Southwest Chicken Soup
A quick, hearty southwest chicken soup with shredded chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, and bright lime. Ready in about 40 minutes and perfect for weeknights or meal prep.
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed and finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes , undrained
- 4 oz diced green chiles
- 15 oz black beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels or fresh
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Toppings (optional)
- Chopped cilantro
- Avocado slices
- Crumbled queso fresco or shredded cheddar
- Thin tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Extra lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in garlic, red bell pepper, and jalapeño and cook 2–3 minutes more.
- Sprinkle in the cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder and stir for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth, diced tomatoes (with juices), and green chiles. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in black beans, corn, and shredded chicken. Simmer for about 10 minutes to let flavors meld and corn soften.
- Turn off heat and stir in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with desired toppings such as avocado, cilantro, cheese, tortilla strips, and sour cream.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time or simmer raw chicken breasts in the broth for more flavor.
- For a vegetarian version, swap chicken broth for vegetable broth and add diced sweet potato for heartiness.
- This soup freezes well — omit creamy toppings before freezing and add them when reheating.
- Adjust heat by removing jalapeño seeds or swapping in chipotle for smoky heat.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 26gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 580mgSugar: 6g
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