The Best Quick and Easy Chicken Taco Soup Recipe
Makes: 5 Servings
Per Serving: 35g Protein | 357 Cal
When the temperature starts to dip, you probably start to crave cozier, more comforting fare. That’s totally normal, but it doesn’t always feel like it fits well with your health and wellness goals. Although comfort foods don’t have to be overly heavy and calorie-laden, those kinds of foods might be some of the first you think of. But not anymore. This high-protein chicken taco soup (you can also make it with ground beef or ground turkey!) is going to be one of your new comfort food go-tos.
Filling, hearty, and oh-so-comforting, this taco soup is a one-pot wonder ready in 40 minutes or less. It’s a weeknight dinner dream that the whole family will love!
Why You’ll Love This High-Protein Taco Soup Recipe
Packed with protein: Between the lean meat, beans, and bone broth, you’ll get a good dose of protein from each and every serving of this delicious soup.
Loaded with veggies: This healthy soup doesn’t taste “healthy”, but it contains onion, garlic, corn, tomatoes, riced cauliflower, bell peppers, and green chilis for a super flavorful, super nutritious meal.
Perfect for weeknight dinners: This whole soup is made in just one pot and comes together in under an hour, making it a great option for busy weeknights.
Easy to customize: Whether you love a spicy taco soup or prefer something more mild, whether you want to add extra veggies (maybe top your soup with sliced radishes or shredded cabbage) or give it a sprinkle of cheese, this recipe is so easy to make your own.
Great for meal prepping: Soups are ideal for meal prepping because they store so well and reheat like a dream. Plus, many soups taste even better the next day.
Ingredients
1 lb ground chicken OR lean ground beef (96% lean preferred) - you can also use shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken if you’d prefer
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 packet taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning blend)
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups fire-roasted corn
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, with juices (you could also use fire-roasted tomatoes if you'd prefer)
1 bag (10 oz) riced cauliflower
2 bell peppers, diced
1 can (4–7 oz) diced green chiles
2 cups chicken bone broth or beef bone broth
Garnish & Toppings
Fresh cilantro
Chopped green onions
Diced avocado
Crumbled cotija cheese
Shredded Mexican blend cheese
Greek yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
Brown the meat: Heat a heavy large pot or large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the meat and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon or rubber spatula while it cooks. If you need to add a little oil to the pot, use a little olive oil. Drain any excess fat if needed.
Add the aromatics: Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the pot and cook until softened and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat mixture and stir well to combine.
Add the veggies: Add the black beans, fire-roasted corn, crushed tomatoes, riced cauliflower, bell peppers, green chilis, and bone broth. Stir well to combine.
Simmer the soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer the soup for about 20-25 minutes. This will give the flavors a bit of time to meld.
Garnish and serve: Ladle your completed soup into bowls and top with your favorite toppings: creamy avocado, cheese, or a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, bright, fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, spicy sliced jalapeños, sharp sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, or whatever else your heart desires. You can also add tortilla chips on the side if you’d like.
Nutrition Information (Per Serving - Makes 5 Servings)
Calories: 357
Protein: 35g
Carbs: 44g
Fat: 5g
Swaps & Substitutions
Try a different protein: Use ground turkey, ground beef, lentils, or meatless crumbles instead.
Amp up the heat: Add a dash of your favorite hot sauce, red pepper flakes, or a little diced jalapeño.
Add extra protein: If you’d like, you can add an extra can of beans or make it creamy with the addition of some blended cottage cheese (add it at the end with the heat off).
Make a creamy chicken taco soup: Add blended cottage cheese or 4 oz of low-fat cream cheese.
Switch up the garnishes: Try shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, sliced black olives, fresh pico de gallo, a squeeze of lime juice, pickled red onions, or whatever else you’d like.
Storage & Meal Prep Tips
In the fridge: Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
In the freezer: Portion into smaller containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Gently reheat the soup on the stove or in the microwave. Add a little bit of chicken broth (or beef broth) to thin the soup if it’s thickened too much while it sat. Garnish and enjoy!
FAQs
-
It’s super easy to make this soup dairy-free if you can’t tolerate dairy. You can garnish with a dairy-free yogurt or sour cream or skip any cheese and dairy toppings altogether.
-
As written, it’s not super spicy (though it can be spicier depending on the taco seasoning you choose to use). If you prefer a spicier soup, add a dash of hot sauce or spicy jalapeños to bump up the heat.
-
You sure can! Frozen diced onions, frozen garlic cubes, frozen corn, frozen peppers, and frozen riced cauliflower will all work just as well as fresh.
-
Absolutely! You can either dump all of your ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours (make sure your meat is cooked through before serving) or you can brown the meat and sauté the veggies before transferring to the slow cooker. If the meat is already cooked, you won't need as long in the slow cooker.
This taco soup is such a great easy meal when you're looking for a bit of a shortcut for taco night. Quick to throw together and made with tons of pantry staples, it's a recipe built for weeknights.
Taco Soup
An easy chicken taco soup made with tons of pantry staples and packed with wholesome veggies is the perfect weeknight meal. Add your favorite taco toppings for a dinner everyone will love!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken OR lean ground beef (96% lean preferred) - you can also use shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken if you’d prefer
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 packet taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning blend)
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups fire-roasted corn
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, with juices (you could also use fire-roasted tomatoes if you'd prefer)
- 1 bag (10 oz) riced cauliflower
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 can (4–7 oz) diced green chiles
- 2 cups chicken bone broth or beef bone broth
- Fresh cilantro
- Chopped green onions
- Diced avocado
- Crumbled cotija cheese
- Shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
- Brown the meat: Heat a heavy large pot or large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the meat and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon or rubber spatula while it cooks. If you need to add a little oil to the pot, use a little olive oil. Drain any excess fat if needed.
- Add the aromatics: Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the pot and cook until softened and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat mixture and stir well to combine.
- Add the veggies: Add the black beans, fire-roasted corn, crushed tomatoes, riced cauliflower, bell peppers, green chilis, and bone broth. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer the soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer the soup for about 20-25 minutes. This will give the flavors a bit of time to meld.
- Garnish and serve: Ladle your completed soup into bowls and top with your favorite toppings: creamy avocado, cheese, or a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, bright, fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, spicy sliced jalapeños, sharp sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, or whatever else your heart desires. You can also add tortilla chips on the side if you’d like.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
357Fat
5 gCarbs
42 gProtein
35 g