Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup

This soup is a cozy comfort food that you’ll want to eat on repeat.  It’s bursting with Mexican flavors and warming spices all mixed up with tender, shredded chicken.  It’s like a taco and keto chicken chili, all wrapped up together to make a thick, hearty stew that's both low-carb and absolutely delicious.

Make a huge pot of this robust stew for Cinco De Mayo celebrations and serve it up with Homemade Guacamole and Radish Salsa.  This is a great summer soup recipe and makes fantastic leftovers. If you are looking for more keto shredded chicken recipes, try this exquisite and savory Gazpacho Manchego Spanish Soup.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Perfect for batch-cooking – this recipe is a great option for make ahead meals and easy weekday meal prep. It also makes amazing leftovers.
• Easy meal prep – uses keto pantry staples you probably already have on hand, it can be ready in under an hour with the Instant Pot doing most of the work
• Bursting with flavor – made with savory seasonings and topped with your favorite taco toppings
• Healthy and delicious – simple, healthy ingredients make this a total go-to recipe for a nutritious meal with minimal effort. And, it's just so, so mouthwatering!

Ingredients

Making this in the Instant Pot pressure cooker is a snap and takes just a handful of flavorful ingredients:

• Boneless, skinless chicken – you can use breasts or thighs.  Your choice!
• Chicken broth – homemade bone broth is a perfect base, or use your favorite shelf-stable brand
• Tomato sauce – contributes a bit of tanginess and color
• Black soy beans (low-carb beans), or low-FODMAP beans of choice – these are optional, but beans are often included in a traditional taco soup recipe.  See below for more information on keto and low-FODMAP beans options.
• Canned green chilis – add a mild spice and a lot of flavor.  You can also use fresh, diced jalapeño peppers.
• Baby corn – is a keto corn alternative to high-carb canned corn
• Taco seasoning – I use my homemade taco seasoning
• Onion or leek – using the green part of a leek is a great onion replacement if you follow a low-FODMAP diet
• Salt – to taste. I add about 1 teaspoon for the entire recipe. However, if your broth contains salt, you may not need to add any. You can always add more if you want to. I use my homemade low-sodium bone broth and add salt as needed.

Can I have beans on keto?

Most beans and lentils are very high in carbs and are not suitable for a keto diet, with one exception, which is black soy beans.  Keep in mind, these are different from regular canned black beans.

Black soy beans are a variety of soy bean that is related to the common soybean.  They’re a delicious, keto-friendly bean and a complete source of plant-based protein.

But, are regular black beans keto? Black beans have 13g net carbs per ½ cup serving, compared to black soy beans that have only 5g net carbs.

Lentils can also be a good low-carb option, especially in soups and stews.  You’ll find only 6g net carbs in ¼ cup serving.

If you have room in your macros, you could potentially have black beans or lentils on keto, but black soy beans are a much better option, as they are clearly low carb, keto-friendly beans.

To learn more about a Ketogenic Diet, explore my Keto Diet Resourses.

What are the best low-FODMAP beans for chili or soup?

Beans and lentils are typically high in galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and fructans, which are the compounds that can produce uncomfortable symptoms commonly associated with IBS. Even though black soy beans are not a low-FODMAP bean option, there are ways to enjoy beans on a low-FODMAP diet.  Canned adzuki, red kidney beans, lentils, garbanzo and butter beans are all good options in small portion sizes, up to ¼ cup.  Just be sure to rinse them before eating, as FODMAPs will have leached into the liquid.

Keep in mind that these bean options are not low-carb, with the exception of lentils, which are technically not a bean, but a legume.  Lentils contain 6g net carbs in a ¼ cup serving, making them a great low-carb option for a FODMAP diet and perfect to include in low-FODMAP soup recipes.

Is baby corn keto-friendly?

Unlike mature corn, baby corn is very low in carbs and keto friendly.  A ⅔ cup serving contains only 4g net carbs, making it a fantastic high-carb corn substitute in any recipe. You might want to pick up an extra can of baby corn and make this healthy Microgreens Salad with Roasted Baby Corn. It just may be your new favorite salad.

Is baby corn FODMAP-friendly?

Baby corn is very, very low in sorbitol, making it naturally low-FODMAP and a delicious and slightly sweet low-FODMAP corn option.

How about mature corn? Is corn low-FODMAP? Mature corn is high in sorbitol and only FODMAP-friendly in servings of 38 grams or less, which is about ½ of an ear of corn.  Baby corn has only trace amounts of sorbitol and is FODMAP-friendly in any serving size.

Instructions

Chop the vegetables and rinse the canned beans in a strainer.

• Place all of the ingredients in your Instant Pot, secure the lid and close the vent
• Cook on the Soup setting for 30 minutes
• Use the quick or natural release method – whichever you have time for. I like to use the natural release method for about 15 minutes, then release the pressure. It gives the flavors a few extra minutes to meld together.

• To shred the chicken, remove it from the pot and shred it on a large plate, using two forks to pull it apart into shreds
• Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir it in

Serve with your favorite toppings - find a list of creative topping ideas, below.

Can I make a slow cooker taco soup or make this stovetop?

Yes to both!  This recipe makes tasty crockpot meals and is a perfect one-pot meal on the stovetop.

Slow-cooker instructions

• Set the slow cooker to low
• Add all of the ingredients (except any toppings) to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours
• Using two forks, shred the chicken. You can do this in the pot or place it on a large plate, shred, then add back into the pot.

