Slurry: Mix cornstarch with a small amount of cold water to create a slurry. Gradually add the slurry to the soup while stirring continuously. Cook the soup for a few minutes to allow the cornstarch to thicken the liquid.
3. Mashed Beans or Vegetables: Take a portion of the soup and blend it until smooth using a blender or immersion blender. Return the pureed mixture to the pot and stir well. The mashed beans or vegetables will help thicken the soup.
4. Tortilla or Cornmeal: Mix a small amount of tortilla or cornmeal with water to create a paste. Stir the paste into the soup and cook for a few minutes until it thickens.
   Remember to adjust the seasoning after thickening the soup, as some thickening agents may dilute the flavors slightly.

Chicken Taco Soup variations

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Yes, this soup can absolutely be made in the slow cooker and is a little less time-consuming than making it on the stove top. The best part is that you can cook the raw chicken breasts in the crock pot with the rest of the soup.

1. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Add onion, diced tomatoes, chicken bone broth, taco seasoning, frozen corn, and cream cheese to the slow cooker and stir until combined. Add thawed chicken breast to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
2. Shred chicken. Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and let them cool to room temperature. Shred the chicken using two forks or the paddle attachment of a hand or stand mixer.
3. Stir all ingredients. Add the chicken back into the slow cooker and stir the soup until fully combined.

Cream Cheese Alternatives

Cream cheese is what gives this soup that creamy texture, but you can totally skip the cream cheese or substitute it. Neufchatel cheese has ⅓ less fat than regular cream cheese, making it a healthier alternative.

Adding heavy cream, tomato sauce, or sour cream will also make the soup creamy and is slightly healthier than using cream cheese. Adding shredded cheese to the soup as you are cooking it will do the same and is another option.

Healthier alternatives to thicken Taco Soup

Other healthier alternatives to thicken the soup and not add cheese, cream, or sour cream is to add flour or cornstarch. Additionally, you can puree some of the broth with the vegetables to make it thicker without adding any extra calories.

How to serve Chicken Taco Soup with Cream Cheese

Serve the chicken taco soup with cream cheese in bowls. Garnish with desired toppings such as shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, or a dollop of sour cream.

Accompany the soup with tortilla chips or warm tortillas for dipping or serving on the side.

Enjoy your creamy and flavorful chicken taco soup with the addition of cream cheese!

Creamy Chicken Taco Soup storage

Storage: You can store any chicken taco soup leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

How long is taco soup good for?

It will stay for up to three days.

Freezing: You can also freeze leftovers if you need to. Keep in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months.

Chicken Taco Soup Recipe FAQs

More Easy Soup Recipes

Easy soup recipes are the best! Here are a few more you might enjoy!

• Cauliflower Soup
• Pasta e Fagioli Soup
• Italian Meatball Soup
• Busy Day Soup
• Sausage and Tortellini Soup
• Sauerkraut Soup