Southwest Chicken Soup Recipe (2024)

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ByMerissa

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One pot, hearty comfort! This Southwest chicken soup is made to be simmered low and slow in the crockpot and is packed with zesty flavor from chiles, cumin, corn, and beans. Simply toss in ingredients, then let the slow cooker work its magic, transforming pantry staples into supper.

Southwest Chicken Soup Recipe (1)

Table of Contents

Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup

Thanks to Hannah for this guest recipe post!

There’s nothing quite like coming home to the delicious aroma of a hearty soup simmering away in the slow cooker. This Southwest chicken soup captures the easy comfort of simple one-pot meals, with the added bonus of bold Tex-Mex flavor from spicy chiles, earthy cumin, sweet corn, and tender beans.

Simply toss the basic ingredients of chicken, tomato, veggies, and Southwestern spices into your slow cooker in the morning. As the soup gently bubbles away all day, the flavors meld into a creamy, slightly spicy broth that perfectly coats the chicken and rice. Finally, ladle this vibrant soup packed with protein, veggies, and fiber into bowls and garnish with avocado, cheese, or crunchy tortilla chips for a satisfying and soul-warming meal ready with minimal hands-on time.

Southwest Chicken Soup Recipe (2)

Ingredients in Southwestern Chicken Soup

  • Shredded rotisserie chicken. You can use any cooked, shredded chicken that you have on hand.
  • Chicken broth. Use store-bought, or you can also use homemade chicken broth. Whatever you have!
  • Half & half. This makes the soup nice and creamy. For a dairy-free version, you can leave it out, or you can add coconut cream or milk instead.
  • Diced tomatoes. Use canned from the store or home canned tomatoes if you have them. Plain diced tomatoes are fine, or you can add the ones with added green chiles if you want an extra kick.
  • Tomato sauce. This should just be plain tomato sauce to give the soup more of a smooth tomato texture.
  • Pinto beans. Use a can from the store or your home canned Pinto Beans.
  • Corn. You can use canned or frozen corn.
  • Green enchilada sauce. I use cans from the store, but if you have a good recipe, you can use homemade enchilada sauce too.
  • Taco seasoning. Again, you can use a pack from the store or sub with your own Homemade Taco Seasoning.
  • Long Grain Rice. This can be pre-cooked from the store, or if you have any cooked leftover rice, that will also work.
  • Optional: Black beans, garlic, onion, and peppers (like bell pepper or jalapeno) can all add new and different flavors to this soup!
Southwest Chicken Soup Recipe (3)

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Southwest Chicken Soup in the Slow Cooker

  1. Add all ingredients except for rice into a crockpot.
  2. Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
  3. In the last 30 minutes, cook the rice in the microwave and add to the crockpot.
  4. Enjoy!

To make this recipe on the stove-top, just add all the ingredients together into a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Simmer until completely heated through. Simmering a little longer will help the flavors develop.

Southwest Chicken Soup Recipe (4)

Southwestern Chicken Soup Recipe

One pot, hearty comfort! This Southwest chicken soup simmered low and slow in the crockpot is packed with zesty flavor from chiles, cumin, corn and beans. Simply toss in ingredients then let the slow cooker work its magic transforming pantry staples into a creamy, gently spiced soup ready when you walk in the door.

CourseSoup

CuisineAmerican

KeywordSouthwest Chicken Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 416 kcal

Ingredients

  • 4cupsshredded rotisserie chicken or any shredded, cooked chicken
  • 32ozchicken broth
  • ½cuphalf & half
  • 14ozdiced tomatoes
  • 14oztomato sauce
  • 14ozpinto beansdrained and rinsed
  • 14ozcorndrained
  • 2, 14ozgreen enchilada sauce
  • 1packet low sodium taco seasoning or 2 tablespoons of homemade seasoning
  • 1pouch microwave long grain riceor 2 cups cooked rice

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients except for rice into a crockpot.

  2. Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.

  3. In the last 30 minutes, cook the rice in the microwave and add to the crockpot.

  4. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Recommended to serve with/garnish on top

Tortilla chips

Sour cream

Shredded cheddar cheese

Squeeze of lime juice

Parsley

Nutrition Facts

Southwestern Chicken Soup Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 416Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 77mg26%

Sodium 1127mg49%

Potassium 1158mg33%

Carbohydrates 45g15%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 14g16%

Protein 38g76%

Vitamin A 1117IU22%

Vitamin C 18mg22%

Calcium 100mg10%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Southwest Chicken Soup Recipe (6)

How to Serve the Southwestern Soup

Here are some delicious “extras” that you can use to garnish the soup with. Any/all of these are good!

  • Tortilla chips
  • Sour cream
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Squeeze of lime juice
  • Parsley
  • Avocado slices
  • Cilantro

Did you make this recipe and enjoy it? Be sure and leave a star rating on the recipe card, and don’t forget to share with your friends on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter (X), or through Email using the sharing buttons below.

