This Spicy Chicken Soup is satisfying, with a perfect balance of warmth and flavor. In under 30 minutes, you can enjoy a hearty, delightful soup effortlessly(with simple ingredients).
I love spicy chicken soup on a cold winter day. It warms me from the inside out, and the jalapeno heat adds a flavorful kick.
The best part? You can easily adjust the spice level to suit your taste, just like my spicy butternut squash soup. Plus, it's a freezer-friendly recipe—make a big batch, freeze it, and reheat whenever you need a quick, delicious meal.
Why You'll Love This Recipe?
⭐️Jalapeno's flavors and heat.
⭐️Customizable heat.
⭐️Perfect for Cold Weather.
⭐️Make Ahead and Freezer-friendly!
Ingredients
- Chicken Breast: I've used skinless chicken breasts. Feel free to substitute leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Chicken broth: You can choose either store-bought bone broth or homemade chicken broth.
- Olive Oil: Good to replace with vegetable or canola oil.
- Onion and garlic provide a depth of flavor. Leeks and shallots are equivalent alternatives in this soup. Freshly minced are always the best.
- Jalapeno Pepper and Cayenne Pepper: To make the soup less spicy, remove the seeds and white membrane inside the jalapeno pepper.
- Cayenne Pepper: Adjust the quantity or substitute with paprika to match your heat tolerance.
- Veggies: Red bell pepper, carrots, celery, and corn kernels have a rich sweetness that counterbalances the soup's spiciness.
- Diced Tomatoes: I have used canned diced tomatoes; fresh tomatoes are perfect additions, too.
- Ground cumin: An optional ingredient.
- Fresh Cilantro: You can skip using or substitute with parsley.
How To Make Spicy Chicken Soup?
- Cook the chicken breasts in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned on both sides, then set them aside.
- Sauté onion, garlic, jalapeno, red bell pepper, carrots, and celery in the same pot until soft.
- Stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and boil. Add the chicken breasts back in, reduce heat, and cook for 20 minutes until the chicken is done.
- Shred the chicken, return it to the pot, add corn, and let the soup simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro.
Storage & Reheating
Store the spicy chicken soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Warm over the stovetop on medium heat or microwave in 1-minute intervals to reheat. Adjust the consistency with chicken broth or water.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Instant Pot: Use an instant pot or slow cooker to save time when making this soup.
- Customize the heat: To adjust the heat level in this recipe, adjust the amount of cayenne pepper and paprika.
- Customize the texture: Stir in coconut milk or heavy cream.
- Garnish: Serve this spicy chicken soup with freshly chopped cilantro, green onions, and tortilla chips for added texture and freshness.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat?
This spicy chicken soup has a pleasant heat; it does not taste fiery hot. The jalapeno pepper and spices like chili powder and cumin add moderate heat. However, carrots, corn kernels, and shredded chicken balance the heat.
You can also adjust the heat by adjusting jalapeño and cayenne pepper amounts. For a milder soup, remove jalapeño seeds and reduce the cayenne pepper.
Add extra jalapeños or a pinch of cayenne pepper for the intense heat.
Variations
- Extra spicy: Add more cayenne pepper or swap with habanero or serrano pepper for different flavors.
- Creamy Spicy Chicken Soup: For a creamy, rich texture, stir in a cup of coconut milk or heavy cream just before finishing the cooking.
- Extra protein: To increase the protein content of this spiced chicken soup, stir in a can of black beans, kidney beans, or chickpeas(after draining and rinsing).
- Mexican-Inspired: Stir in lime juice and garnish with avocado slices, lime wedges, and tortilla strips.
FAQ
Pair this spicy chicken soup with a crisp salad, flavorful bread(such as jalapeno garlic bread), or crunchy chips and crackers for a delicious side.
Yes, just add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Just before serving, remove the chicken from the soup, shred it, and toss it back into the soup.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know your thoughts in the 📝 comments section below the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Spicy Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast boneless and skinless
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 8 oz diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper /paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon Salt to taste
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 2 tablespoon Fresh cilantro chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Over medium-high heat, place a large pot. Cook the chicken breasts in it until they're brown on both sides. Then, take the chicken out of the pot and keep it aside.
- Add onion, garlic, jalapeno, red bell pepper, carrots, and celery to the same pot. And saute until they turn soft.
- Now stir in chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Add the cayenne pepper, cumin, and salt. Stir well until all the ingredients combine.
- Then, bring it to a rolling boil.
- Then, add the chicken breasts(that were kept aside) to the pot.
- Turn the heat low, and cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly done.
- Then, take the chicken breasts out of the pot and shred it using forks.
- After that, add the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Add the corn kernels and let the soup simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve the spicy chicken soup hot, garnished with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- Remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeno for a milder version, or reduce the amount of cayenne pepper.
- Refrigerate this soup for about three days and freeze for up to 3 months.
- You can garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, or a dollop of sour cream.
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