Southwest Chicken Soup Recipe (2024)

One pot, hearty comfort! This Southwest chicken soup is made to be simmered low and slow in the crockpot and is packed with zesty flavor from chiles, cumin, corn, and beans. Simply toss in ingredients, then let the slow cooker work its magic, transforming pantry staples into supper.

Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup

Thanks to Hannah for this guest recipe post!

There’s nothing quite like coming home to the delicious aroma of a hearty soup simmering away in the slow cooker. This Southwest chicken soup captures the easy comfort of simple one-pot meals, with the added bonus of bold Tex-Mex flavor from spicy chiles, earthy cumin, sweet corn, and tender beans.

Simply toss the basic ingredients of chicken, tomato, veggies, and Southwestern spices into your slow cooker in the morning. As the soup gently bubbles away all day, the flavors meld into a creamy, slightly spicy broth that perfectly coats the chicken and rice. Finally, ladle this vibrant soup packed with protein, veggies, and fiber into bowls and garnish with avocado, cheese, or crunchy tortilla chips for a satisfying and soul-warming meal ready with minimal hands-on time.

Ingredients in Southwestern Chicken Soup

• Shredded rotisserie chicken. You can use any cooked, shredded chicken that you have on hand.
• Chicken broth. Use store-bought, or you can also use homemade chicken broth. Whatever you have!
• Half & half. This makes the soup nice and creamy. For a dairy-free version, you can leave it out, or you can add coconut cream or milk instead.
• Diced tomatoes. Use canned from the store or home canned tomatoes if you have them. Plain diced tomatoes are fine, or you can add the ones with added green chiles if you want an extra kick.
• Tomato sauce. This should just be plain tomato sauce to give the soup more of a smooth tomato texture.
• Pinto beans. Use a can from the store or your home canned Pinto Beans.
• Corn. You can use canned or frozen corn.
• Green enchilada sauce. I use cans from the store, but if you have a good recipe, you can use homemade enchilada sauce too.
• Taco seasoning. Again, you can use a pack from the store or sub with your own Homemade Taco Seasoning.
• Long Grain Rice. This can be pre-cooked from the store, or if you have any cooked leftover rice, that will also work.
• Optional: Black beans, garlic, onion, and peppers (like bell pepper or jalapeno) can all add new and different flavors to this soup!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Southwest Chicken Soup in the Slow Cooker

1. Add all ingredients except for rice into a crockpot.
2. Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
3. In the last 30 minutes, cook the rice in the microwave and add to the crockpot.
4. Enjoy!

To make this recipe on the stove-top, just add all the ingredients together into a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Simmer until completely heated through. Simmering a little longer will help the flavors develop.

How to Serve the Southwestern Soup

Here are some delicious “extras” that you can use to garnish the soup with. Any/all of these are good!

• Tortilla chips
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Squeeze of lime juice
• Parsley
• Avocado slices
• Cilantro

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• Crockpot Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
• The Best Easy 4 Ingredient Potato Soup Recipe
• Easy Old Fashioned Vegetable Soup with Ground Beef
• Homemade Cream of Soup Mix – 9 Ways to Make a Condensed Soup Replacement

Thanks to Hannah for this guest post!

This recipe for Southwest Chicken Soup in the Slow Cooker was originally posted on Little House Living in January 2024.