Chicken taco soup

This soup is something I make pretty frequently, but I never posted it until now. Mostly because I don't really measure when I'm making it and rarely make it the same way twice. It's a very forgiving soup that is terrific for using up leftovers. 

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This time, I decided to actually measure and take note when I was cooking it so that I could share it. However, feel free to modify it to use what you have on hand. For example, I like to make this with leftover chicken, but I think that turkey, beef, or even an extra can of beans would work (You can also cook the chicken thighs in the soup, remove them from the pot, shred the meat, and return it to the soup if you don't have leftover chicken). 

Speaking of beans, this time I used black beans, but I have made this with pinto and red beans in the past. No frozen corn? No problem. No chipotle in adobo? Just use a jalapeno and some extra smoked paprika. No tomatoes? How about some salsa instead? 

Feel free to toss in other vegetables as well. If I had some scallions, they'd probably be in this soup. If I had some black olives that needed using up - yep, they'd be sitting on top of this bowl. It's such a great way to use up odds and ends (like corn chip crumbs that are rapidly going stale).

All that being said, here is my basic recipe that I use as a guide for my chicken taco soup. This soup is delicious and full of spice and heat which is why all the toppings are perfect - they add cooling, creamy, salty crunch, and sour - giving you a balanced dish. This recipe will make about four to six servings of soup.

 
Chicken taco soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups chicken broth
1 can (14-15 oz.) diced tomatoes with juice
1 chipotle in adobo, minced, plus 1-2 teaspoons of the sauce (optional and to taste)
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
pinch of sugar (to taste)
about 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (thighs preferred)
1 can (14-15 oz.) black beans, drained
1/3 cup frozen corn kernels
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
juice of 1/2 lime

toppings:
extra lime wedges
diced avocado
crumbled corn chips
shredded jack or cheddar cheese
sour cream

In a large soup/stock pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and pepper and cook until they begin to soften. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, and oregano. Stir and cook until fragrant. Add the chicken broth and tomatoes. Stir well to deglaze the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add the chipotle, salt, pepper, and sugar, to taste. Stir in the chicken, beans, and corn. Simmer until heated through. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice.

Serve hot in bowls and top with any/all of the toppings (definitely the corn chips, avocado, and sour cream for me) and extra cilantro.