Creamy Chicken Taco Soup

This Creamy Chicken Taco Soup boasts chunks of tender chicken, sweetcorn, and black beans in a rich, spicy cheesy tomato broth. Taco flavors in a bowl to warm you up! 

When we are in Texas, tacos are on our menu frequently because I can buy our favorite tortillas freshly made at a neighborhood store. They are made with half wheat flour and half corn so are called mitad y mitad - half and half. They are softer than corn tortillas with more texture than plain flour ones. Truly, the perfect mix. 

Here in the Channel Islands, corn tortillas are hard to come by and I cannot abide flour ones so we spend our summers mostly taco-less. I did pack a bag of masa harina in the suitcase this year, along with a tortilla press so I could make my own. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. 

Had the weather been cooperating, I’d have marinated my chicken breasts and we’d have grilled them for actual tacos. Since it’s pouring down rain and the wind is howling, I decided taco soup was more fitting. 

Creamy Chicken Taco Soup

For this recipe, I use bone-in, skin on chicken breasts because they add more flavor to the soup as they simmer. The trick is to simmer the chicken slowly so you can remove the pieces whole to debone and shred.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or other light oil

1 medium onion

4 cloves garlic

1 1/2 oz or 42g roasted red peppers

3 tablespoons taco seasoning

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne

Several generous grinds black pepper

6 cups or 1440ml chicken stock

1 can (14 oz or 400g) crushed tomatoes

2 chicken breasts (weight about 1 lb 5 oz or 600g with bones)

8 oz or 225g cream cheese (cut into cubes)

2 cups or 280g frozen corn

1 can (14 oz or 400g) black beans, drained and rinsed

To finish:

Fine sea salt, to taste (Keep in mind that some taco seasonings and chicken stock have a lot of salt so definitely taste before adding more.)

Optional toppings: cilantro, cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, lime wedges for squeezing

Method

Peel and finely chop your onion and garlic. (Use a small food processor if you have one!)

Chop the roasted red pepper with a sharp knife. 

In a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic with the oil until they are soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the chopped red pepper, taco seasoning, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne and black pepper. 

Add the chicken stock, canned tomatoes and chicken breasts.

Bring the pot to a low boil then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes or until the breasts are cooked through. I insert a thermometer in mine to check. When it reads 180°F or 82°C, the chicken is done.

Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside till it's cool enough to handle.  

Add the cream cheese to the pot and stir. Leave it to melt while you deal with the chicken. 

Remove the skin, bones and any cartilage from the breasts. Pull the meat apart into bite size pieces. 

Add the chicken, corn and black beans to the pot and stir. Gently heat the soup until it’s hot through.

Serve the soup with the toppings of your choice but I highly recommend squeezing a little lime juice on it. 

Enjoy!

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing taco recipes in celebration of National Taco Day! Many thanks to our host Camilla from Culinary Cam. Check out the links below. 

• Carnitas Taco Salad by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Chicken Tinga Tacos by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Creamy Chicken Taco Soup by Food Lust People Love
• Crispy Baked Chicken Taquitos by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Crispy Grilled Shrimp Tacos by Culinary Cam
• Easy Spicy Jackfruit Tacos by Cook with Renu
• Veggie Taquitos by Mayuri's Jikoni

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Marinated Tofu Zucchini Soft Tacos

These marinated tofu zucchini soft tacos are a tasty, easy meal the whole family will enjoy with just the right hint of smokiness and spice. 

These soft tacos make a wonderful dish for company because everyone can assemble their own, for a convivial meal around a big table. Everything can be made ahead and kept warm in a low oven so you won’t spend time cooking once your guests arrive.

A word about tofu: If you have only tried it in its natural state and are not a fan of the texture, give it another chance when pan-fried and crunchy. That was a game changer for me. Now I love it. 

Marinated Tofu Zucchini Soft Tacos

This recipe was inspired by one in the New York Times cooking section for grilled marinated tofu. Smoked paprika and cumin add the right flavors to make this the perfect vegetarian taco filling. 

For the tacos:

1 block (14 oz or 398g) extra firm tofu 

1 medium onion

2 medium zucchini

fine sea salt

12 corn tortillas

canola or other light oil for pan-frying

For the tofu marinade:

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small jalapeño seeded, finely diced

1/2 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet

1/4 cup or 60ml lime juice, freshly squeezed

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Optional to serve:

Guacamole

Salsa

Sour cream

Refried beans

Sliced jalapeños

Chopped cilantro

Method

Drain and press the tofu for 1 hour.

Peel the onion and cut it into thick slices.

Cut the stems off the zucchini then cut them in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the fluffy part with the seeds. Cut the zucchini into batons. 

Lightly salt the batons and set them in a colander to sweat and drain.

Combine the lime juice, minced garlic and jalapeño, Kitchen Bouquet, salt and set aside for a few minutes while you cut the tofu. 

Slice the tofu into pieces about 1/4 inch or 1/2cm. Place tofu pieces snugly in a deep dish. Spoon 3/4 of the marinade over the tofu, reserving 1/4 for the zucchini after it’s cooked. 

Refrigerate the tofu at least one hour or longer, turning it occasionally so it marinates evenly.

