Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup
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.
Servings: 8
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
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.
Tip for Shredding Chicken in 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 — continue in short bursts until the chicken is shredded to your liking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 910mg | Potassium: 519mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1109IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg