Chicken Taco Soup

5 from 1 vote

This easy Chicken Taco Soup recipe is ready in just 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients. One pot, bold flavors, and endless topping options make it perfect for busy weeknights

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Mexican, American

Keyword: chicken taco soup, taco soup with ranch, taco soup with enchilada sauce, taco soup

Servings: servings

Calories: 416kcal

Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

Dutch oven or heavy pot
wooden spoon
ladle

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion diced
1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces (or chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken)
10 ounces canned Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles (or substitute with diced tomatoes and mild green chilis)
10 ounces canned red enchilada sauce
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 packet dry ranch seasoning mix (1 oz packet) see notes for home made or chicken taco seasoning as substitute
1 can black beans 15 oz can, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans 15 oz can, drained and rinsed
1 can corn 15 oz can, drained
½ teaspoon ground cumin
4 oz cream cheese softened to room temp
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Toppings

Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Fresh cilantro chopped
Avocado or guacamole
Tortilla chips or strips
Lime wedges
Sliced jalapeños
Chopped green onions

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
Place the chicken pieces in the pot. Add the Rotel tomatoes (with their juices), enchilada sauce, and low-sodium chicken broth. Stir to combine.
Sprinkle the dry ranch seasoning packet over the top of the soup and stir well to distribute evenly.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Stir in the drained black beans, pinto beans, corn, cumin and softened cream cheese and stir until melted and incorporated.
Let the soup simmer for another 5-10 minutes to heat everything through and blend the flavors. Carefully taste the soup and add salt and pepper only if needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls and let everyone add their favorite toppings.

Notes

Nutritional facts calculated without optional toppings.

Substitution for ranch seasoning packet:

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix: 2 Tablespoons Buttermilk Powder (optional), 1 Tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon dried chives, 2 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried dill.
Homemade Chicken Taco Seasoning

Recipe Variations:

Kick up the spice- choose spicy Rotel, spicy green chilis and add jalapeño slices on top.
White chicken taco soup- swap red enchilada sauce for green, swap beans for white beans, add a splash of heavy cream at the end.
Taco soup with rice- cook according to recipe instructions and add 1.5 cups of cooked rice at the end.

Recipe tips:

Make sure cream cheese has been cubed and left out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Or use the soften feature on your microwave. Add it to the soup when it is hot and simmering, stir for 2-3 minutes to let it fully melt into the soup.
Leftovers taste great! The flavors have gotten the chance to meld together. You can easily make this ahead of time as a meal prep.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Allow soup to fully cool and then add to airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The leftovers taste amazing as the soup flavors meld together!
For longer storage you can ladle into portion sized, freezer containers for 3 months.
For reheating you can use the microwave, portion into serving sized bowls and heat for one minute, stir and then heat again for another minute.
For reheating on the stovetop, add a splash of chicken broth and then heat though, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition