green chili chicken & lime soup

May 14th, 2010

For Cinco de Mayo this year, I had whipped up a batch of this for some friends and family.

And when I say whipped, I mean it.  This huge pot of deliciousness truly came together in just about 10 minutes….which is perfect when I’d much rather be enjoying the gorgeous evening outside on the deck than stuck inside in the kitchen!!!

But let me tell you…this soup rocks. It’s very similar to a traditional tortilla soup, but with an extra fresh burst of lime and green chilies.  And instead of beans, you just toss in a few cups of rice – delish!  And even though there are so few seasoning ingredients, the flavor is absolutely fantastic.  We couldn’t get enough of it!  :)

So if you’re looking for a new soup that’s sure to please, grab some chilies and limes and give this one a go!

Green Chili Chicken & Lime Soup
(Adapted from Picky Palate)

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves fresh or roasted garlic, minced
  • 10 cups chicken broth (2.5 of the 32 oz. cartons)
  • 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes, mild
  • 1 (7 oz.) can diced green chilies
  • 4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts; cooked, shredded and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 2  1/2 cups cooked rice (your choice)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1  1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. chipotle powder (or chile powder)
  • salt + freshly ground black pepper

Optional toppings:

  • 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped (with stems removed)
  • avocados, diced and drizzled with lime juice
  • shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (or other favorite cheese)
  • crushed tortilla chips

Method:

Place oil into a large dutch or pot oven over medium heat.  Saute onion for 5 minutes then add in garlic; cook for 1 minute.  Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, green chilies, chicken breast, rice, lime juice and seasonings.  Cook for 5 minutes; taste and season according to your liking.  Right before serving add chopped cilantro.

Serve soup with fresh diced avocado, shredded cheese and crushed chips if desired.

Ali’s Tip:

Whenever you are cooking chicken breasts, I always love cooking up an extra one (or two) to shred and freeze for future use.  So for a soup like this, you can cut down on prep time by having the chicken ready to go!  :)

Leave a Reply

9 Responses to “green chili chicken & lime soup”

  1. 1
    Ali's Mom says:

    Speaking of cooking chicken breasts ahead of time. When we heat up the outside grill, I throw on a whole bag of chicken breasts. Eat a few that night, then freeze the rest for future cooking – so convenient. I can chop them later for soups, Mexi-foods, chicken salad, etc. The grill flavor makes everything taste better.

    [Reply]

  2. 2
    a-man says:

    Your soup looks hearty and delicious!
    I think it is the right dish for our cold and wet weather here in Germany at the moment.
    Do you think one could use fresh parsley instead of cilantro?

    Cheers!

    [Reply]

  3. 3
    Julia says:

    It is always a good time of year for soup! Especially when it is chicken tortilla (or a variation of it). Love the yellow mini pot pic too!

    [Reply]

  4. 4
    natalie says:

    thank you so much for the inspiration! i made this tonight (with a few modifications… i cannot find certain ingredients here in germany)… it was delicious! and absolutely perfect, given the unseasonably cold weather we are having here. thanks!

    [Reply]

  5. 5
    Karen G says:

    Ali, do you drain the can of rotel and chiles before you add them to the soup? I assume so, but wanted to confirm. Thanks! It looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it!

    [Reply]

  6. 6
    Victoria says:

    I’m making this tonight :) Thanks for the inspiration!

    [Reply]

  7. 7
    Victoria says:

    I just finished eating this! YUM! My dad has bronchitis and this really soothed his throat. I made some alternations as per what I had in my pantry and tailored it a little more to my taste… but i can just go into detail when I post this recipe on my blog!

    Thanks for the recipe, I’m glad I could prepare a good meal for my dad!

    [Reply]

    ali Reply:

    Hey Victoria!

    I loved this soup too – so glad you enjoyed it! Look forward to seeing your post and your alterations to the recipe!

    ~A

    [Reply]

  8. 8
    Nancy says:

    I LOVE this soup! I have made it twice now, and can’t seem to get enough of it. It reminds me a lot of the Green Chili chicken soup at Chili’s. Whenever I have it, I’m tempted to embarrass myself by licking the bowl! I have been using a rotisserie chickn when I make it. It really cuts down on the prep time. Thank you so much for the recipe!

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