Easy chicken taco soup made in just one pot in 30 quick minutes. Our favorite hearty and flavorful soup recipe to enjoy during the fall season.
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Easy Taco Soup
One of my families favorite meals is taco soup. We make it at least once a month and love digging in with a big bowl of tortilla chips. My original recipe calls for ground beef, but we make this chicken version quite often too. It’s the perfect way to use up any leftover chicken sitting in the fridge.
I love this chicken taco soup recipe because it’s so easy to make in one pot and it’s done in less than 30 minutes. It’s also very adaptable to what you have on hand and to your personal taste. It’s loaded with flavor and is the perfect hearty soup recipe to enjoy on a chilly fall day. We love to load on all of our favorite toppings and also love serving sweet cornbread alongside with honey butter. So yummy!
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Chicken: I like using precooked and shredded chicken, like a rotisserie, to save time.
- Beans: This taco soup boasts a whole lot of beans, including black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans.
- Onions + peppers: The base of the soup relies on these two staples.
- Corn: Just a little bit of sweetness and color to cut the spice.
- Tomatoes: I use a mixture of tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and Rotel to really add richness and acidity to this soup.
- Salsa: I prefer a salsa with a lot of flavor, and this is a great way to add a little heat, if you’d like.
- Seasonings: Taco seasoning, salt, and pepper is all it takes to make a flavorful soup.
- Toppings: I like to top the soup with cheese, sour cream, avocado, and a little lime juice with tortilla chips on the side.
Variations + Tips
- Use precooked and shredded chicken to make this dish super fast. I love making this recipe whenever we have leftover Instant Pot Mexican chicken to use up.
- Add everything to the crockpot with raw chicken to make this soup even easier.
- Feel free to use a mix of beans (black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, chili beans).
- Add in extra vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots or pumpkin.
How to Make Chicken Taco Soup
- Sauté. Cook the chopped onions and peppers in a pan with oil for a few minutes, until soft.
- Simmer. Stir in all of the remaining ingredients and let simmer for about 20 minutes (or longer if you have the time), stirring occasionally. If the consistency gets too thick for your liking, feel free to mix in a little water to thin it out.
- Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings.
Favorite Toppings
Don’t forget the toppings! This soup tastes amazing with any of the following toppings:
- tortilla strips
- shredded cheese
- sour cream or cilantro lime crema
- avocado slices or guacamole
- lime
- cilantro
- cornbread croutons
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This soup can also be made in the slow cooker just as easily. The only difference is you’ll want to use raw chicken (instead of cooked) if using this method. Simply add all of the ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Right before serving, shred the chicken and then mix back into the crockpot.
Absolutely! Simply omit the chicken and maybe add in some extra veggies, like sweet potato or pumpkin.
Freezing + Thawing
This soup is one of our favorite freezer meals. Make sure it has cooled completely, then pour into a freezer bag or container. It’s important to leave room in the container for the soup to expand…so don’t fill it all the way to the top. Then store in the freezer for up to 6 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the microwave or in the refrigerator overnight. Then pour into a pot and simmer on the stove over low heat until warm.
More Soup Recipes to Try
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Chicken Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil , plus more if needed
- 1 medium sweet onion , finely chopped
- 1 cup chopped bell peppers (I prefer red or orange)
- 1-2 Tablespoons taco seasoning , plus more to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto or white beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup salsa
- 3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast (I use rotisserie chicken)
- Salt , to taste
- Ground black pepper , to taste
For serving: Tortilla chips, Shredded cheddar cheese, Sour cream, Avocado, Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large pan, heat olive oil, Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté a few minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, corn, tomato sauce, Rotel, diced tomatoes, salsa, chicken, salt, and pepper until combined. Simmer at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if the soup is too thick. If you have more time, let it simmer longer.
- Ladle into bowls. Top with sour cream, cheese, avocado, and a little lime. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Made this tonight and it tasted great! It was simple to put together and had a delicious flavor. Thanks for sharing:)
Happy to hear it was a success! Thanks for your comment and review, Julie :)
My family favorite soup!!!
I’ve had a chicken taco soup recipe I’ve used for years but wanted to give this one a try. I made it last night for friends and we all loved it! My husband likes this one better, so it’s a keeper. Although I would call it Taco stew!!! The recipe didn’t say to drain the corn or tomatoes so I didn’t. I was a little concerned as I made it that there wasn’t going to be enough liquid, but it was fine with the liquid from the cans that aren’t drained. I did cut up strips of corn tortillas and fried them crispy to put on the soup with sour cream, little cubes of jack cheese, and green onions. My family and friends gobbled it up! Thanks for an easy to do recipe🥰
I’m so glad to hear everyone enjoyed it! :)
This is a fabulous easy dinner! It packs an amazing amount of flavor in just a half hour of cooking!
This popped up in my feed the other day and I was instantly drawn to it . Quick, easy, nutricious and very delicious – just what weekday meals are about.