1-Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients Before you begin cooking, chop your onion and red bell pepper, measure out your seasonings, and make sure your cream cheese is softened. Softening the cream cheese ahead of time is crucial because it will melt more smoothly into the soup without creating lumps. If you are starting with uncooked chicken, you will need to cook and shred it first, or you can use rotisserie chicken for convenience. Having everything ready before you start cooking makes the process much smoother and prevents any scrambling at the stove.

2-Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the chopped onion and cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. The onion should become translucent and slightly softened, releasing its sweet aroma throughout your kitchen. This step builds the foundation of flavor for your entire soup, so do not rush it. Properly sautéed onions add a sweetness and depth that raw onions simply cannot provide.

3-Step 3: Add the Base Ingredients Once your onions are ready, add all remaining soup ingredients to the pot except for the cream cheese, shredded chicken, salt, and pepper. This includes the chicken broth, both cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies, the drained black beans and corn, the chopped red bell pepper, and all the seasonings. Give everything a good stir to combine. The mixture will look quite full in the pot, but do not worry, as the ingredients will cook down slightly.

4-Step 4: Simmer the Soup Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and let the soup simmer uncovered for five minutes. This brief simmering period allows the flavors to meld together while slightly thickening the broth. The red bell pepper will soften just enough while still maintaining a bit of texture, and the seasonings will fully infuse into the liquid. You will notice the aroma becoming more intense and appetizing as the soup simmers.

5-Step 5: Add Creaminess Cut your softened cream cheese into smaller pieces, about one-inch cubes. This helps it melt more quickly and evenly throughout the soup. Add the cream cheese pieces to the pot and stir continuously until fully melted and incorporated. The soup will transform from a brothy consistency to a creamy, velvety texture that coats every ingredient beautifully. Take your time with this step to ensure there are no lumps of cream cheese remaining. The result should be a smooth, creamy base that looks almost like a rich chowder.

6-Step 6: Warm the Chicken Through Stir in your two cups of cooked shredded chicken and let the soup cook for another five to seven minutes until everything is heated through. Since the chicken is already cooked, you are simply warming it to serving temperature. The shredded chicken will absorb some of the flavorful broth and seasonings, making each bite more delicious. Stir occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot and to ensure even heating throughout.

7-Step 7: Season and Serve Taste your soup and season with salt and pepper as needed. Remember that the canned ingredients and broth already contain sodium, so start with small amounts and adjust to your preference. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and set out your desired toppings for everyone to customize their own serving. Shredded Mexican cheese, avocado slices, fresh cilantro, and crunchy tortilla strips all make excellent additions that add texture and flavor complexity.