Description
A brothy Southwestern-inspired chicken soup with roasted green chiles, pinto beans, corn, and crisp tortilla toppings.
Servings: 6 generous or 8 smaller
Prep: 20 minutes with prepared chiles
Cook: 35–45 minutes
Total: Approximately 55–65 minutes
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 diced yellow onion
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- Up to 2 cups chopped roasted mild Hatch green chiles; less if hot
- 2 cans pinto beans, 15 ounces each, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn
- 6 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 ounces, lightly drained
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 bay leaf
- Up to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, to taste
Serving Ingredients
- 6 small corn tortillas, sliced into strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 diced avocado
- Lime wedges, plus optional green onions and sour cream
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F. Toss tortilla strips with their tablespoon of oil. Bake in one layer for 8–12 minutes, turning once, until crisp. Cool separately.
- Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a soup pot. Cook onion 4–5 minutes. Add garlic and spices; stir 30 seconds.
- Add chiles, beans, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, black pepper, and some salt. Nestle in chicken.
- Bring just to a boil, then simmer gently, partially covered. Check chicken until each piece reaches 165°F, usually around 20–25 minutes depending on thickness. Remove cooked pieces individually.
- Shred chicken on a clean plate. Add corn to the base and simmer 5–10 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
- Mash a few beans if desired. Return chicken and juices; warm through. Adjust consistency and seasoning.
- Add lime to taste. Ladle into bowls and finish with toppings, adding tortilla strips last.
Storage: Refrigerate promptly and use within 3–4 days. Freeze without toppings for up to 3 months for quality. Reheat to 165°F.
Little tip: Taste the chiles before committing the full amount. Their heat level determines the character of the whole pot more than any other seasoning.