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Chicken Taco Soup

Chicken taco soup with a golden-orange broth, tender shredded chicken, and hearty corn + black beans. Simmered in seasoned chicken broth, then finished with melted cream cheese for a creamy, spoonable texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Taco Soup Base
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast or thighs
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 4 oz cream cheese, cubed Optional for creaminess.
Toppings
  • 4 oz shredded cheddar
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup tortilla chips
  • 1 lime wedges
  • 0.25 cup cilantro

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and shred the chicken
  1. Add chicken breast or thighs and chicken broth to a Dutch oven, then stir in taco seasoning. Simmer at a steady low bubble for 18-20 minutes until cooked through, with the chicken turning opaque throughout.
  2. Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred it, then set the chicken aside. Watch for strands that separate easily with a fork.
  3. Reserve the broth in the Dutch oven for the soup base. Keep it warm over low heat so it’s ready for the next step.
Build the taco soup
  1. Return the seasoned broth to the pot and add onion, garlic, ranch dressing mix, black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine until everything is evenly distributed.
  2. Bring the soup to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Look for gentle bubbling and softened aromatics.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir the shredded chicken back into the pot. Cook just until heated through, keeping a steady simmer.
  2. Add cream cheese (if using) and stir until melted and the broth turns creamy. Stop when no lumps remain and the surface looks glossy.
  3. Season with salt and pepper, then serve hot with shredded cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, lime wedges, and cilantro. Top each bowl so the chips stay crunchy.

Notes

Pro tip: Shred the chicken while it’s warm so it pulls into quick, bite-size pieces. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a covered container; freeze up to 2 months (freeze without tortilla chips, then add toppings fresh). For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduce the sour cream topping slightly.