Southwest Chicken Soup Recipe (7)

More Soup Recipes

  • Frugal Tomato Soup with Canned Tomatoes
  • Crockpot Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
  • The Best Easy 4 Ingredient Potato Soup Recipe
  • Easy Old Fashioned Vegetable Soup with Ground Beef
  • Homemade Cream of Soup Mix – 9 Ways to Make a Condensed Soup Replacement

Thanks to Hannah for this guest post!

This recipe for Southwest Chicken Soup in the Slow Cooker was originally posted on Little House Living in January 2024.

Southwest Chicken Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Southwest chicken soup made of? ›

Stir chicken broth, black beans, diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, petite diced tomatoes, chicken, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper together in a large pot; bring to a simmer and cook until hot and flavors combine, about 20 minutes.

What is the secret ingredient in soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

How to make can chicken soup better? ›

Here are some ideas to liven up your canned soups and make them taste more like homemade: Sauté some onions and/or garlic: Low and slow is the way to go. Then deglaze the pan (a splash of wine will unstick all those caramelized yummy bits on the bottom of the pan). Stir these yummies into the soup.

How do you add depth of flavor to chicken soup? ›

For a deeply flavorful chicken soup, get some boneless, skinless chicken thighs, season them, brown them in a skillet, then finish them in a 375 F oven. You can refrigerate them until you're ready to make the soup, then simply dice them up and add them to the soup at the very end.

What is the GREY stuff in chicken noodle soup? ›

You turn on the heat, the pot heats up, and it's not long before all that whitish, greyish, or brownish foamy “scum” rises to the top of the pot just as it starts to simmer. What is that stuff, anyway? Broth scum is simply denatured congealed protein. It comes from the meat, not the bones.

What part of chicken makes the best soup? ›

The Best Chicken for Soup

Buy bone-in thighs if you can; the bones make the broth even better. (You can use chicken breasts if you like, though I still suggest using bone-in.)

Why do you put vinegar in chicken soup? ›

Whether it's white wine or vinegar, a touch of acid added to the simmering pot will create a richer finished product. That's because acid helps break down the cartilage and other connective tissues in the bones of the chicken, which helps speed up the formation of gelatin in the stock.

What 2 ingredients are used to thicken the soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Why do you put lemon juice in chicken soup? ›

Lemons are a chicken soup game changer. Why? They brighten up and balance the salty, rich flavors of the dish, and make all of the ingredients come into line. Like a vinaigrette on a salad, the pickle on a burger, and the sour cream in a coffee cake, a squeeze of lemon gives chicken soup a game-changing brightness.

What thickens chicken soup? ›

6 ways to thicken soup:
  1. Blend all or part of it. If you've made a broth with chunks of vegetable in it, such as minestrone soup, then pour the soup through a sieve. ...
  2. Add cream or yogurt. ...
  3. Add flour or cornflour. ...
  4. Use a butter and flour paste. ...
  5. Blend in bread. ...
  6. Add lentils or rice. ...
  7. 5 of the best soup recipes to try next:

Does chicken soup get better the longer you cook it? ›

While broth and stock both get richer and richer the longer you cook them, the problem is that the chicken meat will dry out and get tough if you let it go too long.

Does cooking chicken soup longer make it better? ›

If you find that your homemade or store-bought broth is thin and bland, you can concentrate its flavors by cooking it a little bit longer." Make sure to remove the lid or tilt it slightly to let the steam escape. Reducing your broth to two-thirds of its original volume should result in two times the flavor," she says.

What gives soup the best flavor? ›

Vinegar – A spoonful of vinegar is a quick fix when you find yourself with a bowl of dull, flat-tasting soup. Just a small amount of acid will brighten up the flavors. 2. Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is another item that's ideal for brightening up and adding depth of flavor to an otherwise dull soup.

How do you fix tasteless chicken soup? ›

Herbs add a fresh note to a bland chicken soup. Add a sprig or two and let them steep as the soup simmers for 10 to 30 minutes, or chop the herbs and toss them in for near-immediate color and flavor.

What is the key to flavorful soup? ›

The basic principles of soup-er soups and stew-pendous stews

All soups and stews must have three major components in order to be tasty: an undercurrent liquid, aromatics, and volumizing ingredients.

What is chicken soup made from? ›

Chicken soup is a soup made from chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common additions are pasta, noodles, dumplings, or carrots, and grains such as rice and barley.

What is a spicy Mexican soup made from Tribe? ›

Menudo, also known as Mondongo, pancita ([little] gut or [little] stomach) or mole de panza ("stomach sauce"), is a traditional Mexican soup, made with cow's stomach (tripe) in broth with a red chili pepper base.

What does chicken soup contain? ›

Chicken soup is rich in several nutrients, including:
  • Protein.
  • Vitamins.
  • Minerals.
  • Electrolytes.
  • Collagen.
Jul 7, 2023

How many calories are in Southwest chicken soup? ›

Chilis Southwest Chicken Soup (1 cup) contains 14g total carbs, 13g net carbs, 5g fat, 4g protein, and 110 calories.

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