Summary:
This soup is bursting with flavor, yet incredibly easy to make with simple ingredients like chicken and salsa. Cream cheese adds a creamy richness to the soup, which is then finished with avocado and shredded cheese.
INGREDIENTS
Toppings:
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced or diced
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
- Soften Cream Cheese: Cut cream cheese into 8 cubes. Set aside to soften while you work on the next step.
- Pressure Cook: Stir together chicken broth, salsa, and taco seasoning in
pressure cooker pot (Note 6) until well-mixed. Submerge chicken breasts in mixture. Secure and seal lid (Note 7). Cook for 25 minutes (Note 8) at high pressure, followed by quick pressure release. - Thicken Soup: Uncover and transfer only chicken breasts to plate; set aside. Whisk together 1 cup of hot liquid from pressure cooker with softened cream cheese in heatproof bowl or liquid measuring glass until smooth, a few minutes. Pour cream cheese mixture into pot, stirring it in.
- Shred Chicken: Turn on saute mode for medium heat. While waiting for liquid to boil, finely shred chicken using two forks and return chicken to pot. Boil soup for a few minutes to combine flavors, stirring frequently, then turn off saute mode.
- Serve (Note 9): Ladle soup into bowls, and top with avocado, cheddar cheese, and cilantro.
NUTRITION
| Makes 7 Servings |
| Amount Per Serving (1 cup): |
| Calories 290 (59% from fat) | |
| Total Fat 19g | 30% |
| Saturated Fat 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol 83mg | 28% |
| Sodium 810mg | 34% |
| Net Carb 6g | |
| Total Carb 9g | 3% |
| Dietary Fiber 3g | 12% |
| Sugars 3g | |
| Protein 21g |
PHOTOS
I always have a hard time whisking cream cheese in even when it is super soft. This time I added some hot soup liquid to it in a large measuring cup and blended it with my immersion blender. Perfectly blended cream cheese in seconds!
Making tonight, how long should I cook if the chicken is frozen?
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It’s a wonderful treat in the cold winter months. Made it exactly as described but used Greek yogurt cream cheese.
I have been struggling to find good recipes for the instant pot, I got so used to the slow cooker. This was beyond amazing!! My fiance and I ate it for dinner and lunch, we couldn’t get enough of it! So much flavor, very easy, and chicken turned out perfect. Thank you!!
I made the salsa chicken soup last night. Absolutely delicious. I like a lot of heat so I used hot salsa and added a couple jalapenos. My favorite keto recipe so far!
Does this freeze well?
Cream cheese does not freeze well. It becomes grainy.
Yes !! Just tried it turned out great but keep the crème cheese unfrozen
This is my 3rd time making this absolutely delicious and simple soup. I’ve made it as written and another time with some slight changes, so versatile! I do usually add a drained and rinsed can of white beans (cannellini or any other) to add fiber and a healthy carbohydrate to the meal. Still delicious and with some pretty topping (cilantro, shredded cheese, or avocado) it’s a perfect company-ready dinner with a side salad. Thank you for this great soup recipe!!
One of the easiest soups I have ever made and so satisfyingly yummy. The trick with the softened cream cheese and hot liquid is a dream. I cook a lot (I mean A LOT) with cream cheese and am always whisking away in my main pot/pan – and it just tears all of the other ingredients up or they get all lodged in my whisker. Not this time! Great tip and great soup. Sharing it with my niece who is soon to be married and not exactly a cook – even she can’t mess this one up!! Thanks for a great one!
I had to make a few changes to make it low sodium but it turned out very good. I did add a small amount of cream so I could use less cream cheese.
The avocado and sprinkle of cheese really added to the soup.
It was so easy I’m sure I will make it again.
This tastes good but the chicken is gummy. Seems like 25 minutes is too long.
In read that gummy chicken from an Instant Pot just means it was overcooked. Did you use full chicken breasts or slices? That could be the issue.
This recipe is soooo good! My family and I have it often in the fall/winter but we even sneak it in during the warmer months too. It’s so easy and completely delicious! (I use a crockpot instead of the instant pot.) Thank you so much for this recipe.
Great and very easy recipe. Thank you. We loved it. Wouldn’t change anything
I have made this twice and both times it was delicious. Both times I added a drained can of black beans, the second time I added some diced smoked sausage. It was soooo good. This would also be good with shrimp. Will be making this on a regular basis.
Omg I just love this soup … I also added at the end after I dished it out sour cream tastes fabulous I’m definitely going to make this again…
I just finished making this, it’s so easy and the flavor is beyond amazing. I will for sure be making it many times again. Thanks so much for the recipe!
I made this tonight using frozen chicken breasts and it was amazing! Thank you for such an easy & delicious recipe
If you don’t have a pressure cooker what do you recommend cooking the chicken?
This recipe can be adapted for the stovetop. Use a large pot and follow the directions, keeping in mind that the pressure cooking and stovetop cooking time estimates are going to be different.
Think this recipe would be just as good in a reg pot on the stove? Lol I cannot figure the insta pot out (palm to forehead)!
The Instant Pot is just an electric pressure cooker and any other brands would work as well. I think this recipe would also work in a regular pot on the stovetop, except that you would need more liquid (pressure cookers are very good at retaining liquid compared to stovetop) and you would have to increase the cooking time. Hope that gives you a start!
So delicious! I made this for dinner and I love the creamy flavor. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
If I want to make this in a crockpot, do you have a recommended cooking time?
I would probably try 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Essentially, the chicken needs to be cooked long enough so it’s easy to shred.
OMG just made this in my brand new instant pot. It is DELICIOUS!
I do not have an instant pot can I make this in a crock pot?
I haven’t tested this in a slow cooker so I can’t say what the cooking times would be, but I think it could definitely work.
I made this last night and it was delicious! I was meal prepping, so I haven’t tried it with all the fixins’ yet, but just the flavor of the soup is wonderful.
I wanted to stretch it a little further so I added a lot more chicken stock. Didn’t end up super thick but once I add toppings and reheat on the stove I’m sure it will be a-ok.
Thank you for this amazing recipe! I added beans and corn along with my own taco blend. We also like to add a tiny bit of liquid smoke. I’ll definitely be making again and again! 😋
Love this recipe! We make it often. I like to add some cooked orzo and corn in at the end to give it more substance. We also crush tortilla chips on top like crackers.