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Skinny Slow Cooker Taco Soup

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There seems to be a theme when I talk with friends (especially bloggers) about new year’s resolutions this year: time management.

I know — what’s new, right?

But this year, I’m one of ’em. I wrote about it a little bit in my post about choosing a “word” for the year instead of a resolution. But in a nutshell, my hope for these next few months is to figure out a plan for how to do less (meaning an actual 40 hour work week) in order to spend more time with the people in my life who I love. And also to sleep. I was guilty last year of getting way too little sleep, and frankly, it was ridiculous and I’m over it. And I happen to be quite fond of my pillow. And waking up after 7-8 hours of solid zzz’s.

One of the tools I’ve been working with the last month of so that has really helped with daily planning is this cool productivity schedule from Storyline. I especially love how it has you write out a “rest/reward” for the the biggest tasks you need to accomplish that day. After trying it out for a few weeks, I’ve noticed that (for better or worse) I am apparently a little more food-motivated than I thought. The prospect of a cup of my favorite hot tea or a trip to the coffee shop, a piece of chocolate after lunch, or even just a handful of blueberries are enough to get me plowing through a big project more quickly than usual. (Yes yes yes, I know that if food’s going to be the motivator, it needs to be at least mostly healthy.)

But I’ve also found that the prospect of having dinner ready to go after a workday is extra motivating, and really satisfying. So since I’ve been trying out the productivity schedule, I’ve also been trying out new slow cooker recipes as a bit of a motivator to finish the workday (and then stop working). And I’m loving it!!! I mean, who doesn’t love having your slow cooker prepare dinner for you? But especially while I’m in the zone of trying to plan ahead and be more intentional with the hours in my day, having a pot of something delicious cooking all day is pretty much just the best.

So as we’re continuing our healthy eating month on the blog, today I’m sharing another “skinny” recipe with you — my “Skinny” Slow Cooker Taco Soup.

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Ok, I don’t know what lighting miracle happened, because I took these photos on the cloudiest, dreary day — which this soup was perfect for. But hey, go camera go. This taco soup was beautiful and delicious!!!

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And it’s also super quick and easy to prepare.

 

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All that you have to do to prep this soup is saute up a pound of ground turkey or chicken (or you can add in some shredded chicken instead, or omit the meat completely if you want to go vegetarian/vegan). Then dump in a bunch of cans of veggies and beans and seasonings. Then let the slow cooker do all of the work until it’s cooked and ready to serve.

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Just look at that deliciousness!

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Add on your favorite toppings (in moderation please, since this is “skinny”!). Then serve it and enjoy it, especially knowing that the quick preparation left you time to do more of the things you love. You’ve gotta love that. :)

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Skinny Slow Cooker Taco Soup

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  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 240 minutes
  • Total Time: 255 minutes
  • Yield: About 8-10 servings 1x

Description

This “skinny” slow cooker taco soup is incredibly quick and easy to make, and the result is a delicious and healthier soup!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (11 oz) can whole kernel corn
  • 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
  • 1 (2.25 oz) can sliced black olives, drained (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning (**see below for substitution**)
  • toppings: tortilla chips (strips or crushed), diced avocado, light sour cream, fresh cilantro, lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium high heat until shimmering. Add ground turkey (or chicken) and saute until browned, breaking up chunks and stirring with a long spoon frequently, about 4-6 minutes. Drain, then add the meat to the bottom of a slow cooker.
  2. Add remaining ingredients (except the toppings) to the slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours or until the onions are soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm with desired toppings.

Notes

*I do not recommend using taco seasonings with extra preservatives and unknown ingredients. If you do not have a trusted taco seasoning, you can substitute the following:
-1 Tbsp. chili powder
-1 tsp. garlic powder
-1 tsp. black pepper
-1 tsp. cumin
-1 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. paprika
-1/4 tsp. onion powder

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40 comments on “Skinny Slow Cooker Taco Soup”

  1. time management – yes! that is at the top of my list this year, Ali. And I need to get a little more organized. And I want to do some more DIY crafts. I know, that’s so random, but I always see all these fun ideas online (like your sprinkle ornaments from christmas!) and I hope to try my hand at a few this year. Anyway, loving your skinny recipes this year. This taco soup looks so comforting in this chilly weather we’re having!

  2. YES! I love being able to come how to an already made, super nutritious – but tasty- dinner! This looks like just that! Love using turkey or chicken here. Yum!

  3. Definitely checking out that story line productivity schedule–but I totally agree with you on this, I think time management is my biggest struggle!

    This soup looks great Ali!!

  4. There is nothing like a newborn and a toddler to get me to bust out the slow cooker!! I use it now more than ever and like you said – it’s the best feeling knowing a healthy dinner is in the bag. I’ll have to make this one soon for lunches. Because we know my husband won’t eat it – lol.

  5. LOVE the productivity schedule. And Love this soup – looks so comforting. And it’s skinny too!

  6. This looks like the perfect soup for a chilly day such as today! Beautiful colors and flavors!

  7. Time management is the biggest challenge. This soup however looks like the perfect dinner solution!

  8. Time management is a huge one for me, too. I cringe at the amount of time I actually waste on some days. And yet, I feel SO good on the days when I am able to check multiple things off of my to-do list.

    This dinner looks like the perfect way to get an easy, healthy meal on the table in no time.

  9. Time management is my biggest downfall. There is just never enough! I too never get enough sleep, so this a huge goal for me this year!

    The soup looks gorgeous and so good!!

  10. I NEVER get enough sleep — there’s always just one more thing I need to get done, then another, and another, and before I know it, it’s 2am!

    Loving this soup! Easy and seriously perfect for this frigid weather!

  11. Looks like the perfect comforting no guilt soup!! Love!! Happy New Year Ali!! xoxo

  12. Looks and sounds delicious! I have definitely been cutting back on my work hours in order to spend more time with my family. It means my posting is down to 1-2 times per week, but I’m the happiest now! :)

  13. Love this and love how ray it is to make!

  14. That sounds pretty tasty, but I think if I made it I would simply cook a couple chicken breasts in the broth in my slow cooker beforehand and then shred it and add the rest of the ingredients.

  15. What is the calorie count per serving, fat grams, fiber?

    • Serving 8 people without any toppings…

      Calories 233
      Carbs 31
      Fat 5
      Protein 19
      Sodium IS A LOT
      Sugar 9

      Join “my fitness pal” and you can build recipes to figure out nutritional information.

  16. I am so loving how simple this is! I could definitely use some more free time and this is perfect :)

  17. Can you cook this in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours? Or do you not recommend that?

    Thanks!

  18. Oh my wow! I made this soup with the shredded chicken and the suggested taco seasoning, and it was delicious. Even my picky eater sister ate this stuff up without adding anything. Said it was one of the best soups she ever had, and so easy to make. The longest part was to cook the chicken and then just toss everything.

  19. I made this soup tonight with ground turkey and it was tasty! I didn’t have northern beans on hand so I used pinto beans and I thought it went well with all the other ingredients.  I also used the recipe for taco seasoning instead of a pre packaged one from the store. Thanks for sharing the healthier alternative! 
    Only thing was I put my soup on high for 4 hrs but by the third hr it was ready.  Maybe my crockpot runs hotter.  
    It was a hit- my five year old princess loved the beans and didn’t think it was too spicy. Definitely going to make this soup apart of our weekly menu, thanks again ! 

  20. What’s are the servings size a d caloroes per serving by chance? 

    • Hi Kayla! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts/amount of calories in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!

  21. Don’t forget the crock pot liners for a faster clean-up. A real time saver there.