Sunday, January 25, 2009

Cheery Chicken Taco Soup



This taco soup recipe was born out of a need to use up rotisserie chicken and fresh spinach that was close to expiring. This had tremendous flavor with a nice wallop of heat. It's a healthy play on tacos: chicken instead of beef and spinach to replace the lettuce. Refried beans are mixed right into the broth and melt making it rich and creamy.


This is everything you look for in a soup...gratifying, comforting and most of all delicious!



Chicken Taco Soup
(by Reeni) Makes two generous servings. Can easily be doubled or tripled.

1/3 cup diced onions
1/3 cup diced green bell peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 and ½ cups Chicken, rough chopped into bite-size pieces
½ cup salsa
2/3 cup corn, canned (drained) or frozen
1 cup fresh Spinach, chopped
1 cup refried black beans
2 cups Chicken Broth
1 teaspoon Chile powder
½ teaspoon Paprika
½ teaspoon Cumin
1 tablespoon Fresh Parsley, chopped
¾ cup diced Colby Jack or Sharp Cheddar (I used a mixture)

1. Saute onion, green bell pepper, and garlic in vegetable oil.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese. Bring to a slow simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes.

3. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Serve with tortilla chips, extra cheese, salsa, avocado, sour cream and/or tomatoes.

Print Recipe


I'm sending this to Deb of Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sunday round-up. If you would like to join this talented group of foodies and share your soup recipes follow this link for all the details.






50 comments:

BeadedTail said...

Wow! This looks muy delicioso!

Jan from BetterSpines said...

I agree. Love Mexican food but CANNOT eat chili! Would you substitute paprika or Tabasco? Or just not bother?

Karen said...

I like making dishes that use ingredients on hand. Seems like you can just throw them together in a soup or chili and it always tastes so good!

Chef E said...

Oh, look at your cat 'Moon', so cute, and did they get to lick a spoon? I love this soup, will have to be on my list of soup for the week, I have chicken and spinach that I froze to save from extinction, lol, if I came for a visit you could make me some and I would be quite content!

HoneyB said...

Looks wonderful Reeni! BTW, I have an aunt with your name!

Esi said...

Reeni this looks so good!! I love how you made a lighter version, but it's still hearty.

Spryte said...

That is one of my favorite soups!

Calm In The Kitchen said...

I love it when things come together like this. I was going to try out another version next week, but your's looks so GOOD! And as luck would have it, I think I have everything I need!

Great recipe yet again!

;) amy

Barbara Bakes said...

I like the idea of thickening it with refried black beans. I'll have to give it a try!

pigpigscorner said...

This looks and sounds really delicious! Keeps you warm in this cold raining weather.

Debinhawaii said...

What a great soup--I love when you can throw things together and get such a wonderful result. I had not thought of using refried beans in soup before.
Thanks for coming to Souper Sunday--the round up is now posted.

Aloha,

Deb

Reeni♥ said...

Jan: You could substitute tabasco! That would work out great.

5 Star Foodie said...

This soup looks so very good and nutritious!

*Kimmie* said...

Looks absolutely delicious (as always)! I just love a good, hearty soup!

Sara said...

So, I read the title and thought it said "Cherry!" Then I thought, what any interesting idea! :) This cheery soup sounds great.

ttfn300 said...

this looks fantastic!

ps- for dinner tonight, i had cereal :)

Christine aka Mistress of Cakes said...

Yummy and warm in my tummy! It is currently 17 degrees and this is getting me in the mood for something fiesty and homey...I am going to go make some spanish rice and stewed tomatoes! Thanks for the inspiration!!! (AGAIN) hehe

Ingrid said...

Reeni, I just made a taco bake! Great minds think alike....Tacos! Your soup looks good. That was a neat to use refried beans and left over chicken!
~ingrid

Chef E said...

Noticed your 'bio' your a writer, and live in NY, we are neighbors...you also changed your 'pumpkin pie AKA cheese cake' photo to that yummy pink masterpiece...I likie!

Tangled Noodle said...

It makes me happy just looking at it!

Bunny said...

I love your description of thick creamy and rich! You gotta love a soup like that!

Meg said...

This looks amazing and full of flavor! YUM!

Kendra said...

Never thought about spinach...yum. Good way to hide it from the kids too since they hate it. Thanks for the linky love. Looks amazing as always.

Heather said...

mmm. that looks so tomatoey and good!

The Food Hunter said...

Looks good. What a great way to use up that extra chicken.

Laurie said...

Reeni, I love your new cupcake profile! So "pretty in pink" and that recipe is to die for!

And I recognized that it was you immediately, even with the change. That made me happy, since I'm about to change my profile.

I love making new things with pantry items, and the refried beans is simply ingenious. They must have added such flavor and body. I can't wait to play with this myself.

Teresa Cordero Cordell said...

Super Soup Reeni. My kind of soup. So, what's this I hear that you're in love??? How exciting and romantic. Make sure you take lots of cuddle time. :p

gastroanthropologist said...

Can I come over? I'd love a bowl of this soup and one, I mean two, of the strawberry cupcakes. please!

Katherine Aucoin said...

I have been craving taco soup and looking at yours and reading you post ...well I'll have to change what I'm making for dinner tonight to make this!

Parker said...

I love the ingredients in this soup....especially the black beans and cumin!!!

stephchows said...

MMMMM one good thing about winter is that it's soup time!! Looks great!

Maria said...

Looking good! We are getting pounded with snow right now, so I really need something to warm me up, this should do it!

The Blonde Duck said...

This soup is slurp-worthy! Yum!

Andrea said...

Hey, I just stopped by from SITS. That soup looks delicious!

Jan from BetterSpines said...

Thanks Reeni. Will try it soon.

Mommy Gourmet said...

that looks so good!

Savvy Mode SG said...

sounds delicious. also the cupcakes in the prvious post look soooooo good! adore cupcake.

Bob said...

That looks wicked good! I've been craving Mexican lately and it's perfect soup weather. :)

Mary Moore said...

That looks yummy!!

I love your site!

Kim @ Forever Wherever said...

It looks great and perfect for all the cold weather across the country!
-Kim

Hornsfan said...

Looks great, I love finding new ways to use up things I have on hand, this is a great and creative way to do it!

Sara said...

This looks amazing, I love taco soup, especially when it's cold out.

Joanna said...

you're always outdoing yourself, my friend. this looks awesome!! my house has been like taco bell lately. my parents and sister have been eating tacos for the past 2 days. they would go nuts about this soup.

when my mom opened the package of meat to saute it, the butcher had given her ground turkey by accident. she was blowing a fit in the kitchen about how turkey has no fat and beef is the only meat that works in a taco.

oh mother!! haha

Lore said...

This looks perfect: loads of flavour and filling without being heavy!

Jessie said...

okay I am a huge fan of tacos, which makes this soup awesome already. The fact that it has a lot going on in the soup, makes me want to reach into the screen and grab myself a bowl!

Fearless Kitchen said...

This is such an interesting idea! It looks wonderful.

Hot Rocks said...

Your blog always makes me hungry! I have tried some of the recipes with great results. You have been nominated for the Lemonade Award, see my blog for the details.

Carrie said...

My grandpa has an awesome recipe for taco soup but it had beef in it, I think I would like it better with chicken.

Gloria Chadwick said...

Your Cheery Chicken Taco Soup could pass for chili. I love the way you garnished it. :)
There's an award for you on my blog.

Live.Love.Eat said...

This soup looks wonderful!!!!!!