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King Ranch Chicken Soup
This soup is even creamier than you’d expect at first glance from the combination of cream cheese, Velveeta cheese, and half-and-half. There’s a whole slew of textures in each bite, too, from the crunchy celery and carrots to the soft, diced chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6 - 8
- Category: Soups
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 1 cup chopped baby carrots
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into bite-size pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, very finely minced
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
- 1 (14-ounce) can RoTel diced tomatoes with chiles
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut into small cubes
- 2 cups Velveeta cheese, cut into small cubes
- 2 cups half-and-half
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper and add to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the beans, tomatoes with chiles, tomato sauce, and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese and Return to a simmer and stir until the cheese has melted and the soup is smooth. Remove from the heat once again and stir in the half-and-half. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
- Ladle into bowls, garnish with cilantro and lime wedges, and serve.
