Chicken Taco Soup

Whenever I can make dinner in my crockpot, I am here for it. Whether it’s Crockpot Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quinoa Chili or Slow Cooker Coconut Quinoa Curry, I love starting dinner in the morning and digging in at the end of the day. This chicken taco soup is my current go-to when I want something hearty, satisfying, and flavorful, with practically no effort.

As you’ve probably guessed, chicken taco soup has all the flavor of Chicken Tacos, served up in a bowl instead of tortillas. In addition to the chicken, I add beans (two varieties!), sweet corn, and lots of vegetables, which makes for a supremely satisfying meal. And just like tacos, you can add your favorite toppings here and make it your own!

Ingredients Needed to Make This Soup

Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need when making this chicken taco soup. Make sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the exact quantities for each ingredient. 

• Onion – Yellow or white are both fine here.
• Garlic – I use 4 cloves, which means there’s a lot of garlic flavor in this recipe. You can adapt the number of cloves to taste or replace each clove with ¼-½ teaspoon of garlic powder if needed.
• Olive oil – Or your preferred cooking oil for sautéeing.
• Chicken breasts – You can substitute chicken thighs for breasts in a slow cooker if that’s what you prefer or have on hand. Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Alternatively, if you have leftover roasted, grilled, or baked chicken, you can shred it and add it at the end of the cooking time. If you have shredded chicken in the freezer, that works, too!
• Beans – Canned black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed. Alternatively, you can cook both types of beans in the Instant Pot using my in-depth guide.
• Corn – Use canned, frozen, or fresh.
• Tomato sauce – Any store-bought or homemade tomato sauce or marinara sauce is perfect.
• Green bell peppers – Green bell peppers have a little more bite than other varieties; for a milder, sweeter pepper, choose red, orange, or yellow.
• Jalapeño peppers – Scrape out the seeds and ribs to control the heat level. 
• Chicken broth – Substitute low-sodium vegetable broth if needed.
• Taco seasoning – Use store-bought or homemade taco seasoning.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

If you want to get a head start on this recipe (or don’t want to cook in the morning!), sauté the onion and garlic the night before. All you need to do is combine everything in the slow cooker.

• Sweat the aromatics. Sauté the garlic and onion with a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. You only need to cook them until the onion is softened and translucent.
• Cook. Add the onions and garlic to the slow cooker with all the other ingredients. Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours.

• Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken breasts from the soup and either shred them or break them into chunks.
• Finish. Add the chicken back to the pot and season to taste before serving.

Tips for the Best Taco Soup

• Don’t skip the sautéing. If you’ve ever made slow cooker soup and noticed that the onions are still a little bit crunchy even after 8 hours of cooking, you’ll appreciate this added step. 
• Be careful with adding salt. Between the taco seasoning and broth, this chicken taco soup will be pretty well-seasoned from the get-go. Don’t add more salt at the end until you give the soup a taste.
• Use gloves when handling the jalapeños. Some jalapeños are spicier than others, and if you get some that are extra hot, you’ll be glad you wore gloves. The oil from hot peppers is super hard to wash off!

Variations

Don’t be afraid to put your own spin on this chicken taco soup recipe! Or try some of these ideas:

• Charred peppers. For another layer of flavor, char poblano peppers under the broiler, peel them, and add those to the soup instead of the jalapeños. 
• Vegetarian. If you’re looking for a vegetarian taco soup, substitute Vegan Sofritas or tempeh for the chicken; add it at the end of the cooking time.
• More veggies. Add diced zucchini or yellow squash to up the veggie factor in this chicken taco soup.

Optional Toppings

The best part about having chicken taco soup for dinner is adding garnishes! Here are some of my favorites:

• Lime wedges
• Avocado slices
• Cilantro
• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream
• Sliced fresh or pickled jalapeños
• Pickled red onions
• Crispy tortilla strips

How to Store Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Store chicken taco soup in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
• Reheat. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s warmed through.
• Freeze. You can freeze this chicken taco soup recipe. Transfer the soup to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator and then reheat it according to the instructions above.

More Easy & Delicious Soup Recipes

• Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
• Tuscan Kale White Bean Soup
• Creamy Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Instant Pot Vegan Wild Rice Soup