Southwest Chicken Soup
Make this hearty, flavorful Southwest Chicken Soup in one pot, in 45 minutes, on the stovetop! It's an easy recipe that's sure to be a hit with the entire family. This tasty soup is perfect for warming up on a cold winter day, or making quickly for a busy weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 29 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies, 2 (14.5 ounce) cans
- 2 tablespoons southwest seasoning, click link for the recipe
- 1 tablespoon cholula, or other hot sauce
- 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 15 ounce can corn, drained
- 30 ounce black beans, two 15 ounce cans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, bell pepper and jalapeno, cook for 5-6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Move the veggies to one side of the pot, then add the chicken breast to the other side of the pot and sear on both sides for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Add the chicken broth and diced tomatoes with green chilies, season with the southwest seasoning and cholula.
- Add the can of tomato paste, corn and black beans, stir to combine everything.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
- After the cooking time, remove the lid, use tongs to remove the chicken breast from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Shred the chicken and add it back to the pot with the lime juice. Stir to combine everything, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Using the ingredients listed in this recipe, the soup is naturally gluten free and dairy free, without any toppings. If you want to keep it dairy-free, I recommend adding avocado on top for creaminess, instead of cheese or sour cream.
- This recipe has a medium-to-high spice level, depending on how sensitive you are to spice. To reduce the spice, reduce the hot sauce to one teaspoon, instead of one tablespoon. To omit almost all of the spice, do not add any hot sauce or jalapenos. The southwest seasoning will bring a mild spice level to the soup.
- To make this soup with rotisserie chicken, instead of searing a raw chicken breast, simply stir in 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken with the beans and corn. Since you won’t be cooking the chicken in the soup, you’ll only need to simmer it for 15 minutes, instead of 30 minutes.
- To make a creamy southwest chicken soup, add 8 ounces of cubed cream cheese at the end with the lime juice. Stir the soup until the cheese has melted in and the soup is nice and creamy.
- To double this recipe, simply click on the 2X button above. The ingredient amounts will automatically update. This is great for making a big batch of southwest chicken soup for a party, or if you want to freeze a second batch for a future meal.
- To make this soup in a slow cooker, refer to the blog post above for instructions.
- Store leftover southwest chicken soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days. The soup can be reheated in a pot on the stove over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, or until heated through. You can also add the soup to a slow cooker and reheat on low for 1 hour. To reheat the soup in the microwave, place a single serving of southwest chicken soup in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until heated throughout.
- You can also freeze leftover southwest chicken soup for up to 4 months. After the soup is cooked, let it cool before moving it to the freezer. To allow it to cool safely, place it in the refrigerator first. Once cooled, transfer the soup to a freezer safe Ziplock bag. Flatten the soup in the freezer bag for quicker and easier defrosting. When it’s time to defrost the soup, I recommend placing it in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours to thaw. After it’s thawed, place it in a slow cooker on low heat for 3-4 hours to reheat. You can also reheat the soup in a pot on the stove over medium heat for 20-30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 421kcal (21%)Carbohydrates 60g (20%)Protein 34g (68%)Fat 7g (11%)Saturated Fat 1g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 50mg (17%)Sodium 860mg (36%)Potassium 1538mg (44%)Fiber 16g (64%)Sugar 10g (11%)Vitamin A 1513mg (30%)Vitamin C 62mg (75%)Calcium 112mg (11%)Iron 6mg (33%)
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