Description
This Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Soup is a hearty, flavorful dish packed with tender chicken, black beans, corn, and a blend of aromatic spices. Perfect for a comforting meal, it’s easy to prepare with minimal hands-on time, making it ideal for busy weeknights. Serve with your favorite toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and lime wedges for an authentic Mexican-inspired experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced (brown, white, yellow)
- 1 large red capsicum/bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups (750ml) chicken broth/stock, low sodium
- 800g (28 oz) canned black beans, drained (2 cans) or other beans
- 800g (28 oz) canned corn, drained (2 cans) or 500g (1 lb) frozen or fresh corn
- 800g (28 oz) crushed canned tomato OR 700g tomato passata
- 500g (1 lb) chicken breast
Spices
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Toppings (optional)
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream or yogurt
- Coriander/cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Avocado, diced
- Corn chips or tortillas, for dunking
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the diced onion, capsicum (bell pepper), and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are translucent and fragrant.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Add a splash of chicken broth to the skillet, bring it to a simmer, then pour everything into the slow cooker. (If using an Instant Pot, complete Step 1 and Step 2 using the sauté function.)
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Pour in the remaining chicken broth, and add all the spices, corn, black beans, and crushed tomato or passata. Stir well to combine, then place the chicken breasts into the soup and push them down to ensure they are submerged.
- Slow Cook: Cook on LOW heat in the slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours. Alternatively, use a pressure cooker on high for 25 minutes or simmer on the stovetop for 40 minutes, then proceed as described in the notes.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the chicken breasts onto a plate and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more salt or pepper if needed.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and add your choice of toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges, avocado, or corn chips for extra flavor and texture.
Notes
- Beans: You can substitute black beans with red kidney beans or use 1/2 cup of dried beans if preferred.
- Tomato Passata: Passata is pureed plain tomatoes with a thick, smooth consistency, not like paste or sauce. It is typically found in the pasta section of supermarkets and costs similarly to canned tomatoes.
- Stovetop Method: Simmer the soup on medium-low heat for 40 minutes with chicken. Remove chicken and shred, then simmer the soup for another 20 minutes before returning the shredded chicken to the pot and serving.
- Storage: Cooked soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze soup only, not the toppings.
- Nutrition: Nutritional values are based on one serving (approximately 800g or 3 cups) excluding any toppings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 800g (about 3 cups)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
