Low carb taco soup made in the Instant Pot! This quick keto soup recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes and it’s bursting with spicy Mexican flavors! I’ve included slow cooker instructions too!
When I say that this low carb soup is actually exploding with flavor, oh man. I mean it.
This soup recipe has everything we love going on – tender chicken, spicy chipotle peppers, cream cheese for richness and body, and lemon and lime juice that work to make the flavors pop!
Mexican is my favorite cuisine in the world, so we make this one an awful lot. Maybe not super authentic, but it’s got all those flavors that I love.
If you also love Mexican flavors, try out our Keto Taco Soup! And be sure to keep a batch of our keto taco seasoning on hand. It’s so much better than the packets.
We like to make this low carb soup in the Instant Pot – it’s so quick that way! – but it can easily be made in the slow cooker as well. We’ve included instructions for both in the recipe card.
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken Breasts – You’ll want some skinless, boneless chicken breasts for this keto taco soup. They’ll get perfectly so tender and juicy in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker! Boneless chicken thighs would work as well.
Onion & Garlic – These make good additions to just about any soup recipe!
Chipotle Peppers – These come canned in adobo sauce. They pack LOADS of flavor, however they are fairly spicy. We kept the spice at a level 3 out of 10 on this (in my opinion), so feel free to add more or less of the peppers and sauce to suit your tastes.
Spices – Cumin, Chili Powder, Paprika, and Salt
Citrus – We use both lemon and lime to brighten this soup up and make the flavors sing. Fresh squeezed juice is best but the bottled kind works too.
Chicken Broth – Bone broth or stock also work.
Cream Cheese – This makes the soup creamy and thickens it up slightly.
Cilantro – A must for all Mexican dishes. If you’re allergic and think it tastes like soap, sub in parsley.
Chicken Taco Soup
We love this Chicken Taco Soup made with shredded chicken, but you’ve got options depending on what protein you have in the house!
Make this with ground chicken – just brown it first!
Make this with ground beef! Just brown and drain off any fat. You can brown it right in the Instant Pot using saute mode.
Chicken thighs will work in place of chicken breasts as well.
You can prepare this low carb taco soup in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, depending on how much time you’ve got! Both ways taste pretty amazing.
The chicken gets perfectly juicy and fork tender and is so savory in the creamy, cheesy chicken broth with the spicy peppers and seasoning.
Everyone loves Mexican flavors and this soup delivers!
How To Make Keto Taco Soup:
I’m going to include instructions for both a slow cooker version and an Instant Pot soup version below. I prefer this in the Instant Pot because it’s SO fast and easy, but I know we don’t all have pressure cookers laying around. 😉
Instant Pot Low Carb Soup:
Pressure Cook – Add everything but the cream cheese and cilantro to your Instant Pot, put the lid on, set it to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 18 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally and remove the lid.
Shred – Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with a couple of forks. The chicken should be perfectly tender and juicy and easy to shred with a fork.
Cream Cheese – Drop a block of cream cheese into the broth, set the pot to sauté, and whisk well to combine the cream cheese into the broth. Once everything is smooth and creamy, add the chicken back into the low carb soup and stir in some cilantro. Boom. Done.
Slow Cooker Low Carb Soup:
Slow Cook – To make this taco soup in a slow cooker, add everything but the cream cheese and cilantro to the slow cooker and cover. Cook on low for 4 hours.
Shred – Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. It takes a little longer in the slow cooker, but the chicken will be just as juicy and fork tender as the pressure cooked version of this recipe.
Cream Cheese – Add the cream cheese to the taco soup mixture and whisk well to combine – you want the cream cheese completely melted and incorporated into the broth. It helps to warm the cream cheese in the microwave first. Stir the chicken and some cilantro back into the soup and serve!
Special Tools Needed:
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Instant Pot: I use the Instant Pot 6 Quart Duo and I love it! It makes the most amazing hard boiled eggs and I toss chicken breasts in there for shredding allllll. the. time. Shredded chicken is perfect to have on hand for recipes like cauliflower chicken fried rice and healthy stuffed peppers. I use the boiled eggs to make my avocado egg salad often.
