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This chicken taco soup recipe has a flavorful Rotel tomato cream cheese broth, black beans, corn, and plenty of tender chicken. It’s fast and easy to make in just 35 minutes! We include stovetop, Instant Pot, and Crockpot instructions below.

Love taco flavors? Try my Easy Baked Chicken Tacos or this Easy Taco Casserole Recipe.

creamy chicken taco soup in two white bowls

Why you’ll love it

This recipe is based on my popular Creamy Taco Soup that’s made with ground beef, and I figured it was time to get a chicken version on here! It’s a filling and flavorful Tex-Mex soup all on its own, and it’s even better when you load it up with your favorite toppings.

Sometimes I crave tacos and soup, and this is the best of both worlds. It’s also way easier than making actual tacos, and you can get a hot meal on the table fast for Taco Tuesday using inexpensive pantry ingredients.

What you’ll need

  • Olive oil – for sautéing
  • Onion – our favorite variety is sweet onion (Vidalia), but yellow is fine
  • Red bell pepper – but any color is fine
  • Tomatoes – I definitely recommend using Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies. If you can’t find them, you can use regular ones, but add in a can or two of diced green chilies if possible. They make a huge difference in the overall flavor!
  • Chicken broth – for deeper savory flavor. If salt is a concern, use low sodium instead.
  • Garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder – my signature homemade taco seasoning
  • Corn & black beans – convenient canned veggies
  • Cream cheese – for the smooth, creamy broth. I like Philly best.
  • Chicken – we’re using rotisserie for convenience
ingredients for chicken taco soup on a marble surface

Chicken taco soup toppings

  • For some crunch, try tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips.
  • To give a cooling effect, a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt works great. Avocado would also give extra creaminess.
  • Add shredded cheddar or a Tex-Mex blend for cheesiness.
  • Lime wedges and cilantro amp up the flavor even more and add brightness!
  • Sliced jalapeno peppers would give it a spicy kick.

How to make chicken taco soup

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

sauteing onion and adding in broth and seasonings for chicken taco soup

Take the cream cheese out of the fridge to let it soften up. In a large pot, sauté the onion in the olive oil. Add the remaining soup ingredients apart from the cream cheese, chicken, and salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer.

adding in cream cheese and rotisserie chicken to a pot of chicken taco soup

Cut the cream cheese into cubes and add to the soup. When it’s melted, stir in the chicken and cook until warmed through. Season with salt & pepper, serve, and add your toppings!

Crockpot Method

  • I would use uncooked chicken thighs (try 4 of them) or chicken breasts (try 2 of them), and cook the soup for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. I recommend chicken thighs if cooking on low since they’re less likely to dry out.
  • Add in the cream cheese during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Ensure it’s set on “high”.

Instant Pot Method

  • Use uncooked chicken breasts (try 2 of them) or chicken thighs (try 4 of them), and add everything except for the cream cheese, seal it up, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
  • Let the pressure release for 5 minutes then quick release the rest. After you unseal it, stir in the cream cheese. Use the sauté function to help it melt faster.
close-up of a ladle full of chicken taco soup (in a pot)

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

Can I make it with uncooked chicken?

  • Sure! If you want to make this with uncooked chicken, you definitely can. I recommend starting the soup by adding 2 cut-up chicken breasts (or 4 cut-up chicken thighs) to the pot after you’ve cooked the onion for a few minutes. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes, and then transfer it to a plate. Add it back in towards the end so it finishes cooking without getting tough or overcooked.

Substitutions and variations

  • You could swap the cream cheese for heavy cream. Try 1/2 cup to start with. I’d probably build up to about 1 cup. I would then add in some lime juice prior to serving to give it that nice tangy flavor.
  • I find Original Rotel tomatoes to have a bit of kick, so be sure to use mild ones if you’re sensitive to spice. If you want the soup to be really spicy, add in 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or more as needed!
  • This soup isn’t super thick, but if you do want it a bit thicker, you could add a cornstarch slurry (start with 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water), and add it in a few minutes prior to serving.

What to serve with this recipe

easy chicken taco soup in two white bowls (with spoons on the marble background)

Leftovers and storage

  • This taco soup will last 3-5 days in the fridge in a covered container.
  • You can also store it for 3 months in the freezer.
  • I recommend warming it up on a low heat. The cream cheese may separate a bit, but it’ll still taste good! Stir it well prior to serving.
a pot full of delicious creamy chicken taco soup

Will you give this creamy chicken taco soup recipe a try? Questions? Let me know in the comments below, and be sure to tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you make one of my recipes!

creamy chicken taco soup in two white bowls
4.97 from 267 votes

Chicken Taco Soup

This chicken taco soup recipe has a flavorful Rotel tomato cream cheese broth, black beans, corn, and plenty of tender chicken. It's fast and easy to make in just 35 minutes!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 (10 ounce) cans Ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chilies with juices
  • 1 (14 ounce) can black beans drained & rinsed
  • 1 (12 ounce) can corn drained
  • 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (I used Philly) softened, see note
  • 2 cups cooked/rotisserie chicken shredded
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Toppings (optional): shredded Mexican cheese blend, avocado, cilantro, tortilla strips, etc.

