One-Pot Chicken Taco Soup
Me-time these days pretty much consists of tuning in to a podcast on a power walk or cooking. Armchair Expert has consistently been my favorite podcast since its inception, and I love so many of the different flavors that NPR has to offer (Up First, HIBT, The Indicator, Planet Money, PCHH, Hidden Brain, etc.). I also wouldn’t be a “green living” amateur if Goop wasn’t in the rotation. But when I can’t take anymore frustrating news on NPR and my brain needs a break, I turn to Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. I am saying all this because I was listening to Conan’s podcast the first time I made this soup, and now every time I eat or think about this soup, I think about Conan O’Brien.
I also basically don’t listen to music anymore, aside from Baby Shark, Slippery Fish/Una Sardina, I am a Pizza/Soy Una Pizza, Gummi Bear, and just recently, Raining Tacos. That last one is admittedly my favorite. And yes, one of my roommates is a toddler. What is everyone else listening to?
We’re well into spring now, but it’s been a chilly, rainy season so far. I’m missing this freezer- and pantry-friendly one-pot chicken taco soup, originally sourced from Kitchn. (Side note: shouldn’t all soups be one-pot?) It feels like comfort food, but without the heavy, indulgent ingredients. I’ve made this a few times, and I far preferred the version with one tiny edit to the original recipe. I’m still on my smoked paprika kick, and wanted to bring some of that seductive smoky flavor and aroma to this soup. The second time around, I subbed half of the paprika for it’s sultry counterpart and haven’t neglected to include it since! Here’s the recipe as slightly tweaked:
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups (32 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (breasts will work too)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
Optional (but pretty necessary) garnishes:
- cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips*
- avocado slices
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the broth, beans, and tomatoes and their juices, then stir to combine.
- Add the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and registers an internal temperature of 165℉, 10 to 14 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Shred the meat with two forks, then return the chicken to the pot. Stir in the corn. Serve topped with the cilantro, cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips if desired (which you obviously will).
* NOTES: I used Food Should Taste Good multigrain tortilla chips. They’re light and airy, never greasy and just the right amount of salt.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or frozen for up to 3 months.