Heat a large non-stick frying skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle with a little oil. 

Scrape the garlic and jalapeño off of the tofu and back into the marinating pan and reserve. 

Add the tofu to the hot skillet and cook, turning frequently, until it is evenly browned and crisp on all sides. You may have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your skillet. 

Transfer the tofu to an oven-proof pan.

In the same skillet, add 2 teaspoons each of paprika and cumin and the scraped off jalapeño and garlic. Drizzle a little oil in the pan to moisten the mixture and cook it for just a few minutes, until the jalapeño has softened. 

Spoon this over the tofu and put it in a very low oven to keep warm. 

Add the final 1/2 teaspoons each cumin and smoked paprika to the marinade you saved for the zucchini. 

Dry the zucchini batons on a paper towel then add them to the skillet and fry over a high heat until slightly charred. 

Turn the fire off and add the reserved marinade. Toss to combine, remove to a plate or bowl. 

Add the onion slices to the pan, cook until just soft and a little toasted, about 8 minutes. 

If desired, toast the tortillas on a griddle. 

Serve the marinated tofu zucchini soft tacos with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, refried beans, sliced jalapeños and/or chopped cilantro or your favorite taco toppings.

Let everyone assemble their own soft tacos. We really loved the flavor and smokiness of the tofu, as well as the crunch. 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and our host Amy of Amy’s Cooking Adventures reminded us that August is all about a glut of fresh zucchini and everyone can use some creative recipes to use it up. Check out all the zucchini dishes we are sharing below. 

Couscous with Spiced Zucchini from Cook with Renu

Garlic Butter Sautéed Zucchini from Amy’s Cooking Adventures

Keto Zucchini Balls In Creamy Tomato Gravy from Sneha’s Recipe

Marinated Tofu Zucchini Soft Tacos from Food Lust People Love

Minestrone Casserole from Palatable Pastime

Moong and Zucchini Pancakes from Mayuri’s Jikoni

Zucchini Agrodolce from Pandemonium Noshery

Zucchini Casserole from A Day in the Life on the Farm

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Southwestern Chicken Tacos

The filling for these Southwestern Chicken Tacos includes corn, black beans, tomatoes, jalapeños, onions and cilantro so, to serve, all you need to add is cheese and the tortillas! (And extra cilantro, if desired.)

We are fans of pretty much any kind of taco in this house. In fact, Tex-Mex recipes of all kinds are popular. My typical taco is made with seasoned ground meat, either beef, pork, turkey or chicken but occasionally I like to be more adventurous and make something that is a little different.

The addition of beans and corn stretch your chicken budget, which is always a good thing, while adding extra protein and flavor, again both always welcome. Don't like black beans? Use your favorite bean instead!

Southwestern Chicken Tacos

This makes enough filling for more than a dozen generously filled tacos. We use either corn tortillas or the half corn/half flour ones my local grocery store sells freshly made in their bakery section, simply toasted in a dry pan over a medium flame. 

Ingredients

For the taco filling: 

1 1/2 lbs or 625g boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thinly

Fine sea salt 

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups or 300g fresh sweet corn (cut off the cob or substitute frozen niblets)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, cut in thin wedges

2 ripe Roma tomatoes, cored and chopped

1 fresh jalapeño, stem removed, chopped

1 can (15.25oz or 432 g) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon tomato paste 

2 tablespoons taco seasoning

For garnish: small handful cilantro

To serve:

12-15 fresh corn tortillas 

grated extra sharp cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

cilantro, cleaned and hard stems removed (optional)

Method

To make slicing the chicken breasts thinly easier, I put them in the freezer for about half an hour first. This firms them up enough that a sharp knife can make clean cuts. 

Season the chicken lightly with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a nonstick skillet, pan-fry the chicken in batches, until slightly golden on both sides. Remove from the pan. 

Tip the corn in and fry until it gets browned, possibly with little charred bits. Add another drizzle of olive oil, if necessary. 

Add in the onions and sauté until they turn translucent and are golden. 

Add in the tomatoes and jalapeño. Stir well. 

Mash half of the black beans with a fork.

Add all the beans (mashed and whole) to the pan with the taco seasoning, tomato paste and 1 cup or 240ml water. Stir well to combine. 

Put all the chicken back in the pan and stir again. Heat to warm through. 

Garnish with some cilantro. Serve with pan-toasted tortillas, grated cheese and extra cilantro and let everyone assemble their own. 

Enjoy! 

Happy Sunday FunDay! As you can guess from the recipe titles below, today we are getting a head start on National Taco Day tomorrow. Why that’s not on a Tuesday, I have no idea but the important thing is that we will be celebrating! There may even be margaritas. ¡Olé! Many thanks to our host, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm!

• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Ancho Chili Chicken Tacos 
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Breakfast Tacos 
• Making Miracles: Honey BBQ Chicken Tacos 
• Palatable Pastime: Shredded Chipotle Chicken Tacos 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Grilled Tacos 
• Food Lust People Love: Southwestern Chicken Tacos
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Spiced Smashed Potato Tacos with Homemade Purple Corn Tortillas 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Tofu Tikka Tacos

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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