Chicken Fajita Soup (Instant Pot & Stovetop)
User Reviews
4.8
Chicken Fajita Soup (Instant Pot & Stovetop)
Description
This soup starts by sautéing diced onions, jalapeños, garlic, and bell peppers to build a flavor base. Diced or fire-roasted tomatoes are added with chicken broth, salt, and fajita or taco seasoning, creating a rich, seasoned broth. Boneless chicken breast or thighs are cooked submerged in the broth until tender, then shredded. Black beans can be stirred in to increase heartiness and protein content.
The soup is finished with fresh lemon juice for acidity and garnished with cilantro. Optional additions like sour cream and scallions enhance creaminess and freshness. The stovetop method involves simmering, while the Instant Pot option uses sauté and pressure cook modes for faster preparation. Adjustments in seasoning cater to personal spice preferences. The soup can also be made vegetarian by omitting chicken and emphasizing beans.
This chicken fajita soup is versatile as a light meal or part of a larger spread, pairing well with tortillas or bread. Adding rice or quinoa can make it more filling. It offers layered flavors from the fajita seasoning blend combined with the freshness of peppers and herbs, creating a well-rounded dish.
Variations include adding cream cheese for a creamy texture or modifying spice levels by adjusting fajita paste and jalapeño quantity. Cooking times vary with chicken piece size. Sautéing tomatoes before simmering develops deeper flavor if using fresh tomatoes. Storage details are undisclosed but standard soup practices apply.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast boneless (can also use thighs)
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil or butter, generic cooking oil
- 1 cup onion finely diced
- 1 jalapeño diced (optional)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/4 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1 1/4 cup green bell pepper chopped
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14 oz (can also use fire-roasted diced tomatoes)
- 2 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning or Taco seasoning (add 1/2-1 tablespoon more to taste)
- 1 can black beans rinsed and drained, about 1.25 cups, skip for low carb
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoon sour cream (optional)
- 1 scallion chopped, or green onion
- 2 tablespoon cilantro leaves
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, jalapeño, and bell peppers, and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, broth, salt, and fajita seasoning. Stir it all up. Place chicken pieces in a single layer and gently press them under the liquid. Bring to a boil.
- Cover with a lid and simmer the soup for 15-20 minutes.
- Take the chicken out and shred it using forks. Then, add the black beans and chicken back to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and stir it in. Garnish with cilantro leaves, and serve. Add toppings of choice.
Instant Pot Method
- Start the pressure cooker in SAUTE mode and heat it. Add oil, onions, garlic, jalapenos, and bell peppers. Stir and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, broth, salt, and fajita seasoning. Stir it all up. Scrape anything stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Place chicken pieces in a single layer and gently press them under the liquid. Press Cancel and close lid with vent in sealing position.
- Set on Pressure Cook mode at high pressure for 12 mins. Do a 10 minute NPR, which means open the instant pot 10 mins after it beeps.
- Remove chicken pieces and shred them. Put the shredded chicken back in pot. Add the black beans. Simmer on Saute mode for 5 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and give it a stir. Garnish with scallions and/or cilantro.
Crockpot Method
- Add all the ingredients except garnishes to the slow cooker. Cover with lid, and cook for 4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low. Take out and shred the chicken with forks. Then transfer it back to the slow cooker. Add the black beans and give a stir. Stir in lemon juice. Garnish and serve the soup.
Optional Toppings
- Add your favorite toppings - tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream or guacamole.
Notes
- Use homemade fajita or taco seasoning if unavailable; a mix of cumin, mild chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper works well.
- Smaller chicken pieces reduce pressure cooking time to about 8 minutes in the Instant Pot.
- Fresh diced tomatoes can replace canned; sauté them 3-4 minutes before adding liquids to deepen flavor.
- Adding black beans along with shredded chicken increases protein and texture; omit for low-carb version.
- To keep it vegetarian, skip chicken and use black beans only; omit sour cream to keep it vegan.
- Adding rice or quinoa before pressure cooking makes it a complete meal; increase broth accordingly.
- For creamier soup, stir in cream cheese at the end while heating gently.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 3Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 318 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 456g | |
| Calories | 318kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 37g | 74% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 0.02g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 103mg | 34% |
| Sodium | 1950mg | 81% |
| Potassium | 1220mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 2596IU | 52% |
| Vitamin C | 158mg | 176% |
| Calcium | 96mg | 10% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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