I found a version of this recipe originally as “food storage taco soup” the idea being, everything going into it is either canned or a dry good. I’ve added and subtracted a bit, and included some fresh ingredients- but the beautiful thing about this soup is it can be adjusted for your families tastes.
There are substitutions that can be made, and I’ll mention them in the recipe!
1 can of corn kernels (drained)
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of black beans
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of chicken broth
1 bottle of Salsa Verde (I used Herdez brand, you could make your own
2 cups shredded chicken (the original recipe called for canned)
1 package taco seasoning (McCormick has MSG free seasoning and if you’d like to make your own, a great recipe is here)
2 cups water
4-6 green onions, diced
a handful of cilantro, minced
1 large lime (you can use the whole lime in the recipe, or give everyone a wedge)
1 large avocado, cubed
optional toppings: Sour Cream, cheese, tortilla chips
substitution notes: on the canned items I use the low sodium version if I can find it. Fresh tomatoes could of course be substituted for the canned version, just add a bit of water or extra chicken broth to compensate for the liquid. Frozen corn would work as well, I drain it- so the liquid doesn’t matter. For the chicken, I used half of a roasted chicken (reserving the other half for another recipe) you could use cubed chicken breast or whatever you have on hand- for a vegetarian version use veggie broth and no chicken is needed at all!
In a large pot (or your crock-pot ) mix your taco seasoning, water, chicken broth, and all canned items. Bring to a boil and add in your chicken and salsa Verde. Let simmer for 30-40 minutes. If you are using your crock-pot let it cook away on low/medium all day long! Before I serve the soup, I top it with a sprinkle of green onions, cilantro, a slice of lime, and some avocado cubes. I don’t personally like the sour cream but my family does. Fresh tomatoes make a nice contrast as well.
This recipe is a hit every time with my family, first because it only takes one pot to cook- so cleanup is a snap! Second because everyone can choose what toppings to use, which always makes kids happy and it makes them feel like they have more control over what they are eating. Last, its absolutely delicious!
About Kristin