Slow Cooker: This slow cooker works great! I also use it for making my keto chicken wings.
Citrus Squeezer: If you’re going to be using freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice you’ll need a citrus squeezer! This handy tools makes squeezing citrus super easy and mess free.
FAQs:
You can keep this low carb taco soup covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. It should reheat well on the stove or even in the microwave in smaller servings. You can also freeze this soup for up to a few months in a freezer safe bag. Make sure you let it cool completely before freezing.
I’ve never tried it myself but some readers have mentioned having success with making this recipe on the stove top. You’d need to adjust the cooking time of course. It’ll take longer than pressure cooking but should be done faster than slow cooking.
Sure! If you want a beef taco soup you could use ground beef instead, along with beef broth instead of chicken broth. You’ll want to brown the beef first before pressure cooking or slow cooking.
More Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Recipes:
- Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
- Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
- Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip
Low Carb Chicken Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chipotles in adobo sauce minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Add the chicken, onion, garlic, chipotles, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, lemon juice, lime juice, and chicken broth to an Instant Pot.
- Cover, turn vent to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 18 minutes.
- Allow pressure to release naturally, about 10 minutes, before removing the lid.
- Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks.
- Turn the Instant Pot to saute and add the cream cheese. Whisk constantly until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated.
- Turn Instant Pot off and return chicken to the pot. Add the cilantro and stir well to combine.
- Serve immediately
Slow Cooker Method
- Add the chicken, onion, garlic, chipotles, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, lemon juice, lime juice, and chicken broth to a low cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks.
- Add the cream cheese to the slow cooker and whisk constantly until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated.
- Return chicken to the slow cooker and add the cilantro. Stir well to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Judy Peinado says
I usually only cook my chicken for 10 minutes in the Instant Pot. Cooking time for this recipe is much longer – does the chicken stay tender?
Karly Campbell says
Yep, it does.
Marie Slater says
I just got an instant pot so I would like to see more instant pot recipes. I’m going to try this one out for sure.
Dena Leichnitz says
What in the world is an instant pot? I have pots, pans and skillets!
Karly Campbell says
It’s an electric pressure cooker.
Judy says
Sooooooooo good! Wonderful flavor! I didn’t have chipotle peppers, but did have chipotle powder, so added a half teaspoon of that instead.
Karly Campbell says
Great substitute! 🙂
Kevin says
Great variation with adding the chipotle peppers!! I also added chopped red bell pepper for more vegetables and doubled everything. My seven and eleven year old boys ranted and raved over how much they loved it and asked for seconds; the eleven year old asked for thirds. Everyone was so sad when the inner pot slipped from my fingers and I dumped the potential leftovers all over the counter. I like the prior comment of adding a poblano pepper! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Shanna Schweitzer says
I’ve made this and it’s a huge hit! Wondering if a can of fire roasted tomatoes would be good…?
Karly Campbell says
Yes, I think so!
Robin says
This was delicious, the whole family lived it even the pickest
Jon says
Did not like at all. The cream cheese had coagulated into little tiny pieces. It was not appealing. Threw it out.
Karly Campbell says
Sorry to hear you weren’t a fan. You definitely have to whisk well to incorporate the cheese into the broth, but it should melt in fine as you whisk.
Shannon says
I use an immersion blender and it comes out perfectly!
Kelly says
That happened to me too. I just kept whisking like crazy and it eventually blended into a thick and creamy soup.
Tracy says
Can’t wait to give this a try! One question — can you add the chicken breasts in frozen or do they have to be thawed? If frozen, would that make a difference in the cook time? Thanks so much for all your amazing recipes, both low-carb and regular! I love them!
