Best Chicken Taco Soup Recipe | Quick & Easy in Slow Cooker
This easy chicken taco soup recipe is a hearty, flavorful, family-friendly meal made with simple pantry staples and tender shredded chicken. Packed with black beans, pinto beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, green chiles, and a blend of taco spices. This delicious soup comes together effortlessly in the slow cooker, crock pot, instant pot, or on the stovetop. Topped with sour cream, tortilla chips, jalapeños, avocado, and cheddar cheese, it tastes just like your favorite chicken tacos in cozy soup form. Perfect for busy weeknights, freezer meals, or a comforting bowl the next day, this easy chicken taco soup recipe is sure to become a family favorite.
Equipment
- 1 Slow cooker or crockpot
- 1 Instant Pot (optional method)
- 1 Large pot or Dutch oven (for stovetop method)
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Can opener
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Ladle
- 2 Forks (Shredding the chicken)
- Mixing Bowl (toppings)
- Soup bowls
- Citrus juicer (for lime juice)
- Storage containers or an airtight container (for leftovers)
- Freezer-safe containers (for freezer meals)
Ingredients
- 2-3 chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 can green chiles
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 jar salsa
- 3 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp homemade taco seasoning or store bought
- Optional: dash hot sauce, enchilada sauce, lime juice
Instructions
Slow Cooker / Crockpot Instructions
- 1. Add ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Layer in this order: chicken, black beans, pinto beans, corn, red onion, red bell pepper, fire-roasted tomatoes, green chiles, tomato sauce, salsa, all seasonings, and chicken broth. Do not stir.
- 2. Cook low and slow.
- Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender.
- 3. Shred the chicken.
- Remove chicken to a plate, shred with two forks, and return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- 4. Stir and season.
- Stir well and adjust seasoning to taste. Add lime juice or a dash of hot sauce if desired.
- 5. Serve with toppings.
- Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream, jalapeño slices, red pepper flakes, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, avocado slices, lime wedges, and cilantro.
Instant Pot Instructions
- 1. Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot except toppings.
- 2. Secure lid and cook on Manual / High Pressure for 10 minutes.
- 3. Allow natural release for 5–10 minutes.
- 4. Remove chicken, shred, and return it to the pot.
- 5. Stir, adjust seasoning, and serve with your favorite toppings.
Stovetop Instructions
- 1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- 2. Add diced red onion and red bell pepper; sauté 5–10 minutes until softened.
- 3. Add chicken, beans, tomatoes, chiles, salsa, broth, and seasonings.
- 4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30–40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- 5. Shred chicken, then return the chicken to the pot, stir well, and serve with toppings.
Notes
Chicken options: You can use chicken breasts, boneless chicken thighs, or rotisserie chicken. If using rotisserie chicken, reduce cook time by 1 hour on LOW or 30 minutes on HIGH since the chicken is already cooked.
For thicker soup: Add an extra can of beans, reduce the broth by ½–1 cup, or simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes before serving.
For thinner soup: Add additional chicken broth or water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Make it spicier: Add more chili powder, jalapeños, a dash of hot sauce, or use a medium/hot jar of salsa.
Make it milder: Use mild salsa, skip the jalapeños, and reduce chili powder to 1 teaspoon.
Add creaminess: Stir in 2–4 ounces of cream cheese after the soup finishes cooking. Let it melt completely before serving.
Vegetarian option: Omit the chicken and add 1–2 extra cans of beans (black, pinto, or kidney). Replace chicken broth with vegetable broth.
Instant Pot tip: If using rotisserie chicken in the Instant Pot, only pressure cook for 3 minutes, then shred.
Freezer-friendly: This soup freezes beautifully. Cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Freeze up to 3 months.
Leftovers: The flavors deepen overnight, making this an even better “next day” soup. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Topping ideas: Sour cream, tortilla chips, jalapeños, cheddar or pepper jack cheese, avocado, lime wedges, cilantro, or pico de gallo.
Low-sodium option: Use low-sodium broth, rinsed beans, and adjust salt at the end.
Best shortcut: Using rotisserie chicken + jar of salsa gives you maximum flavor with minimal prep.