American
Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup
Tender shredded chicken, two beans, corn, poblano, tomatoes, and Mexican lager slow-cook into a deeply seasoned taco soup finished with lime and crunchy toppings.
8 servings · 25 minutes prep · 300 minutes cook
Ingredients
Aromatics and Chile Spices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut in 1/4-inch / 6-mm dice
- 1 large poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, and cut in 1/4-inch / 6-mm dice
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon mild chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, rubbed between the fingers
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 canned chipotle chile plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, finely chopped
Soup
- 20 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles (two 10-ounce cans), undrained
- 8 ounces plain tomato sauce (1 can)
- 1 bottle or can (12 fluid ounces) Mexican lager
- 15 1/2 ounces pinto beans (1 can), drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces black beans (1 can), drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces whole corn kernels (1 can), drained
- 1 3/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, fully thawed and trimmed; or use 1 1/2 pounds / 680 g boneless skinless breasts and begin checking after 3 hours on LOW or 2 hours on HIGH
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more only after cooking
Fresh Finish and Toppings
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 4 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar, for serving
- 1 cup sour cream, for serving
- 1 cup lightly crushed tortilla chips, for serving
- 1 large ripe avocado, diced just before serving
Directions
Build the Flavor Base
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the onion and poblano with a small pinch of the measured salt; cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and chipotle with adobo. Stir constantly for 45 seconds, just until fragrant, then scrape everything into a 6-quart slow cooker.
Slow-Cook the Soup
- Add the tomatoes with green chiles, tomato sauce, lager, pinto beans, black beans, corn, and remaining measured salt. Stir once, then nestle the fully thawed chicken thighs into the liquid in a single layer.
- Cover and cook without lifting the lid on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Begin checking at the early end: every thigh must register 165°F (74°C) in its thickest part. Transfer the chicken to a clean rimmed plate as soon as it is done and rest for 5 minutes.
Shred, Brighten, and Serve
- Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks and return it, along with its juices, to the cooker. Cover on HIGH for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the lime juice and cilantro, and rest uncovered for 5 minutes. Taste before adding any more salt; if the soup is tighter than desired, loosen it with hot water in 1/4-cup / 60-ml additions.
- Ladle into warm bowls and let each diner add Cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, and avocado to taste. Move leftovers to shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours; keep for 3 to 4 days or freeze for 2 to 3 months, then reheat portions outside the slow cooker to 165°F (74°C).
