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    Green Chicken Chili Soup

    September 5, 2024

    This versatile green chicken chili soup recipe can be made ahead as a freezer meal, made just a few hours ahead in a Crock-Pot, or cooked right away on the stove top.

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    Green chicken chili verde soup in a bowl with avocado, lime and cilantro

    More Mexican-Inspired Soups

    A Healthy, Easy Green Chicken Chili Soup Recipe

    Salsa verde (store-bought or homemade salsa verde, whatever works for you!), canned white beans, and—one of our favorite flavor-giving ingredients—canned green chilis make this easy chicken chili verde soup a total breeze. Brimming with New Mexican flavors, this chili verde soup recipe is not just healthy and delicious, it’s also forgiving. Serve it with Elote (Mexican Street Corn) or a Corn Salad to make a fully rounded-out meal. For another tasty version of this easy chicken chili recipe, check out our White Bean Chicken Chili, or if you’re in the mood for something just a bit heartier than a soup, Green Chicken Enchiladas might hit the spot.

    Ingredients laid out for Green Chicken Chili Soup with chicken stock, onions, green bell peppers, salsa, garlic and beans

    Ingredients For The Best Homemade Chicken Chili Verde Soup

    • Olive oil

    • Onion & garlic

    • Chicken stock.

    • White beans. You can use most any kind of white bean that you have on hand or like best. Great Northern, cannellini beans, or navy beans, will all work great.

    • Salsa verde. Jarred salsa verde is fine here, but definitely use homemade salsa verde, if you’ve got it.

    • Can of green chilis. Mild, with a hint of sweetness and smoke, canned green chilis make everything better.

    • Bell peppers. Green, of course. It is chicken verde soup, after all.

    • Jalapeño. We love a little kick, but for this green chicken chili soup we choose to seed the jalapeño to cut down on the spice and make sure this soup is family-friendly. That said, if you like it hot, leave the seeds in.

    • Chicken breast

    • Spices! Cumin & chili powder add even more oopmh

    • Lime

    Green Chicken Chili Soup in a stockpot getting ready to be simmered
    cooked Green Chicken Chili Soup being stirred with a wooden spoon in a stock pot
    a pot of homemade Green Chicken Chili Soup topped with avocado and cilantro
    a bowl of homemade green chicken chili soup topped with avocado, cilantro and lime wedges

    How To Make Chicken And Green Chili Soup

    1. Slice and dice. If you’re going to seed the jalapeños, a really sharp paring knife is handy.

    2. Decide if you want to cook this easy chicken chili verde soup in a slow cooker (which will take 4 - 8 hours, depending on which setting you use) or on the stove top (which takes about 40 minutes, start to finish).

    3. Begin the soup by cooking the onion, garlic, bell peppers and jalapeños in olive oil in a large stock pot.

    4. Next comes the chicken stock, white beans, salsa verde, green chilis, chicken, cumin, chili powder and salt. If you’re cooking your chicken chili soup on the stove top, you’ll add those ingredients directly to the pot. If you’re making the Crock Pot green chili soup, you’ll transfer everything to the Crock-Pot now.

    5. Cook the soup! On the stove top, you’ll simmer everything together for about 30 minutes. In a Crock Pot, you’ll “set it and forget it,” now until dinner time.

    6. Ladle the gorgeous finished soup into bowls, and dig in. Corn Salad makes a healthy side dish to serve with this chicken soup, or you could throw caution to the wind and serve it alongside another New Mexican staple: Rotel Dip or even Queso Dip. And don’t forget the Homemade Tortilla Chips while you’re at it.

    chicken, chicken stock, onions, green bell peppers, salsa, garlic and beans in a bowl to make green chicken chili soup
    Ingredients in a freezer bag for Green Chicken Chili Soup with chicken stock, onions, bell peppers salsa, garlic and beans
    frozen green chicken chili soup in a crockpot
    Green Chicken Chili Soup in a slow cooker made with stock, onions, green bell peppers, salsa, garlic & beans

    How To Store Green Chili Chicken Soup + Tips

    1. How to freeze green chicken chili soup: Cool the soup completely, and add it to a freezer ziplock bag or freezer-safe, airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to use, thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot over medium heat on the stove or in a crockpot on high for 4 hours.

