Mexican-Style Shredded Chicken Soup

Written by
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
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John Mitzewich
Updated 09/01/19
Mexican-Style Shredded Chicken Soup
James Baigrie/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
272 Calories
14g Fat
8g Carbs
28g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 272
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 78mg 26%
Sodium 337mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Protein 28g
Calcium 51mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This easy and brightly flavored chicken soup recipe is inspired by the classic Mexican tortilla soup. You can make this chicken soup as mild or wild as you want by simply adjusting the number of hot peppers. Garnish with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream for a hearty meal, or eat as-is for a light and tasty treat.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup celery (chopped)
  • 1 cup carrots (chopped)
  • 4 large cloves garlic (minced)
  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 14 ounces whole tomatoes in puree (crushed)
  • 2 jalapeno peppers (seeded and minced)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • Optional Garnishes: sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes or until the onions start to turn golden. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

  3. Add the chicken breasts, chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and the cilantro, if using.

  4. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and cook at a low simmer.

  5. After 15 minutes, remove the chicken breasts from the soup with tongs and allow to cool on a plate. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and add back to the soup. Continue simmering the soup until the vegetables are tender.

  6. Serve soup hot garnished with optional toppings.

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