This chicken soup recipe is thick, creamy, and delicious! Full of all the flavors of Tex-Mex in a soup. Perfect for a cozy fall or winter night in. While not your traditional soup, this flavor packed recipe is sure to be a new family favorite!

Making Soup in Cast Iron

One of my favorite ways to make, and serve soup is my cast iron dutch oven! It just feels right and the flavor is unmatched. However, before I learned these couple tips it seemed like a chore. Here’s my tips for cooking soup in cast iron…

Make sure to treat your pot before using.

I prefer to season and treat all my cast iron with coconut oil. You can purchase seasoning spray from the store or online, however it is usually made with canola oil. I find this a far less healthy option than coconut or olive oil. To pre-treat, I simply put some coconut oil on a rag or paper towel and rub all over the surface of the pan.

Cook low and slow.

The key to not scalding soup and having a big mess to clean later is to cook soup slowly on low heat. Stirring often also helps!

Do not store soup in cast iron.

While cast iron is great for cooking, it is not practical for storage. Storing soup in cast iron can cause rust due to the moisture that gets trapped in the pot. I prefer to store soup in a glass bowl or jar. If there is enough soup I will sometimes reheat it and serve again in the dutch oven.

If you do scald the soup…

If you do scald the soup, don’t panic! Cleaning the scalded pot is not the end of the world. First, remove the pot from heat, then turn heat down. (It is important to completely remove the pot from heat because cast iron retains a lot of heat and will not cool down as quickly as other types of pots.) Wait about ten to fifteen minutes and place soup on lower heat. DO NOT try to stir all the way to the bottom of the pot. Just leave the scalded soup there until it is time to clean.

Cleaning: Remove all you can from the pot. Boil about three-four cups of water in the scalded pot for five to ten minutes. Allow to cool. Scrub excess burnt soup with a steel wool or metal scrubber. (Never use dish soap on cast iron!) Wash in warm water, dry quickly to prevent rust. Season with coconut oil right after drying.

Making a Creamy Base for Your Soup

The key to getting the perfect creamy base for your soup is all in how you add your ingredients. Adding a thickener too late will produce and unbalanced mixture of the thickener and liquid creating a “floury” texture. Follow these steps to achieve the perfect base for any creamy soup…

Start with the thickener. Always start with a mixture of equal parts butter and flour. Remember it is easier to add liquid to thin your soup out of it is too thick than to thicken it well later. Simply melt butter in your stockpot. Wait until it begins to sizzle then add flour. Whisk right away to create a roux (or thickener).
Turn heat to medium and add liquid such as milk (best for creamy soups), broth, or a mixture of the two. Stir in well until all the roux is dissolved.
Turn the heat up to medium-high. Continue stirring regularly until the base begins to boil and thickens.
Add sour cream, cream cheese, and/or cheese one at a time making sure you stir until all the ingredients have dissolved.
After your base is created you can add in veggies and meats.

Here is my general rule for a creamy soup base when it comes to butter to flour to broth ratio- 1 tbsp butter and flour for every 2 cups of liquid you are adding. This will get you a nice, creamy, thick but not too thick base for any soup. Of course, if you are following a recipe the creator knows what is best.

The Best Soup Sides

Let’s be honest, it’s not great soup without some bread for dipping. Whatever your personal taste we probably have a recipe! Check out some of these perfect pairs below…

Sourdough Bread Bowls. Make these delicious sourdough bread bowls in the cutest mini pumpkin shape perfect for fall!
Sourdough Discard Breadsticks. These sourdough discard breadsticks covered in butter and garlic will melt in your mouth! The perfect edible “spoon” for eating your soup.
Pull-Apart Cheese Bread. This loaf can be made with any yeast or sourdough artisan style loaf to create delicious dipping slices of bread.