Keto King Ranch Chicken Soup
Slow-cooked chicken breasts simmer with Rotel tomatoes, jalapeno, and warm Tex-Mex spices in a creamy, butter-thickened broth finished with melted Colby Jack cheese and crunchy tortilla chips.
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Large slow cooker
- cutting board
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- 1 ½ lb chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
- 10 ounces Rotel ((mild, original or hot depending on your heat preference))
- 1 medium jalapeno (minced)
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese (plus more for topping)
- Tortilla chips (for serving)
- Fresh cilantro (chopped, for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, then cook the minced garlic in it for about 1 minute. Look for pale golden edges and a fragrant garlic aroma rather than deep browning.
- Whisk the flour into the butter for 1 minute, gradually incorporate the broth, bring to a simmer while whisking for several minutes, then take the pan off the heat and mix in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste before setting it aside. The finished sauce should look smooth and thickened, without visible flour pockets.
- Arrange the chicken breasts in a large slow cooker, distribute the Rotel and jalapeno over them, add the prepared sauce, and cook with the lid on for 4 hours on low. The chicken should be cooked through and tender enough to pull apart without becoming dry or stringy.
- Lift the chicken onto a cutting board, mix the Colby Jack into the liquid, replace the lid while pulling the meat into large pieces, and return those pieces to the cooker. The covered broth gives the cheese a warm environment to soften while the chicken retains its chunky texture.
- Continue cooking with the lid on for 15 minutes, then thoroughly stir the soup. The cheese should have melted into the broth and the chicken should be hot throughout.
- Break tortilla chips into individual bowls, spoon the soup over them, and finish with additional cheese and optional cilantro. The chips provide crunch against the creamy broth, while the herbs add freshness.
Notes
Sauce tip: Pour the chicken broth into the butter-flour mixture gradually while whisking continuously so the base stays smooth and free of lumps. Cheese tip: Grate Colby Jack from a block yourself and scatter the shreds through the warm broth so the cheese melts evenly without clumping. Ingredient tip: For milder heat, pick mild Rotel tomatoes and clear out the seeds and membranes from the jalapeno before mincing. Storage: Keep leftover soup refrigerated in covered, airtight containers, and store tortilla chips, extra cheese, and fresh cilantro separately until serving. Reheating: Warm leftovers gently on the stovetop while stirring often, or heat single bowls in the microwave with pauses to stir, avoiding a rapid boil so the cheesy broth does not separate. Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.