Description
This Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup is a rich and flavorful blend of tender chicken, black beans, corn, and tomatoes with a perfect spicy kick. Enhanced with cheddar and cream cheese, this hearty soup is comforting, satisfying, and easy to prepare in just 45 minutes, making it ideal for family dinners or meal prep.
Ingredients
Sauté Base
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
Soup Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
- 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 2 cups shredded chicken)
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 packet taco seasoning (1 oz. or about 3 Tbsp.)
Dairy
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup cream cheese, softened
To Serve
- Corn or flour tortillas (see notes for serving suggestions)
Instructions
- Sauté onions and peppers: Heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large pot. Add the diced onion and jalapeno, sautéing for about 4 minutes until softened. Add the diced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add main ingredients: Stir in the tomato paste, canned corn, undrained Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, drained black beans, chicken broth, raw chicken breasts, cayenne pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and taco seasoning. Stir well to combine. Start with 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning and adjust later.
- Simmer the soup: Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, partially covered, over medium-low heat. Avoid boiling rapidly to keep the chicken tender and juicy. Let it cook for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.
- Add cheeses: Lower the heat to low and gradually add the shredded cheddar cheese and softened cream cheese, stirring continuously until the soup is smooth and creamy.
- Final seasoning and serving: Taste the soup and add more taco seasoning, hot sauce, or salt as needed. Serve hot, garnished with your favorite toppings, accompanied by warm corn or flour tortillas.
Notes
- Use either corn or flour tortillas to serve; toasted strips make a great crunchy garnish if desired.
- Adjust the heat level by varying the amount of jalapeno, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce according to your preference.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stove.
- For a thicker soup, let it simmer uncovered for additional 10 minutes or mash some beans before serving.
- Substitute shredded rotisserie chicken for faster preparation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Sauté and Simmer
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
