A delicious and healthy Mexican Chicken Soup made all in one pot, in 45 minutes and with a list of humble ingredients. This Mexican chicken tomato soup features a flavorful broth, juicy and tender shredded chicken thighs, and a combination of tomatoes, jalapeños and onion. Finish with salty Cotija and creamy avocado for an easy all-in-one meal.
Easy Mexican Chicken Soup
First and foremost, this Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe is part of my SOUP-er Simple Series! This means it has a short ingredient list, quick cook time, and loads of flavor. One way I keep the ingredient list short it by skipping store-bought stock or broth and employing the soup ingredients to build flavor and infuse a delicious broth.
The first step in building flavor for this Mexican Chicken Soup is browning the chicken thighs. The browning of the skin creates flavor while the drippings are used to cook the onion, jalapeño, garlic and oregano.
I’ve tested this Mexican Chicken Soup recipe using chicken breasts and thighs and I must say, bone-in skin-on chicken thighs are ideal. Chicken thighs stay moist and flavorful throughout the searing and poaching—the same cannot be said for chicken breast.
Mexican Chicken Soup Ingredients
When counting ingredients I do not include salt, pepper and oil. You will need all of those for this Mexican Chicken Soup recipe.
- Chicken thighs, you’ll want to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for the best flavor and texture.
- White onion, you can also use yellow
- Jalapeño, use one large or two small. Feel free to remove the ribs and seeds if you want the soup to be more mild.
- Garlic, fresh is always best!
- Oregano, I recommend using fresh for the best flavor. If you’d rather use dried for convenience you certainly can.
- Canned diced tomatoes, make sure you add the tomatoes and their juices! The juices will add to the broth.
- Cilantro, fresh cilantro adds a ton of flavor and brightness. You’ll need about 1 small bunch of cilantro.
- Optional toppings, avocado, Cotija (salty Mexican cheese), fresh lime.
How to Make Mexican Chicken Soup
The full Mexican Chicken Soup recipe is below, but here’s a quick rundown of what to expect!
- Brown the chicken thighs in a splash of oil. Start skin side down then flip and cook briefly before transferring chicken to a plate to rest.
- Add the onion to reserved chicken drippings in pot, cover and cook until softened.
- Stir in jalapeño, garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant.
- Add water, tomatoes and chicken back to pot; simmer until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken and let rest until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard chicken skin and bones, then shred meat and add back to pot with cilantro.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, then serve with diced avocado, Cotija and fresh lime juice.
How to Make Mexican Chicken Soup in a Slow Cooker
- In a large skillet, brown the chicken thighs in a splash of oil. Start skin side down then flip and cook briefly before transferring chicken to a plate to rest.
- Add the onion to the reserved chicken drippings in the skillet, cover and cook until softened. Then stir in the jalapeño, garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant.
- Transfer the cooked onions mixture and chicken thighs to a slow cooker. Add the water and tomatoes and cook, covered, on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- When ready to serve, remove chicken thighs and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard the skin, then shred the meat. Discard the bones.
- Stir the shredded chicken and cilantro into the soup; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Toppings for Mexican Chicken Soup
- Cotija or crumbled feta
- Diced avocado
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Mexican crema
- Fresh or charred corn
Storage Instructions + Freezing
- Most soups get better with age, and that’s true for this Mexican Chicken Soup recipe as well! Store leftover soup in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- For longer storage, freeze Mexican Chicken Soup for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
- There’s just something about a hunk of Healthy Cornbread with a bowl of soup. And if you need it, we’ve got a Gluten-Free Cornbread too!
- If you’re looking for a dinner roll, try our Sweet Potato Rolls or Kaiser Rolls. Both are the perfect thing to soak up the savory broth with!
- We love a citrus side salad with soup and our Savory Citrus Salad is one that will surprise you! Give it a try and let us know what you think.
Test Kitchen Tips
- For a quicker version, skip the chicken thighs altogether. Cook the onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil and use low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock in place of the water. Simmer the soup just 5 minutes before adding shredded chicken breast or rotisserie chicken to the pot with the cilantro.
- For a smokier version, add 2 or 3 chipotle chiles in adobo to the soup. Mince the chipotles and add them to the pot with the garlic and oregano. You can choose whether or not to add the fresh minced jalapeño. It’s all about spice preference!
- For more veggies, in addition to the onion, use celery and carrots. You could even throw in a can of black beans.
More Easy Chicken Soup Recipes
Mexican-Inspired
Chicken Pozole Verde
Soups, Stews & Chilis
Sopa de Pollo con Fideo
Soups, Stews & Chilis
Healthy Aromatic Chicken Rice Soup
Soups, Stews & Chilis
Quick Curried Chicken Lentil Soup
- Love a classic chicken noodle soup? Try our quick Ground Chicken Noodle Soup—it’s a fun take on the classic dinner!
- We’ve got another Mexican-inspired chicken soup that you’ve gotta try! Our Sopa de Pollo con Fideo is an absolute delight. It’s simple and easy but has quit the depth of flavor. Give it a try and let us know what you think!
- Make use of shredded rotisserie chicken in a quick Curried Chicken Lentil Soup. It’s the epitome of a convenient weeknight meal—but it’s also packin’ tons of flavor!
- There are few things better than homemade pozole. And this Pozole Verde may be one of the best chicken soups you can make. It’s thick and luscious, features tender hominy and tender shredded chicken.
- Need a reset or looking for something to soothe the stomach? Our Healthy Chicken Rice Soup is light, aromatic and the perfect dead-of-winter meal.
Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe
Description
Ingredients
- 4 pound bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1 ½–2 pounds total)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large white onion, diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 large or 2 small jalapeños, minced (½ cup)
- 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 1 heaping tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices
- ¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 avocado diced, optional
- ¾ cup crumbled Cotija or feta cheese, optional
- Lime wedges, optional
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry; season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high until shimmering. Add chicken, skin-side down, and cook until golden brown, 6 minutes, flip and continue to cook until browned on second side, about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, add onions and stir to coat; season with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, until softened and starting to brown, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in jalapeño, garlic and oregano; cover and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Add 4 cups water, scraping up any browned bits. Add tomatoes and their juices and browned chicken to pot. Bring to a boil over high then reduce to a simmer over medium; cook until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to a plate and let cool. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard chicken skin and bones, shred meat and return to pot. Stir in cilantro and season soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve soup with avocado, crumbled Cotija and lime wedges.
Found this recipe on google webstories. the ingredient list was surprisingly simple and the flavor was totally unexpected. outstanding!! and the cotija cheese is a must—a favorite in our house. planning on making this again next week.