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Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb –1.5boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
  • 4 cups –5low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies 10–15 oz
  • 1 can red enchilada sauce 10 oz
  • 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cups can corn drained (or 1–2frozen corn)
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • 2 cloves –3garlic minced
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • tsp ½smoked paprika optional
  • 1 tsp –1½salt ½black pepper
  • Juice of 1–2 limes
  • Optional creamy add-ins
  • 4 oz –8cream cheese
  • 1 cups –2shredded cheddar or Mexican blend
  • Toppings:
  • Tortilla strips or chips cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, jalapeños, lime wedges

Method
 

  1. Prep the Good Stuff Get everything ready so your morning isn’t chaos. Dice the onion and bell pepper. Mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the black beans. Drain the corn (if using canned). Trim any big bits of fat from the chicken. If you’re prepping the night before, you can store all the chopped veggies and canned ingredients together in a big container in the fridge. Then in the morning, you just pour everything in.
  2. Build the Crock Pot Base Now the fun “dump it in” part. Place the chicken breasts (or thighs) in a 5–6 quart crock pot. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with chilies, and enchilada sauce on top. Pour in the chicken broth. Sprinkle taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper over everything. Give it a gentle stir, just enough to mix the seasonings into the liquid. If you like extra flavor, you can quickly sauté the onion, peppers, and garlic in a pan with a spoonful of oil first until they’re soft and sweet. But if you’re racing out the door? Skip that. The crock pot has your back.
  3. Let It Slow Cook Now you let the slow cooker earn its spot on your counter. Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or Cook on HIGH for 4–5 hours You’re looking for the chicken to be fully cooked and very tender. Don’t stress about exact minutes – slow cookers vary a bit. As long as the internal temperature hits 165°F and the chicken pulls apart easily, you’re good. Try not to lift the lid too often. Every peek lets out heat and stretches the cook time.
  4. Shred the Chicken When the chicken is fall-apart tender, it’s time for the most satisfying part. Use tongs to lift the chicken out onto a cutting board. Shred it with two forks into bite-size pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the crock pot and stir. Taste the broth now. This is your chance to adjust: Add more salt if it tastes a bit flat. Add a pinch more chili powder or cumin if you want more warmth. Stir in the juice of 1–2 limes for brightness. Honestly, that lime juice at the end makes a bigger difference than you might expect. It wakes the whole pot up.
  5. Make It Creamy (Optional but Amazing) If you’re in the mood for a creamy chicken tortilla soup – the kind that feels like a cozy sweater – you can enrich it now. Scoop about 1–2 cups of hot broth from the crock pot into a bowl. Add the cream cheese cubes to that bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour this creamy mixture back into the crock pot and stir. Stir in shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese until it melts. Let the soup sit on LOW for another 20–30 minutes, stirring now and then. You’ll end up with a thicker, richer soup that still has all the Tex-Mex flavor but a velvety base. Perfect for cold nights or when you want something extra comforting.
  6. Serve with All the Toppings Ladle the soup into bowls and set out a simple topping bar: Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips Cheese Sour cream Avocado Cilantro Jalapeños Lime wedges Kids can build their bowls like mini taco projects. Adults can make theirs lighter or richer. One pot, lots of options.