Slow Cooker Cheesy Rotel Chicken Soup

Raw chicken breasts, two cans of Rotel, pinto beans, broth, and taco seasoning go into the slow cooker in the morning. A few hours later, you shred the chicken right in the pot and stir in cream cheese, heavy cream, and sharp cheddar. This cheesy Rotel chicken soup comes out creamy, mildly spicy, and orange from the tomatoes and chiles. The method is written for the slow cooker, with a complete stovetop version below that’s ready in about 45 minutes.

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Is It Really No-Chop?

Almost. Recipes like this are often sold as “no chopping,” and that is nearly true: the chicken goes in whole and gets shredded with forks, and everything else comes from a can or a packet. The only knife work is cutting the cream cheese into cubes so it melts evenly, and slicing green onions if you use them as a topping. A few ingredient details matter more than chopping:

• Rotel: Add both cans undrained; the liquid is part of the broth. The original version is medium-mild. Store-brand diced tomatoes with green chiles work the same way, or use one 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes plus one 4-ounce can of diced green chiles.
• Pinto beans: Drain and rinse them. The canning liquid is starchy and salty and makes the soup murky.
• Cream cheese: Full-fat melts more smoothly than reduced-fat. Let it soften on the counter while the soup cooks.
• Cheddar: Buy a block of sharp cheddar and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking starch that can make the soup grainy.
• Taco seasoning: One 1-ounce packet is about 3 tablespoons. It’s the main source of salt, which is why the recipe has no added salt.

Slow Cooker Method

Load the slow cooker

Add the drained beans, both cans of Rotel with their liquid, and the broth to a 6-quart slow cooker. Lay the chicken breasts on top in a single layer, nestling them down so they sit mostly in the liquid, then sprinkle the taco seasoning, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pepper over the chicken and the liquid. Use thawed chicken. Frozen breasts can spend too long below a safe temperature in a slow cooker.

Cook until the chicken reaches 165°F

Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. Slow cookers vary a lot, so start checking at the low end of the range: the thickest part of the largest breast should read 165°F. Chicken left much longer than needed turns stringy and dry.

Shred the chicken

Move the chicken to a cutting board and pull it apart with two forks into bite-size shreds, then return it to the pot. Shredding on a board rather than in the slow cooker makes it easier to find any pieces that are still too large.

Add the cream cheese, cream, and cheddar

Set the slow cooker to LOW. Stir in the cubed cream cheese and the cream, cover for 10 minutes, then stir until the cream cheese has melted into the broth. Add the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding the next. Taste and add salt only if it needs it.

Stovetop Method

To make cheesy Rotel chicken soup on the stove, use the same ingredients, a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, and about 10 minutes of prep plus 30 to 35 minutes of cooking:

1. Add the beans, Rotel with its liquid, and broth to the pot. Lay the chicken on top in a single layer, nestled into the liquid, and sprinkle the taco seasoning, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pepper over it.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 18 to 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
3. Shred the chicken on a cutting board and return it to the pot.
4. Turn the heat to low. Stir in the cream cheese and cream until smooth, about 3 minutes.
5. Stir in the cheddar a handful at a time until melted. Don’t let the soup boil after the dairy goes in.

Keeping It Smooth, Not Grainy

Grainy cheese soup usually comes from heat. When cheddar gets too hot, the milk solids tighten and squeeze out fat, which leaves small curds and an oily surface. Three habits prevent it: add the dairy on LOW (or over low heat on the stove), add the cheddar gradually, and use cheese you shredded from a block. Room-temperature cream and softened cream cheese also blend in faster, so the pot spends less time hot while you stir.

The soup should be creamy and spoonable, thicker than broth but looser than chili. For a thicker soup, mash a few of the beans against the side of the pot before adding the dairy, or (on the stove) simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes first. To thin it, stir in a little warm broth.

Toppings

Extra cheddar, a spoonful of sour cream, sliced green onions, and a handful of tortilla chips are all optional, and each one changes the soup a little: chips add crunch, sour cream adds a cool tang that softens the chile heat. If you like this flavor profile, our taco spaghetti uses Rotel in a skillet pasta, and the broccoli cheddar gnocchi soup is another cheddar-based soup. For a lighter, broth-based pot, try the vegetable beef soup or browse all soups.

Cooling, Storing, and Reheating

A full slow cooker of cheesy Rotel chicken soup cools slowly, so divide it into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. It keeps for 3 to 4 days and thickens as it chills. Reheat it gently over medium-low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of broth, until it reaches 165°F. In the microwave, use 50 percent power and stir every minute. Freezing isn’t recommended once the dairy is in, since cream cheese and cheddar can separate when thawed. To freeze ahead, freeze the cooked, shredded chicken base without the dairy for up to 3 months, then reheat it and finish with the cream cheese, cream, and cheddar.

FAQ

• Is it spicy? Mildly. Original Rotel and standard taco seasoning give a gentle heat. Use the hot variety of diced tomatoes with chiles for more, or the mild one for less.
• Can I use chicken thighs? Yes. Use the same weight of boneless, skinless thighs; they stay a bit juicier and also need to reach 165°F.
• Can I keep it on WARM for a party? Yes, for up to 2 hours after the dairy is added. Stir it now and then and add a splash of broth if it thickens.

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