This was (and still is) one of my favorite soups my mom would make growing up. During our Pacific NorthWest Winters, I’d leave for school before the sun came up, and because of sports, often come home after the sun had already come back down. If there was one thing to put some life back in my tired step despite the forever dark Washington Winter, it was this soup paired with about 8 home made rolls. (The only person I’ve ever met to out-eat me in a bread eating competition is my husband, Justin. He once ate 14 breadsticks at Olive Garden. He’s my hero.)

But with all nostalgia aside: This soup rocks. You can serve it on it’s own or pair it with some mouthwatering home made rolls,  or some crushed up tortilla chips and call it chicken taco soup. I don’t care what you call it or what you eat it with – just get this soup in your belly. STAT.

My mom traditionally mixes sour cream into the entire pot – but some people don’t like sour cream as much as others… cough. So I left it out of this recipe. But feel free to add a dollop to tame the heat of the dish. It’s not overly spicy, but it does have a little kick without some added dairy.

Also check out the meal prep instructions if you want to make this soup ahead of time. And if you’re low on cash and want to make the meal stretch, try serving the soup over some rice or a baked potato. But be forewarned that this recipe feeds a lot of people; approximately 8 large bowls worth. So make it for the family or be ready to have some left overs.

Print Recipe

Spicy Chicken Soup

Servings

cups

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil $0.08
• 1 medium yellow onion $0.36
• 1 tbsp minced garlic $0.06
• 5 Chicken breasts (about 2.5-3 lbs) $5.98
• 4.5-5 cups water (just enough to cover the chicken) free(ish)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper $0.05
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder $0.05
• 1 tsp onion powder $0.13
• 2 tbsp dried parsley $0.52
• 5 tsp chicken bouillon $0.15
• 1 16 oz jar chunky salsa $1.78
• 2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes, unsalted $0.96
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce $0.48
• 1 15 oz can of corn, unsalted, drained $0.75
• 2 15 oz cans of kidney beans, low sodium, drained and rinsed $1.34
• 2 tbsp chili powder $0.40
• Sour cream (optional) For serving

Servings cups Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil $0.08 1 medium yellow onion $0.36 1 tbsp minced garlic $0.06 5 Chicken breasts (about 2.5-3 lbs) $5.98 4.5-5 cups water (just enough to cover the chicken) free(ish) 1 tsp ground black pepper $0.05 1/2 tsp garlic powder $0.05 1 tsp onion powder $0.13 2 tbsp dried parsley $0.52 5 tsp chicken bouillon $0.15 1 16 oz jar chunky salsa $1.78 2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes, unsalted $0.96 1 15 oz can tomato sauce $0.48 1 15 oz can of corn, unsalted, drained $0.75 2 15 oz cans of kidney beans, low sodium, drained and rinsed $1.34 2 tbsp chili powder $0.40 Sour cream (optional) For serving

Instructions

To Serve Immediately:

1. In a large stock pot, heat up the olive oil on medium heat and sauté the chopped up onion and garlic.
2. Once the onions are soft, add the chicken to the pot (fresh or frozen) and immediately cover with water. (Don't drown the chicken. It's okay if the tops are sticking out of the water, they'll shrink as they cook.)
3. Add in the pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and chicken bouillon. Then bring the water to a boil, cover the pot, and lower the heat to a rapid simmer. Allow the chicken to simmer this way, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked all the way through. This should take about 30-40 minutes, give or take, if your chicken is frozen. To be safe, make sure the internal temperature of your chicken is at least at 165 degrees.
4. Remove the chicken from the broth once it's cooked, shred it, and add it back into the broth.
5. Add all of the remaining ingredients. Be sure to drain the corn and drain and rinse the beans.
6. You can serve this once all the ingredients are heated through, however, it tastes better if the flavors get a chance to meld. I usually let it simmer for at least 30 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

To Freeze for Later:

1. Label a gallon sized freezer bag: Spicy Chicken Soup Thaw bag place 5 chicken breasts in slow cooker Add 4 cups water Add contents of bag Cook on Low: 8 hours Cook on High: 5 hours Shred Chicken and serve
2. In the gallon sized bag, combine all of the ingredients except for the water and the chicken breasts. It will all fit, trust me! One gallon is 16 cups and the ingredients you're combining make 14.5-15 cups.
3. Seal up the bag and lay it flat in your freezer to save space, then when you're ready to use it, just thaw out the bag enough to break the contents into pieces that will fit in a crockpot and throw them in with the chicken and water. Go to work and come home to the sweet smell of dinner that's made and ready to eat.

Recipe Notes

This recipe makes approximately 17 cups of soup

Total Cost: $13.09

Cost Per cup: $0.77

Cost per large bowl (2.5 cups): $1.64

Nutrition information per cup of soup:

Calories: 162

Carbs: 19.6 grams

Protein: 13.6 grams

Fat: 2.5 grams

Sodium: 552.4 mg

Sugar: 5.3 g

Fiber: 7.7 g

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