    2. If you freeze this soup, buy freezer bags, not just regular zip-top bags. Not all one-gallon zip-top bags (like Ziploc) are meant for freezing. Just check the label and be sure you’re buying freezer bags, which are thicker than regular and made to withstand months in the freezer.

    3. Label label label! Use a sharpie to label any leftover soup that you freeze with the date you made them, and the name of the recipe.

    Green chicken chili verde soup in a bowl with avocado, lime and cilantro

    Celebrate Salsa Verde With More Easy Recipes

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    Green Chicken Chili Soup

    Updated on September 5, 2024

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  36 min
    • Calories:  244
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    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 small yellow onion, diced
    • 1 green bell pepper, diced
    • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • 3 cups chicken stock
    • 1 (14 ounce) can white beans such as navy beans cannellini beans or “great northern”, drained and rinsed
    • 2 cups salsa verde homemade or store bought
    • 1 (4 ounce) can green chilis
    • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, 2-inch cubed
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
    • Diced avocado, for serving
    • Minced cilantro, for serving

    Method

    1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 more minute.

    2. Stir in 3 cups chicken stock, white beans, salsa verde, green chilis, chicken, cumin, chili powder and salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

    3. Stir in lime juice. Divide the soup between bowls and serve topped with avocado and cilantro.

    Slow-Cooker Method

    1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 more minute.

    2. Transfer the onion mixture to a slow-cooker. Stir in the chicken stock, white beans, salsa verde, green chilis, chicken, cumin, chili powder and salt. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

    3. Stir in lime juice. Divide the soup between bowls and serve topped with avocado and cilantro.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 244
    • Protein 38 g
    • Carbohydrates 14 g
    • Total Fat 7 g
    • Dietary Fiber 2 g
    • Cholesterol 66 mg
    • sodium 1008 mg
    • Total Sugars 6 g

    Green Chicken Chili Soup

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Olivia

      This says freezer meal but doesn’t actually have freezer instructions? Other than photos? Assuming you just mix together all the ingredients, freeze and cook, but unsure on specifics because I don’t see them written out

      The instructions are right under step 3 "Note: To make ahead, (reduce the chicken stock to use only 2 cups) cool the soup and add it to a freezer ziplock bag or airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to use, thaw out and reheat in a pot over medium heat on the stove or in a crockpot on high for 4 hours." Hope you enjoy Olivia!

    • Riah

      What’s a good side for this dish?

      Our Tex Mex Salad would be delicious or homemade corn bread. Hope you enjoy Riah!

    • Can I make this green chicken in a Dutch oven?

      Yes, hope you enjoy!

    • Carol

      Can I use ground chicken in this?

      sure!

    • Mariano

      How big is your serving size?

      We don't have yield yet for most recipes, we are working on getting that added in the future. But this soup serves 6 people. Hope you enjoy Mariano!

    • Dawn

      Sounds amazing...going to try

      Hope you love it!

    • Angela

      Made this last night and we really loved it. I didn't have the green chilis but the salsa verde I used had some heat to it so we didn't need it. I added an extra can of beans to make a bit more chunkier. Overall we loved it!

      Thanks Angela, so happy you loved it!

    • Alana

      I made this in the instant pot for ~25min. It was so delicious but only made ~4 servings, I think it may have been very dense. Next time I'll use 3 cups of chicken stock instead of 1 and I'm thinking that'll fix the issue.
      Served with corn bread where I mixed frozen corn kernels into the batter, highly recommend.

      Thanks Alana, we are so glad you loved it!

    • Sarah

      My families favorite soup. I use 1 rotisserie chicken and double up on the broth/ stock, I also add the salsa Verde directly to the pot.

      Thanks Sarah, we are so glad you loved it!

    • LS

      Amazeballs. Even my picky daughter liked it. I have shared it already with several friends. Thank you for this tasty, delicious recipe.

      HAHA! You're so welcome, we are so happy you love it!