Mexican Chicken Soup

This tasty Mexican Chicken Soup is bursting with flavor from roasted chicken, veggies, and tomatoes in a tasty broth seasoned with cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and cilantro. For ease this recipe takes full advantage of already prepared roasted rotisserie chicken however any cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs can be substituted. Enjoy this soup anytime of the year. Take full advantage of fresh garden vegetables in the summer. Or substitute a few canned ingredients in the winter and enjoy the hearty warmth.

How to make Mexican Chicken Soup

Start by heating a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until the onions and celery are soft stirring several times. Then reduce the heat to low and add the jalapeno, garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, and cayenne pepper cooking for 1-2 minutes while stirring.

Now stir in the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, corn, and brown sugar. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook until the carrots are tender. Stir in the cilantro and shredded chicken heating for just a couple of minutes.

Mexican Chicken Soup helpful tips

• For optimal taste if you have fresh summer corn or tomatoes by all means use them.
• This soup is mildly spicy. If more heat is desired add more minced jalapeno and cayenne pepper.
• Any cooked shredded chicken works well with this recipe. I just find the rotisserie chicken available almost anywhere quite convenient and tasty.
• You don’t have to add the brown sugar but it helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes.
• Garnish each bowl with chopped cilantro, sour cream, avocado, cheddar cheese, lime wedges, or tortilla chips
• For an even heartier meal serve this soup over cooked rice.  
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at a reduced power or on the stovetop on low.
• This soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in on the stovetop or in the microwave at a reduced power. See more below about freezing soup.

How to freeze tomato soup

Most soups without cream in them freezer very well and this tomato soup is no exception to that rule. However if your tomato soup has dairy in it than it would be best to wait until the you reheat the soup to add the dairy.

• Start by cooling the soup.  For a quick and immediate (especially for soups with pasta) cool down, place the pot in an ice bath and stir to cool. Do not submerge it or allow any of the ice water into the soup pot.
• Ladle the cooled soup into quart or gallon sized heavy duty freezer zipper bags.  Mark the bags with the date and the contents.  Keep in mind that liquids expand when frozen so leave about an inch at the top of the bag for expansion. On the other hand you don’t want it to get freezer burnt so remove any excess air.
• Lay the soup bags down in a single layer on rimmed baking sheets and place in the freezer.  Once fully frozen stack the bags up on their side in the freezer to save on space.
• Thaw in the fridge overnight.  Reheat on the stove-top on low or in the microwave at 60% power so as not to overcook any ingredients before it is hot.

More soup recipes to try!

Mexican Chicken Soup

This quick and easy Mexican Chicken Soup is bursting with flavor from onions, carrots, celery, jalapenos, and tomatoes all in a tomato based broth seasoned with cumin, paprika, cayenne, and fresh cilantro. 

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 339kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 3 carrots peeled and chopped
• 2 ribs celery chopped
• 1 jalapeno minced vein and seeds removed
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 15 ounces fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 15 ounce can corn drained
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 1 rotisserie chicken shredded about 3 cups
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until the onions and celery are soft stirring several times.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the jalapeno, garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, and cayenne pepper cooking for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly.  
• Stir in the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, corn, and brown sugar. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer and cook until the carrots are tender.
• Stir in the cilantro and shredded chicken.  Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Stir to warm for a couple of minutes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 339kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 655mg | Potassium: 612mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5873IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 3mg

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