Instructions 

  • Add the oil and onion to a soup pot and sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
  • Add all the remaining soup ingredients to the pot except for the cream cheese, chicken, and salt & pepper.
  • Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Turn down the heat so it's simmering gently (uncovered) for 5 minutes. While the soup cooks, prep your toppings.
  • Cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces and add it to the soup. Let it melt in (you may have to stir it a fair bit until it's fully incorporated).
  • Stir in the chicken and cook for another 5-7 minutes or so until it's warmed through.
  • Season the soup with salt & pepper and serve with toppings as desired.

Notes

  • The cream cheese for this recipe should be super soft so it melts into the soup easily. I recommend taking it out of the fridge prior to starting the recipe and then microwaving it in 20-30 second intervals until it’s very soft.
  • If you have any concerns with salt, use low-salt broth.
  • If you’re not using Rotel diced tomatoes, you can use regular ones, but I suggest adding a can or two of diced green chilies as well (the 4 oz. size ones) since it really makes a difference in the way the soup tastes. 
  • Serves 4-6 depending on portion size/what you top it with.
  • See blog post for Instant Pot & Crockpot adaptation suggestions.

Nutrition

Calories: 366kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 966mg, Potassium: 780mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1507IU, Vitamin C: 33mg, Calcium: 112mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

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Hi! I’m Natasha.

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4.97 from 267 votes (58 ratings without comment)

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618 Comments

  1. MaryAnn says:

    5 stars
    Such a great comfort soup for a cold night! This is an easy recipe that you can leave as is, or tweak with your own flavor likes. I added some roasted pablano peppers and some extra spices to punch the flavor level. A keeper recipe for really any time of the year, lunches, etc. Thank you for sharing!

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so glad you liked it!! Love those additions! 🙂

  2. Heather Roberts says:

    5 stars
    LOVED this recipe- and super simple and quick. I used raw chicken breast, cut small and added with all other ingredients to cook along with the soup boiling. worked really well. I had one can rotel and one can “chili ready” diced tomatoes.

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so happy to hear that, Heather!! Thanks for your 5-star review! 😀

  3. Melody says:

    5 stars
    This is delicious! I made it exactly as the recipe states. There is only one of me and would like to know if it can be frozen?

    1. Natasha says:

      Hi! There’s freezing instructions in the post under “leftovers and storage”. 🙂

  4. Mary says:

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness!!! This is just SO good. My third time making it. The first time I didn’t have any Rotel tomatoes so I made my own with a copycat recipe with tomatoes, diced cilantro, lime juice and canned chillies. Also, to reduce the fat and calories I used about 3 ounces of cream cheese and two wedges of Skinny Cow Swiss cheese. The next time I made it with Rotel tomatoes and the third time I went back to making my own Rotel- much better. Also, I usually add a little more chicken than 2 cups and add a little more chicken broth. I will say I used organic canned tomatoes and several other organic ingredients . This is a 10*** dish!!

    1. Natasha says:

      Thank you so much!! 😀

  5. Tania says:

    5 stars
    I didn’t have black beans or cream cheese on hand when I found this recipe. I used sour cream and chickpeas. I didn’t have re bell peppers either. I boiled chicken thighs for 20 minutes, then shredded it. This recipe was versatile enough with all the substitutions I had to make (on the fly). I added shredded cheddar and tortilla chips. My family LOVED this soup! I will make it again with the correct ingredients next time.

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so glad you were able to adapt it!! 🙂

  6. Sheila Gartenberg says:

    Hi Natasha! Your recipes look amazing!! Any way to thicken up this chicken taco soup to make it more of a casserole? Thanks!

    1. Natasha says:

      Hi Sheila!! Thank you!! I’d probably add waaaay less broth and then cook it down some more maybe? I have a taco casserole recipe here: https://bit.ly/3HHIGuF

  7. Diane Duerst says:

    5 stars
    Wow! This is delicious! I added 4 oz of Velveeta with the cream cheese, but it was good without it too! Thanks!

    1. Natasha says:

      Thank you so much!

  8. Joan says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is by far the best that I have ever had! I was a little skeptical when i saw it had cream cheese in it…But Wow! …..Is it ever oooh soo delicious..Soo…Kudos to the lady that put this recipe on pinterest!

    1. Natasha says:

      So glad you liked it!

  9. Corbin says:

    5 stars
    This was delicious and incredibly fast and easy to make!!

    1. Natasha says:

      Wonderful!! Thank you! 🙂

  10. Kim says:

    5 stars
    This soup is delicious. I have made this numerous times my family loves it.

    1. Natasha says:

      That’s great to hear!

      1. Vivian says:

        Can I make this in a crockpot? In the crockpot can I use cooked rotisserie chicken?

        1. Natasha says:

          I don’t recommend using cooked rotisserie chicken if putting it in the crockpot. That’ll waaaaaaaay overcook it. I’d use uncooked chicken breasts or thighs and then add in the cream cheese during the last 30 min or so.