Mexican Chicken Soup
User Reviews
5
Mexican Chicken Soup
Description
Mexican Chicken Soup starts by sautéing onions, celery, and carrots in olive oil until softened. Garlic and jalapeño add savory depth and gentle heat along with cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika, which provide warm, earthy spices characteristic of Mexican flavors. Adding water, boneless chicken thighs, and fire-roasted diced tomatoes creates a rich base for simmering the chicken to tenderness.
After cooking, the chicken is removed, shredded, and returned to the soup, which is partially pureed with an immersion blender to thicken the broth while leaving texture from vegetables and chicken. This results in a balance of creamy and chunky elements, enhanced by chopped fresh cilantro added at the end, which adds freshness and color. The seasoning is adjusted to taste with salt and pepper to complete the soup’s flavor profile.
This soup can be served as a starter or main dish, offering comforting warmth with a medium level of spice. It pairs well with warm tortillas or a side of rice for a filling meal. The recipe yields multiple servings and is well-suited for batch cooking and reheating.
Chicken breasts can be substituted for thighs if preferred but require careful monitoring to prevent overcooking; remove at 160ºF and allow carryover heat. The recipe’s nutritional information is approximate and reflects serving sizes based on the volume yielded.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 2 celery chopped, ribs
- 3 carrot chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 jalapeño , chopped (seeds removed)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 cups water
- 1.25 lbs chicken thigh boneless
- 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes fire-roasted
- 2 teaspoons salt plus more to taste, sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves freshly chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat, and saute the onion, celery, and carrots until they start to soften, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika, and stir for one more minute.
- Add in the water, chicken, diced tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and cover the pot. It will take roughly 15 to 20 minutes for the chicken to cook through; be sure to check the internal tempature of the chicken with a meat thermometer, to ensure that it reaches 165ºF.
- Use tongs to remove the chicken, and transfer it to a plate. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then shred with 2 forks. (Alternatively, you can just chop it into small pieces, too.) Before you add the chicken back in, stir in the fresh cilantro and use an immersion blender to gently puree the soup to your desired texture.
- Return the shredded chicken to the soup, and adjust the seasoning as needed. I usually end up adding an extra teaspoon of salt, but start with just a 1/2 teaspoon at a time, so you don't end up over-seasoning it. Serve warm right away, with any toppings you love. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Using chicken breasts instead of thighs is possible, but they should be removed at 160ºF as they will continue cooking while resting to reach the safe temperature.
- Nutritional information is an estimate based on the volume of soup served per portion.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 285 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 285kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 17g | 34% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 93mg | 31% |
| Sodium | 1082mg | 45% |
| Potassium | 352mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 5821IU | 116% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 77mg | 8% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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