Cheesy Rotel Chicken Soup is a flavorful and comforting dish that requires no chopping and can be made in the slow cooker or on the stove top!

An overhead shot of cheesy rotel chicken soup in a blue bowl with a spoon

 

As the weather gets colder, there’s nothing like a warm bowl of soup to comfort your soul. For those new to cooking, making soup might seem like an intimidating task, but fear not! I’m here to guide you through the process of making a delicious cheesy rotel chicken soup that will warm you up from the inside out.

The dish features a creamy and slightly spicy tomato and cheese sauce that coats the tender chicken, creating a delicious combination of flavors. This dish has a Tex-Mex vibe you will love! You can adjust the spiciness by choosing a mild or hot version of Rotel tomatoes and by adding more or less cheese, depending on your preferences.

Reasons You’ll Love this Soup

  • Convenience: The absence of chopping and the simplicity of the recipe make it incredibly convenient. You can prepare a delicious, comforting soup without much effort! This is especially appealing for those with busy lifestyles or those looking for a quick and easy meal option.
  • Keto-Friendly: If you’re following a low-carb or ketogenic diet, a soup recipe designed to be keto-friendly is a great choice. It allows you to enjoy a warm and satisfying meal without worrying about exceeding your carb intake. With the right ingredients, you can create a soup that aligns with your dietary goals while still being delicious and filling.
  • Pantry Staples: One of the best things about this dish is that it requires only a few ingredients, most of which you probably keep on hand! This makes it easy to stock up on sale prices, making this dish even more inexpensive.
an overhead shot of a creamy chicken soup

Ingredients

As always, this is a quick overview of the ingredients needed to make this easy chicken soup. For the complete, printable recipe simply scroll to the recipe card below:

  • Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breast, but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat.
  • Spices: onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, garlic salt and pepper
  • Broth: use a good quality chicken stock, or use your discarded items to make your own!
  • Rotel: also know as canned tomatoes with green chilies.
  • Cream Cheese and Cheese: room temperature cream cheese (the block, not the tub) and shredded cheddar or Colby-Jack cheese are used in this recipe.
  • Thickener: an optional ingredient is a thickener of your choice, such as corn starch or xanthan gum.
chicken in slow cooker
chicken and spices in slow cooker

How to make Cheesy Rotel Chicken Soup

In addition to the ingredients listed above you will need either a slow cooker, Dutch oven or pot of your choice to make this soup. This recipe also requires no chopping and very little prepwork! You will find the step by step photos below.

  • Step 1: Add the chicken breast, spices, undrained cans of Rotel, and chicken broth to the slow cooker or Dutch oven. Secure the lid and if cooking in the slow cooker set it to low for up to 8 hours, or high up to 4 hours. If cooking on the stovetop bring the soup to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low and cook 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
  • Step 2: Remove the chicken and shred. While the chicken is out of the soup, add the cream cheese and shredded cheese. Whisk vigorously until the cheese has melted and incorporated. Add the chicken back to the soup.
  • Step 3: This step is optional; you can thicken the soup by allowing it to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until some of the liquid has evaporated. Alternatively, you can use a slurry with a cornstarch and water mixture, or xanthan gum and water mixture to thicken the soup. In the recipe card you will find specific directions for this step.
rotel and chicken in slow cooker
rotel and chicken in slow cooker
shredded chicken before adding to soup
creamy cheesy rotel chicken soup in a ladle

Serve

This soup is excellent right away, but like most soups it is even better the next day once the flavors have had time to meld. So you will enjoy this for meal prep! I serve this dish with shredded cheese and green onions. If you’re looking for more low-carb toppings, check out this list of keto soup garnishes. Some other ideas are:

What is Rotel?

Rotel is a brand of canned tomatoes and green chilies, primarily used in Tex-Mex and southwestern cuisine. It’s known for its distinctive blend of diced or crushed tomatoes and green chili peppers. Rotel tomatoes and chilies are often used in recipes to add a spicy and tangy flavor, as well as a subtle heat to dishes like chili, salsa, queso dip, and various Mexican or Tex-Mex recipes.

Rotel products are available in different varieties, including mild, original, and hot, allowing you to adjust the level of spiciness in your dishes based on your preference. It’s a convenient ingredient for adding a burst of flavor to many dishes, making it a popular choice for those who enjoy a little heat and zest in their cooking.

a bowl of chicken soup with cheese and rotel tomatoes

Recipe FAQ

Is this soup spicy?

For this recipe I use original Rotel that is undrained. It certainly has a bit of spice. I find this dish to be very flavorful with some spicy, but I wouldn’t consider it to be a really hot soup. The cheese helps to balance out the flavors and the spice level is similar to a traditional Rotel dip.

Can I use a different meat?

Yes, this recipe would work with ground beef, turkey or sausage, but you will need to brown it before adding to the soup.

Can I make this dairy free?

I have not made this dish dairy free, so I cannot confirm.

Can I make this with canned tomatoes instead?

It is possible to make this with canned fire roasted tomatoes, although the flavor is much better with Rotel. If you use regular canned tomatoes you will need to drain the tomatoes before using.

Other Soup Recipes

an overhead shot of chicken soup with cheese and rotel with a spoon

Get the Recipe: Cheesy Rotel Chicken Soup

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Author: Annie Holmes
Cheesy Rotel Chicken Soup is a flavorful and comforting dish that requires no chopping and can be made in the slow cooker or on the stove top!
4.47 from 236 ratings
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Ingredients
 

  • 2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 32 ounces chicken stock
  • 2 10-ounce cans Rotel (tomatoes with green chilis), undrained
  • 1 8-ounce bar cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Optional thickener: 1 tablespoon corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon COLD water OR 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum

Equipment

Instructions
 

Crock Pot Instructions:

  • Add the chicken breast, spices, undrained cans of Rotel, and chicken broth to the slow cooker or Dutch oven. Secure the lid, and if cooking in the slow cooker, set it to low for up to 8 hours or high for up to 4 hours.
  • Remove the chicken and shred. While the chicken is out of the soup, add the cream cheese and shredded cheese. Whisk vigorously until the cheese has melted and incorporated. Add the chicken back to the soup and stir well.
  • At this point you can serve the soup or use the instructions below to thicken the soup if desired.

Dutch Oven Instructions: (preferred method)

  • Place your chicken, spices, undrained Rotel, and chicken broth into the Dutch oven. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 25 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
  • Remove the chicken and shred. Add the softened cream cheese and shredded cheese, whisking vigorously until it has melted. Add the chicken back into the pot and stir well.
  • At this point, you can serve the soup or use the instructions below to thicken the soup if desired.

To Thicken:

  • This step is optional; you can thicken the soup by allowing it to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until some of the liquid has evaporated.
  • Alternatively, you can use a slurry with a cornstarch and water mixture or xanthan gum to thicken the soup. To do that, add the thickening agent and whisk vigorously. If using xanthan gum, you may add an additional 1/8 teaspoon if you need to thicken further, but add this very sparingly. It can change the texture of your soup quickly.

Notes

This recipe makes 8 servings, and each one is about 1 1/4 cup. Each serving has 4.7 net carbs.
Serving: 1.25 cup, Calories: 311kcal, Carbohydrates: 4.7g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 21.7g, Cholesterol: 99.3mg, Sodium: 671.5mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 0.3g
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