Southwestern Chicken Soup
Southwestern Chicken Soup has a slightly spicy, uber-flavorful broth combined with tender chicken, onion, peppers, garlic, lots of spices (cumin, chili powder, coriander), corn and a surprise ingredient – hominy! It’s finished with an Avocado-Cheese garnish that both adds color and ensures this scrumptious soup will satisfy any appetite.
Servings: 4 to 5 servings
Calories: 488kcal
Ingredients
See gluten-free adaptations in the Notes section at the bottom of the recipe.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1/2 large red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 jalapeno 3 inch, or serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves pressed or chopped
- 5 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano preferably Mexican
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 5 cups chicken broth divided
- 25 ounces hominy drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
- Kosher salt to taste
Garnish
- 1 peeled, pitted and chopped avocado
- Grated Cheddar cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Salsa or chopped fresh tomatoes
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper and garlic. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, coriander and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, around 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in 4 cups chicken broth and half of the drained hominy. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for around 20 to 25 minutes.
- Place the remaining 1 cup chicken broth and hominy in a blender and purée. Stir into soup along with corn. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let sit 5 minutes. Season to taste with kosher salt (shouldn't need much).
- Ladle into bowls and serve with garnishes alongside. Warmed corn tortillas make a nice accompaniment, too.
Notes
Gluten free: use gluten-free broth.
Make ahead: Soup can be made up to 2 days in advance, covered and refrigerated. Add garnish just before serving. Can also be frozen. May need additional broth after freezing.
Nutrition
Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1961mg | Potassium: 1005mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1447IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 5mg