Convenience foods make it easy to put dinner on the table quickly, even on weeknights. The following Mexican Everything Taco Soup is made mostly from items you already have on your pantry shelf or in the freezer. It can be made in less than 30 minutes, and has lots of Mexican flavor.

Because several of the ingredients are quite salty, make sure you use salt-free fajita seasoning. It’s also nice to use low-sodium chicken broth if it is available. You can use any kind of meat you happen to have on hand: boneless skinless chicken breasts, boneless pork loin, beef sirloin or even ground beef; they are all good in this soup. You can also use flavored tortilla chips to change the flavor.

12 Servings


1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed, cleaned, and thinly sliced, or pork, or beef
1 1/2 tablespoons salt free fajita seasoning

8 cups chicken broth

1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 16 oz. package frozen pepper stir fry
1 cup medium salsa

6 ounces tortilla chips, crushed (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese

cilantro, or parsley for garnish

1. Heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
2. Add the chicken slices (or pork or beef), sprinkle with the fajita seasoning, and stir-fry until it is just barely cooked through.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the chicken broth to the pan, along with the black beans, corn, frozen pepper stir-fry, and salsa; cover and bring to a boil.
5. Turn the heat down to a simmer and stir in the tortilla chips.
6. Let the soup cook until slightly thickened.
7. Stir in the chicken and heat through; turn down the heat and stir in the cheese. Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley, and serve.

Note: if you can't find salt-free fajita seasoning, you can make your own: mix 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon whole oregano, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon crushed chipotle pepper, 1 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary; mix and store in an airtight container.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 344 Calories from Fat 135
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 39% Protein 31% Carb. 29%

Nutrient Amount per
Total Fat 15 g
Saturated Fat 5 g
Cholesterol 66 mg
Sodium 1366 mg
Total Carbohydrate 25 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 27 g

Vitamin A 8% Vitamin C 7% Calcium 0% Iron 9%