Karly Campbell says
If you’re using an Instant Pot, frozen breasts will be fine and won’t change the cook time. It’ll just take longer for the pot to come to pressure. If you’re using a slow cooker, frozen will also work, but it will add some cook time, but I’m not sure how much – the chicken is done when it shreds easily. 🙂
So glad you’re enjoying the recipes, Tracy! <3
Ashley says
This soup was delicious! A little dollop of sour cream on top made this dish just pop. Perfect addition to our fall menus!
Karly Campbell says
Ooh, sour cream on top can only make it tastier! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
Linda says
Someone had said that using all the seasonings you can use a packet of taco seasoning
Nicole C. says
Be careful with packaged taco seasonings. Many times, they will have additives that aren’t low carb. Ex. Sugar, cornstarch, potato starch, etc. I always just make up a big batch of taco seasoning from scratch so that I always have it on hand. Just a suggestion…
Dee Clavin says
What is the portion size ? It says 4 servings but is that a cup . Can’t wait to try, thanks for sharing !
Karly Campbell says
I didn’t measure by volume. It’s 1/4 of the recipe.
Paula says
Wonderful flavor. You’re right, the lemon and lime make a difference. I added some green chili’s also as I had some available. Thanks for a different type of Taco soup. This is a keeper on my Keto way if eating.
Karly Campbell says
So glad you enjoyed!
Wendy says
So delicious! I used a slow cooker and added some fresh spinach at the end. Love your recipes…thank you 🙂
Karly Campbell says
Spinach sounds like a great addition. Thank you! 🙂
Kaitlyn says
Literally eating this soup as I type. It’s that good! I’m 3 weeks into the Ketogenic Diet and out of all the blogs I’ve started following for recipes – yours is hands down the best! This whole week is a different recipe of yours. I can’t wait to try them all. Thank you for sharing with all of us!
Karly Campbell says
Oh gosh, that is so sweet to hear! Thank you! <3
Robie says
I seared a poblano pepper and put in the recipe and I added riced cauliflower for rice. Absolutely delicious. Great recipe
Karly Campbell says
Yum! Sounds amazing!
Lynda says
WOW – just finished this for my lunch – and hubby is enjoying a second helping!! It’s delicious – thank you! One question – can this be frozen? Or would the cream cheese be an issue? I was thinking about making in a double batch, then cooling and freezing so I can have portion-controlled amounts ready to grab and re-heat for lunches.
Karly Campbell says
Honestly, I’m not sure how well it would freeze. I haven’t tried it, but if you do, please let me know how it goes! Glad to hear it was a hit! 🙂
Katlyn S. says
Made this tonight in my instant pot and it was amazing! Even my picky 2-year-old son loved it! I do have a question…has anyone tried doubling the recipe? I’d like to have more for leftovers. I’m new to the instant pot realm so I wasn’t sure how doubling the recipe would affect the cooking time. Would love more keto recipes!
Karly Campbell says
It should double fine! No need to adjust the cook time. The IP will take a bit longer to get to pressure with more ingredients inside so the time you set should stay the same, but know that it will actually take a bit longer overall, if that makes sense. 🙂
Lisa says
I doubled it exactly from the what the recipe shows and it turned out perfect. I did use thin sliced chicken breasts. Since the recipe didn’t specify, I was a little afraid regular thickness ones would not be fully cooked. It was very good! Even my husband liked it…thank goodness!!
Anne says
I would love it if you added more Instant Pot recipes to your site. I just love my instant pot. The family can’t believe that everything has turned out tasting great in such a short time. I just found your site today and am ready to try some of your recipes. Thank you so much!
Karly Campbell says
Will do! 🙂 Thank you!
Stefanie says
I actually went ahead and cut in some big chunks of zucchini and it was so good! i just had to have more veggies in it.
Janeen Campana says
This chicken taco soup yummy, can’t wait to try it! I love your recipes, they are simple and easy to understand. Thank you for that. I’ve heard a lot about insta pot, is there a special brand you prefer?
Karly Campbell says
Instant Pot is the brand I use. 🙂 Any electric pressure cooker should be fine though.