I came up with this jalapeno chicken soup a few months ago to use up jalapenos and chicken I had left after making a stir-fried dish, and have made it several times since.
That first time, this little recipe experiment was going to be our dinner, so I defaulted to the foolproof base of sauteed onions, carrots and celery and added some seasonings and water. Then mixed in chicken, jalapenos + a few other veggies I had in the fridge. And finished it off with cilantro and lime juice. SUCCESS!
The result was this delicious, light, chunky soup-meal that turned out to be a totally share-worthy recipe. It's flavorful (not spicy), comes together in one pot and is easy to make. What's not to love!
If you like creamy smooth soups then I recommend you try my cream of jalapeno soup and top it off with some homemade croutons.
Read this before you begin
I know, I know, no one likes to read blocks of text. But this is not fluff. These few pointers are meant to keep your cooking oopsies at bay + give you ingredient swap ideas:
- I prefer chicken thighs because they're juicy, but breasts will work too. Reduce the cooking time a bit as overcooked lean cuts easily get chewy and leathery.
- I consider this soup mild and the jalapeno bits do NOT pack a spice punch in the mouth (seeds and ribs get removed), but if the quantity still worries you, reduce it a bit and offset that reduction with some more bell pepper.
- If you find cilantro's taste soapy, use parsley instead.
- I've also tossed in other veggies, canned beans and/or chickpeas in this soup a few times. So go ahead, forage your fridge and pantry.
- You can replace water and chicken bouillon with store bought or homemade chicken broth. Adjust the quantity of added salt in the soup to prevent over salting.
How to make jalapeno chicken soup
I find this to be a fairly easy-to-follow recipe but I also understand that some people are more visual and need to see the steps to replicate them. So here is the whole process with my photos from the cooking action. The images will also give you an idea of how big I chop/prep my veggies and chicken.
Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat. Then saute celery, onion, carrot in it for 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, stir and cook one more minute. Next, add salt, black pepper, thyme, sugar, vinegar and stir for a minute.
Add chicken bouillon plus water. Turn the heat up and bring the soup to a boil. Add the chicken pieces, let the soup come to a simmer. Then turn the heat down just enough to maintain that simmer. Cook 10 minutes.
Stir in jalapenos, green bell pepper, cabbage and cook 6 to 8 minutes. Prepare slurry by dissolving cornstarch in some cold water. Pour into the simmering soup and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until it thickens.
Turn the heat off, stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Serving ideas for this soup
I like to pair this soup with some warm crusty bread or freshly baked cheddar biscuits. You can also serve a light salad with it.
Oh and top the soup off with tortilla strips/chips if you like nice contrasting textures.
Jalapeno Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 ribs (100 g) celery - finely chopped
- 1 medium (200 g) onion - diced
- 1 medium (100 g) carrot - peeled and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic - fresh, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt - adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon base - or granules/powder
- 4 cups (946 ml) water
- 1 pound (454 g) chicken thighs - boneless, skinless, cut into small bite size pieces (Note A)
- 6 (150 g) jalapenos - seeds removed and chopped (Note B)
- 1 large (100 g) green bell pepper - seeds removed and chopped
- 2 cups (150 g) cabbage - finely shredded
- 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch - for slurry
- 12 sprigs cilantro - stems and all, finely chopped, or sub with parsley
- 2 tablespoons lime juice - fresh
Instructions
- Heat cooking oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add celery, onion, carrot and saute 6 to 8 minutes or until softened.
- Add garlic, stir and cook one more minute.
- Then add salt, black pepper, thyme, sugar, vinegar. Stir for a minute, add chicken bouillon plus water. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil.
- Add the chicken pieces, let the soup come to a simmer. Then turn the heat down just enough to maintain that simmer. Cook 10 minutes.
- Stir in jalapenos, green bell pepper, cabbage and cook 6 to 8 minutes.
- Prepare slurry by dissolving cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water. Pour this into the simmering soup and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until the soup thickens.
- Turn the heat off, mix in chopped cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!
Important Notes
- Note A: Chicken – feel free to sub chicken thighs with breasts. Reduce the cooking time a bit as overcooked breast meat easily gets chewy and leathery.
- Note B: Jalapenos – I consider this soup mild, but if the quantity of jalapenos still worries you, reduce it a bit and increase the amount of bell pepper.
And that's a wrap.
If you make this soup, I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments section below. Did you make any changes? How did those work out? Share everything.
On the life front: all is well, celebrating Samad's birthday this week and waiting for the snow season to end. Here is how Calgary looks right now (in April 😞)
Anyho... stay happy and don't let any muggles get you down.
Nelo
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