Southwest chicken soup is a tasty one pot dinner that is easy to throw together on busy nights, and is full of smoky, savory, and tangy flavor.
I love a good hearty soup for dinner. It’s simple to whip up and can simmer on the stove while you take care of other things.
This southwestern inspired soup is quickly becoming another soup on rotation in our home. It is bursting with flavor – from the savory chicken and broth, to the sweet pops of corn and tender black beans. The toppings of fresh avocado, crunchy tortilla chips and creamy sour cream really take it to the next level and make for such a craveable dish!
Pair this meal with freshly baked sourdough cornbread, warm whole wheat tortillas, or a crisp salad with Mexican ranch dressing for a tasty meal you’ll want to make again and again!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Beautiful – This southwestern chicken soup is not only delicious, but also aesthetically beautiful. The toppings make each bowl feel fresh, colorful, and fun. It is a perfect crowd pleasing meal for a dinner party!
Warm and cozy – This is the kind of soup you’ll want to eat all week – warm, comforting, and absolutely delicious.
Nutrient variety – I love serving soup because its a great way to get a variety of nutrients from different ingredients into one satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Chicken broth – I love to use homemade bone broth for even more added nutrition in this dish.
Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are used in this recipe. This is also a great opportunity to use leftover roasted chicken or rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to make this meal even quicker.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Southwest Chicken Soup
Step 1: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic and cook for several minutes until softened and fragrant.
Step 2: Add the chicken broth and chicken breasts. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked.
Step 3: Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks.
Step 4: Stir in the diced tomatoes, oregano, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, green chilies, black beans, and frozen corn.
Step 5: Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to evenly combine everything.
Step 6: Add the cream cheese in small pieces and stir until it fully melts and incorporates into the soup.
Step 7: Squeeze in a few teaspoons of lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lime juice if desired.
Step 8: Serve hot with optional toppings like tortilla chips or strips, avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, or an extra squeeze of lime.
Tips
- The soup tastes even better the next day once the flavors have melded. Reheat gently on the stove.
- Use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken to save time.
- To easily shred the chicken, use a stand mixer. Place warm, cooked chicken breasts in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low for about 20–30 seconds. Stop and check the texture, then continue shredding the chicken in short bursts until it reaches your desired consistency.
Recipe FAQs
Store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Be sure to store toppings in a separate container and them after reheating. You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months.
This dish goes great with classic toppings like avocado, sour cream, fresh limes and tortilla chips. It’s also delicious topped with homemade pickled onions for even more added tang!
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are best for this recipe. However, you can experiment with using boneless chicken thighs for a darker, richer flavor.
More Soup Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup
- The Best Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe
- Easy Cabbage Roll Soup
- Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
- Loaded Potato Soup
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven or large soup pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 3 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4 ounce can of green chilies
- 1 14 ounce can black beans,, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- salt and pepper
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Optional Toppings
- Tortilla chips, optional
- Diced avocado, optional
- Sour cream, optional
- Shredded cheese, optional
- Chopped cilantro, optional
- Lime slices, optional
Instructions
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic and cook for several minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and chicken breasts. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, oregano, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, green chilies, black beans, and frozen corn.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Add the cream cheese in small pieces, stirring until it’s fully melted and incorporated into the soup.
- Squeeze in a few teaspoons of lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lime juice if desired.
- Serve hot with optional toppings like tortilla chips or strips, avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, or an extra squeeze of lime.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
