Description
This Chicken Taco Soup with Quesadilla Dippers is cozy, healthy comfort with tons of flavor and spice. Serve these up with cheesy quesadillas on the side or on top – they are the perfect dipper for this taco soup!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Soup:
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
- 2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed well
- 1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed well
- 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes
- 5 cups shredded cooked chicken (leftover or Rotisserie works great here!)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen corn (no need to defrost)
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ cup half-and-half
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional Garnishes:
- Avocado
- Sour cream
- Limes
- Scallions
- Cilantro
For the Quesadilla:
- Butter, for the pan
- 12 small flour tortillas (I love the “mini” 4-inch size for this)
- 3 cups grated cheese (we love a mix of cheddar and Jack)
Instructions
For the Soup:
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the garlic and spices and cook for another 1 minute.
- Add in the tomato paste and stir around until it is melted and coating all the vegetables in the pot.
- Add the beans, diced tomatoes, chicken, stock, and salt and pepper (to taste).
- Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. After 20 minutes, stir in the frozen corn, lime juice, half-and-half, and more salt and pepper, as needed.
- Adjust the seasoning as needed and serve hot with your preferred toppings and the quesadillas for dipping.
For the Quesadillas:
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add a little butter.
- Place one tortilla in the pan once the butter is melted and top with a handful of the shredded cheeses. Top with another tortilla and cook, undisturbed, for about 1-2 minutes on the first side.
- The quesadilla is ready to flip when the bottom tortilla is golden and crisp and some of the cheese has started to melt.
- Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side or until the tortilla is golden and the cheese is completely melted and gooey.
- Set on a cutting board for a few minutes to cool slightly before slicing into quarters for serving – this keeps the cheese from oozing out all over the place when you cut into the quesadilla.
- Serve with the hot soup.
Notes
The spices here are what I use to create my favorite version of “taco spice.” Feel free to adjust the quantities to make your perfect mix OR use a store-bought “taco spice” packet from the store. Whatever works for you!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: soup
Keywords: healthy chicken taco soup, chicken taco soup recipe, taco soup with quesadillas, healthy soup ideas