King Ranch Chicken Soup
If you need a new soup recipe to try, this King Ranch Chicken Soup hits the spot! Chicken, seasonings, cheese, and all your other favorite flavors make this a 10/10 dish every time.
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized cubes
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, undrained 15 oz.
- 1 carton chicken broth 32 oz.
- 1 can chopped green chilies 4.5 oz.
- a few shakes of Tabasco more if you like it hotter
- 2 cups half and half
- 2 cups Velveeta cheese, cut into small cubes 8 oz.
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed and at room temperature
Topping - Avocado and Tomato Salsa
- ½ avocado cubed
- 1 large Roma tomato chopped
- ¼ cup red onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Additional ingredient for serving
- crispy tortilla strips
Instructions
- Combine the Avocado and Tomato Salsa topping ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate until serving time.
- Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the chicken and sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until the chicken begins to brown and is no longer pink.
- Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, green chilies, and Tabasco. Stir. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add the half and half and Velveeta. Cook and stir until the cheese melts.
- Add the cream cheese and continue to cook and stir until the cream cheese melts and is fully incorporated.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Top with crispy tortilla strips and a spoon (or two) of the Avocado and Tomato Salsa!
Notes
- For the crispy tortilla strips, you can buy them premade or easily make them yourself. Cut flour or corn tortilla into small, thin strips and quickly fry them in oil until crispy. Move them to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
- If you prefer a spicier soup, add some jalapenos! And if you like it really spicy - keep the seeds and membranes in the jalapenos for a super spicy soup.
- You can also add more Tabasco at the table if you have people who enjoy varying degrees of heat so the people who prefer it more mild aren't overwhelmed with spice or heat! 😉
Nutrition
Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 1441mg | Potassium: 979mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1641IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 478mg | Iron: 2mg
