This morning at the local farmer’s market, I found a mixture of peppers and some small, tender squash. I also purchased some boneless, skinless chicken breasts with full intentions of grilling. However, by the time I returned home, black clouds began swirling and the rain came. So, I looked through my cabinets and drummed up enough things to make chicken taco soup. I know the mixed peppers I bought today will be perfect for it.
I absolutely love soups and I have only one soup rule – never use water. You can use broth, coconut milk, wine, tomato sauce, tomato juice, anything, just do not add water. Water dilutes the flavor and with a soup you are trying to build flavor.
I know my soup pot has years of food stains, and I do know I could probably spend sometime and make it look new again. But I love the stains and the reminders of the good meals that have come out of this deep, heavy pot. I covet the french soup pots that I cannot pronounce and also cannot afford. This pot is cast iron and was a bargain at Sam’s Club many, many years ago and is still going strong.
You can could add this soup to a slow cooker and let it simmer all day. This is a very forgiving, anything goes, kind of soup. If you don’t like your soup creamy, omit the cream cheese.
I use a cornstarch slurry anytime I want to thicken something. It is flavorless. Do not make the mistake of throwing the cornstarch directly into the soup. You must mix it with cold or room temp water or liquid and dissolve it before putting it into the the soup or you will have a lumpy, cornstarch mess- yes I have done this.
The creamy taco soup pictured had two extra ingredients: 1 cup of diced squash and a handful of chopped kale. If you need to thin out the soup, add more chicken stock.
Creamy Chicken Taco Soup
This is a great cabinet or freezer cleanout soup. There are no rules, anything goes!
Ingredients
4-5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion diced
1 cup diced peppers- any kind will do. Poblano, jalapeno, bell, or a mixture of what you have on hand.
4 garlic cloves minced
4 tbsp taco seasoning
2 cans beans- use chili beans, black beans, pintos, etc.
1 can diced tomatoes and chilis
4 cups chicken broth
1 24 ounce jar of salsa
12 ounce bag frozen carrot slices
12 ounce bag frozen corn
1 block of cream cheese (room temperature)
cornstarch slurry if needed(1 tbsp corn starch and 2 tbsp water)
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a large pot on medium heat, add olive oil, onions and peppers. Saute for 1-2 minutes and add the garlic and the taco seasoning. Cook for 1-2 minutes while the spices bloom. Toss in all the remaining ingredients except the cream cheese and corn starch slurry. Bring to a boil, cover and bring the heat down to low or low medium to a simmer for 1-2 hours. Remove the chicken and shred or cube. Add the cream cheese and if you want it thicker, add the slurry.
Make this recipe your own. Throw in some rice. Turn up the heat and add hot peppers. Toss in vegetables you have on hand such as squash, zucchini, butternut squash, potatoes, green beans, kale, etc. I have even used a bag of frozen soup vegetables. If you use cooked chicken, such as rotisserie or canned, put it in toward the end of the cook.
