Loved a recipe? Have a question? Please share a comment. 🙂
This spicy chicken soup is absolutely packed with flavor! Tender chicken thigh meat and pinto beans are cooked in a zesty broth made with salsa verde and green chilis, then served with creamy avocado and squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Why You’ll Love This Spicy Chicken Soup
- Easy. Just brown the chicken, saute your veggies, then add everything else to the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, shred the chicken and finish the soup. Easy-peasy.
- So flavorful! Tender chicken and hearty beans in a spicy broth seasoned with cumin? Yes please. The salsa verde and green chilis add the perfect amount of kick.
- Makes plenty of servings. This recipe makes 8 big bowls of soup. Plenty for a family or meal prepping for the week.
- Reheats & freezes well. I love making a big batch of this soup and then eating for lunch throughout the week. This is the kind of meal that makes you feel excited about lunchtime!
How spicy is this soup? Usually when I call something “spicy” folks ask: How spicy is spicy? For this soup, by spicy I mean it has a bit of heat from the salsa and chilis. But it’s not burn your mouth and drink a glass of milk spicy. It’s basically a delicious chicken soup with kick. 😋
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make this spicy chicken soup recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list with ingredient amounts.
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You can also use chicken breasts.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin. Fresh cilantro for serving (optional).
- Veggies: Yellow onion, garlic and canned green chilis. I like the 4-oz cans of chilis by Hatch.
- Beans: I used canned pinto beans, but black beans also work.
- Tomatillo salsa: I recommend Late July’s Salsa Verde.
- Chicken stock: Veggie broth also works.
How to Make Chili Verde Chicken Soup
Are you ready to make a hearty chicken soup with a bit of spice? Here’s a quick look at how to do it. Don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card for printable step-by-step instructions.
- Brown the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Cook the onion and garlic. In the same pot, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Make it soup. Return the chicken to the pot and stir in the diced green chilis, pinto beans, salsa, chicken stock and cumin. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
- Shred the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it. Return it to the soup.
- Simmer. Allow the soup to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Season. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with fresh cilantro, if desired. I also like to add slices of fresh avocado and a squeeze of lime juice.
Storing and Reheating Extras
- Fridge: Cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Ladle cooled soup into airtight, freezer safe containers, leaving at least 1-inch of space to allow the soup to expand as it freezes. I recommend freezing single servings.
- To reheat: Spoon your desired amount into a microwave safe bowl and zap until warmed through. This usually takes about 1 min 30 seconds – 2 minutes for single servings. Or, add your soup to an appropriately sized pot and warm on the stove over medium-low heat until it reaches your desired temperature.
More Soup Recipes
Chili Verde Chicken Soup
This spicy chicken soup recipe has the perfect amount of heat and is so easy to make. Tender chicken thighs are cooked in a zesty broth flavored with spices, salsa verde and green chilis.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces diced green chilis, I used two Hatch 4-oz cans
- 30 ounces pinto beans, from 2 15-oz cans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups mild tomatillo salsa, I used Late July salsa verde
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, optional
- Sliced avocado, for serving, optional
- Lime wedges, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Brown the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Saute the veggies. To the same pot, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Make it soup. Return the chicken to the pot and stir in the diced green chilis, pinto beans, salsa, chicken stock and cumin. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
- Shred the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it. Return it to the soup.
- Simmer. Allow the soup to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Season. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with fresh cilantro, if desired.
Last Step: Please share a rating and comment if you enjoyed this recipe! Your feedback helps this little blog thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.
Nutrition
Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1291mg | Potassium: 1042mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 486IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Did you make this recipe?💖 I love hearing how my recipes came out for others! If you tried this recipe, please share a comment. 💖
Made this for my lunches this week and it has been the highlight of every day. The chicken is so tender on the broth is so flavorful. I’m really looking forward to lunch every day. Thanks for the great recipe!
You’re welcome! Happy to hear you are enjoying the recipe. 🙂