This Green Chili Chicken Soup is fresh, hearty, and so creamy without being heavy! This easy soup recipe comes together very quickly and will be loved by the whole family.
Ingredients
This simple soup is packed with veggies, lean protein, and so much flavor!
- Butter – unsalted butter is called for in the written recipe, but salted butter will work just fine. Equal parts oil may also be substituted.
- Onion – yellow onion is used in the original recipe, but white or red onion will work as well. Yellow and red onions will yield a sweeter flavor whereas white onion will have more of a “bite” to it.
- Green Bell Pepper – a sweet pepper with a slightly bitter aftertaste that provides flavor, texture, and nutrients to the soup. Other colors may be used if green isn’t available. Red bell peppers are sweet, green bell peppers are slightly bitter, and orange and yellow fall somewhere in between.
- Garlic – adds a great nutty flavor and is packed with good-for-you vitamins and minerals. I always buy jarred minced garlic to save time.
- Spices: Taco Seasoning and Ranch Seasoning – both come in 1 oz packets and are a great, easy way to add tons of flavor! I love store-bought to keep things super simple, but feel free to make homemade taco seasoning and homemade ranch seasoning, if preferred.
- Green Enchilada Sauce – a sauce made with tomatillos, green chilies, onions, and garlic that really makes the green chili flavor shine. This recipe calls for 2 (10 oz) cans, but feel free to make your own, if desired.
- Chicken Broth – provides a rich, flavorful base for our soup. Vegetable broth may be substituted if that’s all you have on hand. Water will work in a pinch, but won’t give a rich, depth of flavor and will likely require more seasonings.
- Cannellini Beans – large, hearty white beans, that hold their shape really well, making them perfect for soups. Black beans, pinto beans, or any variety of white beans will work just fine.
- Green Chiles – 2 (4 oz) cans chopped mild green chiles are called for in the recipe. Like it spicy? Try canned jalapenos instead! Either way, no need to drain the can.
- Corn – provides a subtle sweetness and “pop” of texture. Fresh corn may be used, but you’ll need to simmer it until tender. Frozen corn may also be used; look at the package for cooking instructions.
- Chicken – any simply seasoned plain chicken should work in this recipe. We used a store-bought rotisserie to keep things very simple. Whatever you use, you’ll need 4 cups chopped chicken.
- Cream Cheese and Sour Cream – create a creamy, slightly tangy base for our soup. Be sure to use room temperature ingredients to avoid curdling.
How to make
This one pot wonder couldn’t be quicker or easier to make!
- Melt butter in a large stockpot, then stir in onion, bell pepper, garlic, taco seasoning, and ranch seasoning mix.
- Cook, stirring regularly, until the peppers and onions have softened, then stir in green enchilada sauce and chicken broth, and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in cannellini beans, green chiles, corn, and chicken, then simmer until the chicken has warmed through.
- Remove from the heat and slowly stir in the cream cheese and sour cream until the cream cheese has fully melted.
- Taste and re-season with salt, if necessary, and serve!
what chicken to use
Any simply seasoned leftover cooked and cubed or shredded chicken will work in this recipe. You need about 1 pound or 4 cups cubed chicken. We used 1 store-bought rotisserie chicken (with skin and bones removed) to keep things extra simple.
What are green chiles?
Green chiles refers to any “spicy” green pepper. They can range from mild to hot and are available fresh, canned, or pickled. There are thousands of varieties, but some commons ones are Anaheim, jalapeno, Hatch, poblano, and serrano peppers.
Today’s recipe uses chopped and canned mild green chiles.
Do you drain green chiles?
No. The original recipe uses 2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chiles, undrained. There’s isn’t that much liquid in a can of green chiles and they’re a pain to drain anyway!
How to thicken
If made correctly, this soup is the perfect consistency; not too thin and not too thick. If it’s too soupy for your liking, try these tips:
- Cornstarch slurry. Whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water, then slowly stir that into the simmering soup. Simmer until thickened. Repeat, if necessary.
- Drain off liquid. Simply use a ladle to scoop out some of the excess liquid.
- Stir in shredded cheese. We used pepper-jack (or monterey-jack) as a topping to the soup, but if it’s stirred into the soup, it will help thicken it.
If you have the opposite problem and would like a thinner soup, stir in additional broth, enchilada sauce, or even some cream until the desired consistency has been reached. Taste and re-season, if necessary.
What to serve with green chili chicken soup
After you’ve garnished your soup with lime juice, avocado, crumbled cotija or feta, pepper-jack cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and cilantro, don’t forget to serve it next to bread, salads, and of course, chips and dips!
- Cornbread (also check out my Instant Pot Cornbread and How to Make Jiffy Cornbread Better)
- Easy Mexican Quinoa Salad
- Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Chips with Guacamole, Queso, and/or Pico de Gallo
How to store
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing soups that contain cream cheese and/or sour cream, because the dairy will likely separate and become grainy when thawed.
To reheat, heat either on the stove or in the microwave until warm.
– Jennifer
Green Chili Chicken Soup
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 large green bell pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning
- 1 (1 oz) packet ranch seasoning mix
- 2 (10 oz) cans green enchilada sauce
- 1 (32 oz) carton chicken broth
- 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chiles
- 1 (15 oz) can corn drained
- 4 cups chopped cooked chicken I used 1 rotisserie chicken with skin and bones removed (about 1 pound)
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese cubed and softened to room temperature
- 1 (8 oz) container sour cream room temperature
- Shredded pepper-jack for garnish
- Lime juice for garnish
- Sliced avocado for garnish
- Crumbled feta for garnish
- Tortilla chips for garnish
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large stockpot.
- Once melted, stir in onion, bell pepper, garlic, taco seasoning, and ranch seasoning mix.
- Cook, stirring regularly for 10 minutes, or until the peppers and onions have softened.
- Stir in green enchilada sauce and chicken broth, then bring to a simmer.
- Stir in cannellini beans, green chiles, corn, and chicken, then simmer for 5 minutes, or until the chicken has warmed through.
- Remove from the heat and slowly stir in the cream cheese and sour cream until the cream cheese has fully melted.
- Taste and re-season with salt, if necessary, then serve with your choice of toppings and enjoy!
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Notes
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
Christy
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
Chris
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy