Crockpot Chicken Fajita Soup
Crockpot fajita soup tastes like a skillet of chicken fajitas turned into a bowl of something warm and creamy. Chicken, peppers, onions and beans simmer in a spiced tomato broth, then cream cheese melts in at the end. Top it with tortilla chips, cheese and lime.
8
servings15
minutes6
hoursChicken breasts, peppers, onion, black beans and tomatoes cook in fajita-spiced broth until tender. The chicken is shredded and cream cheese stirred in for a rich finish.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 bell peppers (red, yellow, green), sliced into thin strips
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fajita seasoning (or 1 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika)
1 tsp kosher salt
4 oz cream cheese, softened
Juice of 1 lime
Shredded cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, cilantro and avocado, for serving
Directions
- Add the sliced peppers, onion, garlic, tomatoes, black beans and corn to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Sprinkle the fajita seasoning and salt over the vegetables and stir lightly.
- Lay the chicken breasts on top and pour the broth over everything.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F and shreds easily.
- Remove the chicken to a bowl and shred it with two forks.
- Whisk the softened cream cheese with a ladle of hot broth in a bowl until smooth.
- Stir the cream cheese mixture and shredded chicken back into the soup.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 15 minutes until warmed through.
- Squeeze in the lime juice and taste for salt.
- Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, crushed chips, sour cream, cilantro and avocado.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs for a richer soup. Leave out the cream cheese for a dairy-free version. Refrigerate for 4 days. Freeze before adding cream cheese for 3 months. Stir in fresh cream cheese when reheating.
Why fajita flavors suit a soup pot
Fajitas rely on sweet peppers and onions cooked until soft with chili and cumin. A slow cooker does that effortlessly, and the vegetables flavor the broth as they go, so you get the same taste in a spoonful of soup.
Cream cheese is the secret. It melts into the broth and makes it silky without cooking down heavy cream. A squeeze of lime at the end ties everything together, so the soup tastes fresh as well as warm. The method is easy to adapt for a crowd. Double the recipe in a larger cooker and let people serve themselves from the pot on WARM.
Ingredient notes
Chicken breasts: They shred well after cooking and stay juicy in the broth. Keep them whole until they are done, then shred.
Bell peppers: Use a mix of colors for sweetness. Green alone tastes sharper. Slice them thin so they soften evenly.
Fire-roasted tomatoes: They add a mild smoky flavor that regular canned tomatoes lack.
Fajita seasoning: Look for a blend with chili powder, cumin and garlic, or mix your own. Check the salt before adding more.
Black beans: Rinse them well so the broth does not turn muddy and salty. Corn: Frozen corn adds sweetness and a little pop. Fire-roasted corn gives even more smoky flavor, if you can find it.
Tips for the best soup
Add the cream cheese at the end: The most common mistake is dropping it in at the start. After hours of heat it breaks into grainy bits. Whisk it with hot broth first, then stir it in so it blends smoothly.
Do not overcook the chicken: Breasts turn dry past 7 hours on LOW. Check at 6 hours and pull them when they shred.
Finish with lime: The acid makes the spices taste brighter. Add it just before serving and taste again. A final tip is to taste the soup after the cream cheese goes in. The dairy softens the spices, so you may want another pinch of cumin or chili powder.
Swaps and variations
For a lighter soup, skip the cream cheese and blend a cup of the beans into the broth for body. For heat, add a diced jalapeno or chipotle in adobo. Use shrimp in place of chicken, adding it in the last 20 minutes.
Dried beans do not work unless they are soaked and boiled first, since slow cookers do not reach the temperature that makes some beans safe. Use canned beans here. For a lighter dinner, swap the cream cheese for a half cup of Greek yogurt stirred in off the heat. For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with extra beans and use vegetable broth. A scoop of cooked rice in each bowl makes it more filling.
What to serve with it
Set out bowls of toppings so everyone builds their own: tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro and lime wedges. Warm tortillas or cornbread on the side turn it into a full dinner. Crushed tortilla chips on top add the crunch that fajitas usually get from a warm tortilla.
Storing and reheating
Cool the soup and store it in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors deepen overnight, so leftovers are often better.
Freeze the soup before adding the cream cheese for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove and whisk in the softened cream cheese just before serving. Keep toppings fresh and separate.
Crockpot Chicken Fajita Soup at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 6 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 13, led by boneless skinless chicken breasts, bell peppers (red, yellow onion, (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
Tips for Crockpot Chicken Fajita Soup
Use chicken thighs for a richer soup. Leave out the cream cheese for a dairy-free version. Refrigerate for 4 days. Freeze before adding cream cheese for 3 months. Stir in fresh cream cheese when reheating.
Crockpot Chicken Fajita Soup FAQ
How long does Crockpot Chicken Fajita Soup take?
Crockpot Chicken Fajita Soup takes 6 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Chicken Fajita Soup serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Chicken Fajita Soup?
13 ingredients, led by boneless skinless chicken breasts, bell peppers (red, yellow onion, (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
