Chicken taco soup
Shredded chicken in a spiced tomato broth with peppers, topped with avocado and lime. Makes 4.
- Hands-on
- 17 min
- Total time
47 min, show breakdown
- Prep 12 min
- Cook 30 min
- Clean up 5 min
- Pans
- 1
- Ingredients
- 13
- Cost/serving
- $3.03
Per serving
- Calories
- 306
- Protein
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Net carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 13 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Niacin (B3) 94%, Vitamin B6 86%, Vitamin C 62%, Selenium 55%, Riboflavin (B2) 30%, Vitamin E 25%, Potassium 24%, Thiamin (B1) 22%, Magnesium 20%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 4
Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.
You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
500 g chicken breast, boneless skinless
Same amount as: 1.1 lb, about 2½ breasts.
- 1 medium onion (110 g)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (120 g)
2 cloves garlic, smashed (6 g)
Same amount as: 2 tsp fresh minced garlic, 1 tsp jarred minced garlic, ¼ tsp garlic powder.
1 tbsp olive oil (14 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL.
2 tsp chili powder (5.4 g)
Same amount as: 10 mL.
2 tsp ground cumin (4.2 g)
Same amount as: 10 mL.
½ can canned crushed tomatoes (397 g)
Same amount as: about 1¾ cups.
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (480 g)
Same amount as: 480 mL.
2 cups water (480 g)
Same amount as: 480 mL.
2 tbsp lime juice (30 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL, 1 lime squeezed from fresh limes.
- 1 medium avocado (136 g), diced, to serve
¼ cup fresh cilantro (4 g), chopped, to serve
Same amount as: 60 mL.
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
Amount for everything you're cooking. Missing an ingredient? Ask for it.
Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
Optional
Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 4 servings. Keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen. Add the avocado and cilantro when you serve, not before storing.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (572 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 306 | ||
| Total fat | 13 g | 16% | |
| Saturated fat | 2.1 g | 11% | |
| Cholesterol | 92 mg | 31% | |
| Sodium | 512 mg | 22% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 17 g | 6% | |
| Dietary fiber | 6 g | 21% | |
| Total sugars | 7.7 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 11 g | ||
| Protein | 32 g | 64% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.12 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 80 mg | 6% | |
| Iron | 3.4 mg | 19% | |
| Potassium | 1,139 mg | 24% | |
| Vitamin A | 102 mcg | 11% | |
| Vitamin C | 56 mg | 62% | |
| Vitamin E | 3.8 mg | 25% | |
| Vitamin K | 18 mcg | 15% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.27 mg | 22% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.39 mg | 30% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 15 mg | 94% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.5 mg | 86% | |
| Folate | 69 mcg | 17% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.38 mcg | 16% | |
| Magnesium | 82 mg | 20% | |
| Zinc | 1.7 mg | 16% | |
| Selenium | 30 mcg | 55% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Dice the onion and bell pepper. Mince the garlic.
Heat the oil in the pot on medium. Cook the onion and pepper 6 minutes, stirring now and then.
Done looks like: Onion soft and see-through. Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin. Stir for 30 seconds.
Done looks like: Spices smell toasted. Nothing is burning on the bottom. Add the tomatoes, broth, water and the whole chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer 15–18 minutes.
Done looks like: Chicken reads 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part. Lift out the chicken and shred it with two forks. Put it back in the pot.
Stir in the lime juice. Taste, then add salt and pepper. Serve topped with avocado and cilantro.
Equipment
Large pot or Dutch oven, 5 L (5 qt) $30–80
What to look for
- Heavy base so soups and chili do not scorch
- Lid that fits
Skip: Enameled cast iron is lovely but not needed. A heavy stainless pot works.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
Instant-read digital thermometer $10–30
What to look for
- Reads in 5 seconds or less
- Thin probe tip
- Shows °C and °F
Skip: Dial thermometers that take 20+ seconds.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Tough, dry chicken | Boiled hard, or cooked long past done. | Keep small bubbles only and check the temperature at 15 minutes. |
| Burnt, bitter spices | Spices sat on a hot, dry pan too long. | Stir them 30 seconds only, then add the liquid right away. |
| Flat taste | Needs salt and acid. | Add salt a pinch at a time and more lime. |
Versions
| Version | Changes | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Original | As written. Hands-on 17 min, total 47 min. | 306 kcal 32 g protein 6 g fiber 11 g net carbs 13 g fat |
| Higher carb | Add black beans. Hands-on 17 min, total 47 min. | 360 kcal 36 g protein 10 g fiber 17 g net carbs 13 g fat |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.
Pregnancy: Cook chicken to at least 74 °C / 165 °F.