Crock Pot Chicken Taco Soup (2024)

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Soup is a comforting and flavorful recipe that’s perfect for the colder months! The savory goodness of tender chicken pairs with tomatoes and a subtle kick of space.

The result is a perfect balance of hearty and wholesome flavor. You’ll love this fun take on tacos with all the flavors you know and love in a delicious soup!

💚 About This Recipe

Looking for a fun way to switch things up on taco night? Try this fantastic fiesta chicken soup, packed with bold and flavorful ingredients!

With veggies, spices, and juicy chicken, this filling taco soup is all you need for a well rounded meal with classic taco flavors.

Similar to my Brazilian Fish Stew, this recipe is extremely flavorful and hearty. Slow cooker chicken taco soup cooks up perfectly in the slow cooker for a ready-to-eat meal that the whole family will love!

🧂 Ingredients Needed

• ground beef - homemade meatballs make this fiesta chicken soup so filling and comforting.
• seasonings - I use a combination of salt and black pepper, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika (smoked paprika is great if you like a bit of smoky flavor).
• cabbage - makes this soup extra filling and nutritious.
• chicken breast - boneless skinless chicken breasts cook to a perfect tender texture that's perfect for shredding.
• diced tomatoes - adds a bit of sweet acidity to balance out all of the savory ingredients.
• chicken stock - you can also use vegetable stock, but chicken broth is a bit more flavorful.
• toppings - all optional but definitely delicious! I like to top my Mexican style chicken soup with avocado, fresh lime juice and lime wedges, fresh cilantro, sour cream, and some shredded cheese.

🔪 Instructions

• In a mixing bow, combine the ground beef with salt and pepper.

• Shape the ground beef mixture into meatballs. Each should be about 1 tablespoon's worth.

• Slice the cabbage into strips.

• Add the chicken breasts and meatballs to the bottom of the slow cooker.

• Pour in the broth and mix in sliced cabbage, all of the remaining seasonings, and diced tomatoes. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 hours on low (or 3 to 4 hours on high).

• Before serving, shred chicken in the crock pot or remove and shred in a separate bowl. Use two forks or a hand mixer to shred. Add the shredded chicken back to the crock pot and ladle soup into bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings.

❔ FAQs

💭 Expert Tips and Tricks

• If you're careful, you can also shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker to avoid dirtying another bowl. Just be aware that the soup will be super hot!
• You can omit the meatballs if you want a slightly lighter soup.
• Check that the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F to ensure it's cooked all the way through.
• Before serving, give the soup a little taste. You may need to add more salt and pepper depending on your flavor preferences.

📌 This chicken taco soup is perfect for the winter months but also a fantastic Cinco de Mayo dish or alternative to any Taco Tuesday!

💡 Substitutions and Variations

• Instead of the homemade seasoning blend, you can also use a packet of taco seasoning for a quick shortcut.
• For an even more nutritious soup, mix in additional veggies about an hour before the end of cooking time. Good options include corn, drained black beans or pinto beans, chopped bell peppers (green bell pepper is my choice usually), jalapeno peppers, green chilies, or onions.
• Other topping and serving ideas include tortilla strips or fresh warm tortillas, crumbled cotija cheese, and fresh chopped parsley.
• If you prefer darker meat, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of the chicken breasts.
• For a little bit of a spicier soup, add chili powder, red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper.
• You can also use rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken. Add an hour or so before the end of cooking time.

🥫 Storage and Reheating

Allow your leftover soup to cool, then transfer to some kind of airtight container and store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze this soup for several months--just allow it to thaw in the fridge for a while before reheating.

To reheat your fiesta chicken soup, pour it back into a pot over medium heat on the stove and stir every so often. You can also microwave individual portions. This amazing soup is delicious the next day because the flavorful broth really develops all of the flavors as it sits!

🍴 What To Serve With This Dish

If you're looking to make this soup into an even bigger meal, serve it alongside a Cornbread Casserole or use this Copycat Jiffy Cornbread Mix to make a heart cornbread. You could also whip up a side salad, or make something a little more involved like a Quinoa Chickpea Salad or this Potato and Grilled Corn Salad.

📋 Recipe Card

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