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This easy to make, hearty, and flavorful Chicken Taco Soup is a family favorite with shredded chicken chunks, beans, corn, and tomatoes in a taco seasoned chicken broth base. Top this soup with all your favorite taco toppings!
Chicken Taco Soup Recipe
You only need one bowl and the stove top to get this chicken taco soup on the dinner table. This version of the classic soup uses already cooked chicken which means it’s the perfect recipe to use up leftover chicken, freezer chicken, or make it really easy and buy a rotisserie chicken!
All the classic flavors of chicken tacos but in a healthy and flavorful soup. The best part is that each person can customize their soup with whatever toppings they love. I like to put all the different taco toppings into bowl and then let everyone garnish their soup how they want.
Ingredients Needed
- Cooked Chicken -This can be shredded chicken or chopped/chunked chicken. You can even use canned chicken (drained & flaked).
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – This helps to soften the onion for the soup.
- Finely Diced Onion – Use a yellow onion or white onion. A yellow onion has a milder flavor so that is the most popular choice for most dishes.
- Black Beans – Drain and rinse the beans first.
- Corn – Use a can of yellow corn, white corn, or the gold n’ white corn.
- Rotel – If you don’t want the spice of Rotel, use a can of petite diced tomatoes instead. There are mild, medium, and spicy Rotel so choose your favorite heat level.
- Chicken Broth – For the best flavor use full-salt chicken broth in this soup.
- Taco Seasoning Packet
- Garlic Powder
- Salt & Pepper – I use kosher salt.
How To Make Chicken Taco Soup with Cooked Chicken (or a Rotisserie Chicken)
- Soften Onion : In a large soup pot, over medium-high heat, add the oil and onion. Cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Chicken Taco Soup Ingredients : Add the cooked chicken, black beans, corn, Rotel (do not drain), chicken broth, taco seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Boil & Simmer : Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for at least 25-30 minutes. Or until the veggies are tender and the flavors have blended together. I like to cover the pot with a lid during the simmer time to really blend the flavors while it simmers.
- Serve : Time to eat! Top the chicken taco soup with all your favorite toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, jalapeños, or avocado slices.
Meal Prep and Freezing Chicken Taco Soup
Chicken taco soup is a great option for meal prepping. You can make a large batch and portion it into individual containers for easy reheating throughout the week. The soup also freeze perfectly for a freezer meal. Store the room temperature soup inside freezer-safe container, or Ziploc bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Topping Suggestions For Taco Soup with Chicken
The toppings you choose can make a significant difference in the overall taste and presentation of the soup. Consider a variety of toppings so everyone can create their own. Here are some ideas.
- Shredded Cheese – Any variety! Use Pepper Jack for some spice, or stick to milder cheeses like cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Colby jack cheese.
- Sour Cream
- Avocado – Either slice the avocado or cut into chunks. You can even use prepared, store-bought guacamole for a quick way to get avocado.
- Chopped Cilantro
- Sliced Jalapeno
- Lime Wedges
- Corn Tortilla Chips
How To Store Leftover Chicken Taco Soup
Let the soup cool to room temperate. Transfer the soup to an airtight container, or Ziploc bag, sea tightly and let refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. You can refrigerate the entire soup OR store a serving of soup in individual container to eat for lunch throughout the week. Reheat soup in the microwave or on the stove top.
If you want to store the soup for longer, freeze it for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow the soup to thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in soup pot on the stove top. You can also put the frozen soup into the slow cooker and cook on LOW heat for 6-7 hours.
Recipe Tips
- Adjust Seasonings : Taste the soup before serving and add any additional salt or other dried seasonings if wanted. I use mild taco seasoning, full salt chicken broth, kosher salt, and all the other dried seasonings when I make this soup. I don’t need to add anything else but everyone has different preferences when it comes to spice, so add more as needed.
- Make It Spicy! : Use cayenne pepper instead of black pepper. Use Pepper Jack cheese for a topping and sliced jalapeños. Use a packet of hot taco seasoning. Use a can of medium or hot Rotel.
- Milder Chicken Taco Soup : If you want a milder soup, without the heat of the Rotel, use a can of petite diced tomatoes in place of the Rotel. Even the mild version of Rotel can have a slight kick to it, so use regular canned diced tomatoes to avoid that. You can also use a packet of mild taco seasoning (I actually prefer the mild taco seasoning over the regular so I always use a packet of mild taco seasoning).
More Chicken Recipes To Try
- Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti
- Creamy Chicken Stew
- Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Patties
- Easy Chicken Penne Pasta
- Loaded Chicken and Potato Casserole
Chicken Taco Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or chopped)
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans rinsed & drained
- 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
- 1 can (10 oz) Rotel (mild, medium, or hot)
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a stockpot or soup pot, over medium-high heat, add the oil and finely diced onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent.1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 small yellow onion
- Add the chicken broth, cooked chicken, black beans, corn, Rotel, taco seasoning, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Stir to combine everything together.4 cups chicken broth, 2 cups cooked chicken, 1 can (15 oz) black beans, 1 can (15 oz) corn, 1 can (10 oz) Rotel, 1 packet taco seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for at least 25 minutes so the vegetables can get tender and the flavors can develop. Stir occasionally.* I like to cover the pot with a lid while it's simmering, which intensifies the flavors melding together and speeds up the process. This is optional.
- Serve immediatly with your favorite taco toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, avocado slices, etc.
Notes
Nutrition
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