Stovetop instructions

• In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add all of the ingredients (except toppings), cover and simmer until the meat easily pulls apart, about 30-45 minutes
• Shred the meat using two forks by placing it on a large plate, shredding, then adding back into the pot

How to serve

Enjoy a hot bowl of soup with Cheddar Biscuits or Gluten-free Pull-Apart Rolls for dunking, alongside your favorite salad topped with Cilantro Lime Dressing, or served over a heaping pile of homemade cauliflower rice.  Then top with your favorite toppers.

Optional toppings

• Sour cream
• Avocado or homemade guacamole
• Pico de Gallo, homemade Radish Salsa or homemade salsa verde
• Sliced green onions or diced chives
• Shredded cheese or cotija (my favorite)
• Chopped cilantro
• Sliced olives or olive tapenade
• Squeeze of lime
• A drizzle of Homemade Crema or a dollop of queso
• Sliced jalapeño
• Chopped bacon!

How to store

This soup will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze it in sealed containers for up to 6 months.

Variations and add-ins

• Make it creamy – after cooking, melt in about 4 ounces of cream cheese for cream cheese taco soup.  This is a great option if you find that your soup is spicier than you’d like, as the dairy reduces the heat a bit.  And it’s just so, so good!
• Add more veggies – build it up any way you please.  You can add zucchini, green leafy veggies like kale or spinach, okra or root vegetables such as carrots.
• Make it thicker – add ½ to 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to thicken the broth.  Not familiar with this ingredient?  Learn all about it in my What is Xanthan Gum ingredient spotlight.
• Use leftover roast chicken – using the Sauté setting on your Instant Pot, simply sauté the onion or leek in olive oil for 5 minutes, add the other ingredients except the poultry, and simmer for 15 minutes on the Sauté setting. De-bone the meat from your Whole Roasted Chicken carcass or store bought rotisserie chicken, shred and add to the cooked broth and simmer another 5 minutes.
• Add dry Ranch seasoning mix – who knew taco soup with ranch dressing is a thing? Talk about unique flavor! Add about 2 tablespoons of dry ranch dressing (not liquid salad dressing).
• Olives or olive tapenade – use as a topping or add them to the pot for extra flavor

FAQ

Other soup and stew recipes you might like

Did you make this recipe? Let me know how you liked it by giving a star rating and leaving a comment!

📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup

Author: Tracey Hatch-Rizzi

Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup is a quick and easy low-carb keto and low-FODMAP soup that can also be made in the slow-cooker or on the stove top.  It’s so flavorful and perfect for weeknight meals, made in under an hour with very minimal effort.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Pressure release: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Category: Soups

Cuisine: Mexican

Method: Instant Pot

Yield: 8 servings

Diet:Gluten Free

Special Diet:Keto, Low-Carb, Low-FODMAP, Whole30

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 2 chicken breasts (large, boneless skinless - or 6 chicken thighs)
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 onion (or leek. Use the green part of the leek for low-FODMAP.)
• 4 ounces green chiles (one 4 oz can)
• 15 ounces black soy beans (drained and rinsed. Or low-FODMAP beans. See Notes.)
• 15 ounces baby corn (fresh or canned-drained)
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste - see Notes)

Instructions

 

• Chop the vegetables and rinse the canned beans.
• Place all of the ingredients in your Instant Pot, secure the lid and close the vent.
• Cook on the Soup setting for 30 minutes.
• Use the quick or natural release – whichever you have time for. I like to use the natural release method for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors intensify in the chicken and broth.
• Shred the chicken.  Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it, using two forks to pull it apart into shreds.
• Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir it in.
• Serve with your favorite toppings. See Notes for creative ideas and soup variations.

Notes

Canned low-FODMAP bean and legume options

Try using Adzuki beans, red kidney beans, lentils, Garbanzo beans, or Butter beans.

Note about Salt

I add about 1 teaspoon for the entire recipe.  If your chicken broth contains salt, you may not need to add any.  You can always add more if you want.

Optional toppings

• Sour cream
• Avocado or guacamole
• Pico de Gallo or homemade salsa verde
• Sliced green onions or diced chives
• Shredded cheese or cotija (my favorite)
• Chopped cilantro
• Sliced olives or
• Squeeze of lime
• A drizzle of Homemade Crema or a dollop of queso
• Sliced jalapeño
• Chopped bacon!

Variations and add-ins

• Make it creamy – after cooking, melt in about 4 ounces of cream cheese for cream cheese taco soup.  This is a great option if you find that your soup is spicier than you’d like, as the dairy reduces the heat a bit.
• Add more veggies – build it up any way you please.  You can add zucchini, grean leafy veggies like kale or spinach, okra or root vegetables such as carrots.
• Make it thicker – add ½ to 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to thicken the broth.  Not familiar with this ingredient?  Learn all about it in my What is Xanthan Gum ingredient spotlight.
• Use leftover roast chicken – using the Sauté setting on your Instant Pot, simply sauté the onion or leek in olive oil for 5 minutes, add the other ingredients except the poultry, and simmer for 15 minutes on the Sauté setting.  De-bone the meat from your Whole Roasted Chicken carcass or store bought rotisserie chicken, shred and add to the cooked broth and simmer another 5 minutes.
• Add dry Ranch seasoning mix – about 2 tablespoons of dry ranch dressing is all you need
• Olives or olive tapenade – use as a topping or add to the pot for extra flavor

Nutrition

Serving: 2 cupsCalories: 228 kcalCarbohydrates: 6 gProtein: 16 gFat: 4 gCholesterol: 28 mgSodium: 1067 mgFiber: 3 gNet Carbs*: 3 g

*Net carbs = carbohydrates - fiber

Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools and does not include optional ingredients unless otherwise indicated.

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