Easy Chicken Taco Soup Recipe
This Easy Chicken Taco Soup Recipe is a flavorful and hearty soup that combines aromatic herbs, fresh vegetables, tender tortellini, and a creamy finish with parmesan cheese. Designed for versatility, it can be prepared using a slow cooker, Instant Pot, or stovetop, making it a convenient and comforting meal option perfect for any season.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes stovetop, 6-8 hours slow cooker low, 6 minutes Instant Pot high pressure plus sauté time
- Total Time: 45 minutes stovetop, 6-8 hours slow cooker, approx. 30 minutes Instant Pot including sauté and pressure cook
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2–4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1–2 teaspoons fennel seeds, to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Vegetables & Liquids
- 6 carrots, chopped
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
- 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 4–6 cups roughly chopped kale
Dairy & Pasta
- 1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 pound fresh cheese tortellini
Instructions
- Prepare Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chopped onion, garlic, thyme, basil, oregano, fennel seeds, smoked paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until fragrant. If using the slow cooker or stovetop method, stir in the tomato paste at this step. For Instant Pot, add tomato paste after sautéing.
- Combine Ingredients: For slow cooker: Transfer the sautéed aromatics into the crockpot and add the carrots, celery, white wine, vegetable broth, and crushed red pepper flakes. For Instant Pot: Add carrots, celery, wine, broth, and red pepper flakes to the pot after sautéing aromatics. For stovetop: After adding tomato paste, add wine, broth, carrots, celery, and red pepper flakes to the pot.
- Cook the Soup: Slow Cooker: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Instant Pot: Seal and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes, then release pressure naturally or quickly. Stovetop: Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 20-30 minutes until carrots are tender.
- Add Greens and Pasta: During the last 15 minutes of cooking in the slow cooker, or after pressure cooking in the Instant Pot (set to sauté), or about 10 minutes before the end of stovetop cooking, stir in the chopped kale, cream or milk, grated parmesan, and fresh tortellini. Cook until kale is wilted and tortellini is tender (about 10-15 minutes). For Instant Pot, this is done during the sauté mode after pressure release.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with additional parmesan cheese and fresh oregano if desired. Enjoy warm as a comforting and hearty meal.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken tortellini with cheese or spinach tortellini for a vegetarian option.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to control the spiciness.
- Use low sodium vegetable broth to better control the salt content of the soup.
- Fresh herbs can be substituted with dried, but reduce quantities by half for potency.
- This soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and freezes nicely without the cream; add cream when reheating.
Keywords: chicken taco soup, easy soup recipe, comfort food, slow cooker soup, Instant Pot soup, vegetarian tortellini soup
Find it online: https://dinewithlily.com/easy-chicken-taco-soup-recipe/
