Description
Hearty chicken taco soup brings Mexican-inspired comfort to dinner tables with robust spices and rich flavors. Comfort meets convenience in this quick one-pot meal you can savor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound (1 lb/454 grams) cooked chicken (shredded or diced; rotisserie chicken works well)
- 4 cups chicken broth
Vegetables and Beans:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (15 ounces/425 grams) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 ounces/425 grams) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 ounces/425 grams) corn kernels, drained
- 1 can (14.5 ounces/411 grams) diced tomatoes with green chilies
Seasonings and Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 packet taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning)
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional, for extra heat)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional Toppings:
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced avocado
- Tortilla chips or strips
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Select tender, cooked chicken – either freshly poached or repurposed from a rotisserie bird. Carefully shred the meat using two parallel forks, creating delicate, uniform strands.
- Heat a robust cooking vessel and introduce diced aromatics. Sweat the onions and minced garlic until they transform into a translucent, fragrant base, releasing their essential oils and developing a deep flavor profile.
- Introduce a medley of canned ingredients directly into the pot. Gently combine diced tomatoes with their vibrant juices, richly colored black beans, hearty kidney beans, and sweet corn kernels. Stir thoroughly to ensure even distribution.
- Stream chicken broth into the vegetable mixture and dust generously with zesty taco seasoning. Activate a gentle simmer, allowing the liquid to bubble softly and marry the complex flavors. Maintain this low-heat dance for approximately 12 minutes, permitting ingredients to harmonize.
- Fold the meticulously shredded chicken into the bubbling liquid. Allow an additional 5-minute integration period, ensuring the meat absorbs the surrounding seasonings and reaches optimal temperature.
- Transfer the steaming soup into individual serving vessels. Crown each portion with an array of tantalizing garnishes – dollops of tangy sour cream, cascading cheese shreds, vibrant cilantro sprigs, bright lime wedges, and crisp tortilla chip fragments to provide textural contrast and visual appeal.
Notes
- Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts for leaner protein or swap with rotisserie chicken to cut cooking time dramatically.
- Customize spice levels by adjusting taco seasoning or using homemade blend for controlled heat and flavor profile.
- Opt for low-sodium broth and beans to manage salt intake without compromising taste richness.
- Transform into vegetarian version by replacing chicken with plant-based protein like black beans, quinoa, or meat substitutes for balanced nutrition.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg