Place all the ingredients into the slow cooker.

Begin by putting the chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker, then add the black

beans, the corn, both cans of diced tomatoes, the onion and the garlic; you need not saute

anything since all the ingredients are to be used raw.

Season it well.

Spread the taco seasoning evenly over the surface and then add the chicken broth. Mix all

the ingredients gently so that the seasoning doesn't just stay on top in one lump.

Cook it at a low temperature and do so slowly.

Cook the dish by covering it and doing so on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours

until the chicken is fully cooked and can be easily dispersed with a fork.

Shred the chicken.

Put the chicken breasts onto a cutting board and then shred them using two forks (or, if

you're as lazy as I am, put them into a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and

mix for about 10 seconds - it works amazingly well).

Stir it back in.

Place the chopped chicken back into the slow cooker and mix it with the broth. At this stage,

taste the mixture and make any required adjustments to the salt, pepper, or seasoning - as

each taco seasoning packet is a little different.

Put the ladle in position, cover it and then serve. Put the soup into the bowls and add the

cheese, the sour cream, the crushed chips, the cilantro and any other items you'd like to

include. Serve it straight away since it's still hot and the cheese is just starting to melt.

SLOW COOKER RECIPE CHICKEN TACO SOUP

A cozy, make-ahead weeknight favorite 4

COOK'S NOTES

There is no reason to leave out the rinsing of the black beans since the liquid they give off is

starchy and will make your broth turn cloudy and a bit too thick.

Should your soup end up thinner than you want after cooking, all you have to do is press a little

of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon and this will thicken it without the need

for cornstarch.

And if you are using chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, you should know that they will

shred more easily and will give the broth a bit more flavour - in fact, I usually prefer them.

MAKE IT YOURS

If you want a creamier soup, you can just add a block of softened cream cheese or a small amount of

heavy cream at the end - in this way the dish will become similar to white chicken taco soup. For people

who enjoy their food spicy, add some diced jalapeno or a spoonful of chipotle in adobo at the beginning to

give it a smoky taste. Even if you don't have a slow cooker, the recipe will still work well in an Instant Pot

by cooking it on high pressure for 12 minutes, or by simmers it on the stovetop for about 30 minutes using

pre-cooked shredded rotisserie chicken.

SLOW COOKER RECIPE CHICKEN TACO SOUP

A cozy, make-ahead weeknight favorite 5

PLAN AHEAD

The soup can be kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to four days and, in reality, tastes

even better the next day because the flavours have had time to mix together. It also freezes very well for a

period of three months, just make sure that you leave out the toppings when freezing it. To reheat it, use

medium-low heat on the stove and add a little broth if it has thickened too much while in the fridge.

FRIDGE FREEZER REHEAT

Up to 4 days Up to 3 months Medium-low heat

ROUND OUT THE MEAL

What you essentially need is either a warm basket of cornbread or a few more tortilla chips, but a simple

salad with lime vinaigrette is very effective since it offsets the richness. To feed a large number of people,

it is necessary to include quesadillas or a plate of elote (Mexican street corn) so that the meal becomes

more complete