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bowl of chicken taco soup topped with avocado, cilantro, and tortilla strips, overhead shot

Chicken Taco Soup

A hearty, well-seasoned chicken soup built on a bloomed chili-cumin spice base,black beans, and corn. Ready in 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dinner, Main Courses, Soups & Stews
Cuisine: American, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 1 can, 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can, 15 oz corn, drained
  • 1 can, 14.5 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp black pepper
  • juice of 1 lime
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • toppings of choice

Method
 

  1. Cook onion in olive oil until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic for 30 seconds.
  2. Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and coriander. Bloom in the oil for 1 minute.
  3. Add chicken, beans, corn, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered 18-20 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F.
  4. Remove chicken, shred with two forks, and return to the pot.
  5. Stir in lime juice and adjust seasoning.
  6. Ladle into bowls and top with cilantro, cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, or avocado as desired.

Notes

Storage note: Refrigerate up to 5 days; freezes well for up to 3 months (add toppings fresh after reheating).
Notes: Don’t skip blooming the spices, it’s the main source of the soup’s depth of flavor.