Equipment Needed
- Large soup pot or Dutch oven
- Can opener
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Ladle for serving
- Measuring cups and spoons
Step-by-Step Instructions
I always start by gathering all my cans and tools right on the counter—it makes the process feel even faster. Open every can, draining and rinsing the beans and corn as you go. I like to let the canned chicken sit in a colander for a minute to drain off that extra liquid. Into your big pot, you simply combine everything: the chicken, both types of beans, the corn, the entire can of tomatoes and green chilies (juice and all—that’s flavor!), the cream of chicken soup, the enchilada sauce, the broth, and the taco seasoning.
Here’s where the easy magic happens. Give everything a really good stir with your wooden spoon. At first, it might look a bit separated, with clumps of the cream soup. Don’t worry. Just keep stirring over medium heat until it all melts into one beautifully cohesive, creamy broth. I learned the hard way that cranking the heat to high doesn’t speed things up in a good way; it just risks sticking on the bottom. Medium is your friend.
Once it’s all combined, bring the soup to a gentle bubble. This is the only “cooking” required. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This time allows the flavors to marry perfectly. The soup will thicken slightly, and your kitchen will smell absolutely incredible. The scent of the taco seasoning blooming in the heat is my favorite part of the process.
Taste it! This is the most important step before serving. I always take a spoonful, blow on it carefully, and have a taste. Does it need another pinch of taco seasoning? Maybe a crack of black pepper? The soup is done when it’s heated through and the flavors have melded into that familiar, cozy taco taste you’re craving. That’s it. You’ve just made a pot of soup in less time than it takes to decide on delivery.(See the next page below to continue…)