Mexican Chicken Soup

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Put leftover chicken to work in this easy Mexican Chicken Soup recipe. It comes together fast, and it’s good for whatever ails you, even if it’s just a case of the Monday blues.

Two bowls of Mexican chicken soup with toppings nearby.


 

Similar to Chicken Tortilla Soup and Caldo de Pollo (Chicken Soup), this is among the most common Mexican soup recipes. But in the USA, it feels like a classic “put your leftover Rotisserie Chicken to work” recipe. Remove the skin and bones, shred the meat, and you’re halfway to dinner. But it’s so easy to make, you’ll wish you had made it sooner!

I like this recipe because it’s light and full of fresh flavors but also very satisfying for the whole family. It’s an easy recipe to double, too. If you don’t have enough shredded chicken for double chicken, you can always stretch it with something else. Pile in black beans or extra veggies like corn, potatoes, or zucchini. Leftover cooked rice, especially Mexican rice, is a nice touch too.

And don’t forget the toppings! Sour cream, cheese, sliced avocado, more cilantro, fresh lime juice, hot sauce, a sprinkle of chili powder, sliced fresh chiles, tortilla strips, it’s all good. And honestly, I love a handful of crisp shredded lettuce on top, too.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Mexican chicken soup.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Chicken: If you don’t have any leftover chicken on hand, learn how to poach chicken breasts (it’ll be ready by the time you need to add the chicken to the soup).
  • Cilantro: If you’re not a fan of cilantro, just leave this out entirely. Maybe sub a pinch of Mexican oregano.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
Vegetables cooking in a skillet.
  1. Stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, tomatoes and juice, jalapeño, cumin, and coriander.
A skillet full of Mexican chicken soup.
  1. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in chicken and cilantro (if using). Season to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). Serve, offering, cheese, sour cream, avocado, and tortilla chips or your favorite toppings.
Two bowls of Mexican chicken soup with toppings nearby.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes 6 hearty servings of about 1 ½ cups of soup per person.
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Freezer: Cool and freeze leftover soup in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Mexican vegetable soup: Follow the recipe as written but leave out the chicken and add way more veggies! Zucchini, cubed potatoes, and corn are a good place to start. Want to make it like they do in Mexico? Add your corn still on the cob! Cut each cob into 3 or 4 chunks and add them to the pot. Or you can buy them in the freezer that size sometimes, too.
  • Albondigas soup (meatball soup): Add turkey meatballs to the soup instead of shredded chicken, it’s absolutely delicious!
  • Taco Soup: Made with ground beef, canned veggies, and taco seasoning, this Tex-Mex favorite is another delicious, hearty meal option.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is caldo de res?

This Mexican beef soup is made with a bone-in beef shank.

What is pozole?

This classic soup is made with chunks of pork or chicken, hominy (dried corn), chiles, and spices. Sometimes, you add a green salsa made with tomatillos and poblano peppers on top.

More authentic Mexican recipes

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One bowl of Mexican chicken soup with toppings nearby.

Mexican Chicken Soup

Put leftover chicken to work in this easy Mexican Chicken Soup recipe. It comes together fast, and it’s good for whatever ails you, even if it’s just a case of the Monday blues.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings (about 1 ½ cups each)
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Calories 156
5 from 212 votes

Ingredients 

For the soup:

For serving:

Instructions 

  • In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, tomatoes and juice, jalapeño, cumin, and coriander.
  • Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in chicken and cilantro (if using). Season to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). Serve, offering, cheese, sour cream, avocado, and tortilla chips or your favorite toppings.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Chicken: If you don’t have any leftover chicken on hand, learn how to poach chicken breasts (it’ll be ready by the time you need to add the chicken to the soup).
  2. Cilantro: If you’re not a fan of cilantro, just leave this out entirely.
  3. Yield: This recipe makes 6 hearty servings of about 1 ½ cups of soup per person.
  4. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 19gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 952mgPotassium: 531mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 5248IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 2mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. EXCELLENT!!! Soo full of flavor! Thank you!

    I changed up 2 things.

    I had several pkgs of cleaned chicken wings in the freezer sooooo…. instead of simmering the base for 20 min (and then adding cooked chicken in the end), I just put raw chicken wings in and upped the simmer time to 30 min.

    I also served it with a splash of Crema Mexicana.5 stars

    1. Hi Felicia! Honestly your way would have the better flavor by a mile, so good for you for cleaning out the freezer and having a better soup in the end! That’s before even adding the cream which would put the whole thing right over the top. YOU’RE HIRED, just kidding but you have a knack for cooking obviously! Have a great week and thank you so much for trying the recipe (and improving it to be honest) and leaving a comment! Take care – Meggan

    2. MEGGAN HILL – Thanks for your kind response. I forgot to mention a third thing I changed up. Didn’t see a way to edit my first response.

      I “bloomed” the Cumin/Coriander spices a little by stirring them into the carrots/onions/celery in step #1.

      I’m alllll for using store bought rotisserie chicken in a pinch. I’m retired now so I have more time to tinker on recipes. I’ve made this soup twice already and we have inhaled it. Next adventure is to toss it all into my slow cooker and see where the flavor lands after 6 hrs on low. I’m the kid (now an old woman) who still likes to play with her food.

      As soon as it warms up a bit, I’ll try smoking the wings for about 30 min, and then adding them. I’ll invite you over… LOL!!5 stars

  2. 2/26/24 Made this for lunch today. Easy and a Great taste. This is my favorite soup at my favorite restaurant. So happy I tried this soup same great taste as the restaurant. Thank you for sharing….. I put small shell noodles with my soup, because the restaurant does the same. Thanks again :) :)5 stars

    1. Hi Lisa, I’m so glad you loved the soup! It’s not the fanciest/most difficult thing out there, but I sure do love it. It tastes so good for such simple ingredients. I love that you used baby shell noodles, that sounds perfect. :) Little conchas no doubt! Thank you for leaving a comment and I hope you have a fantastic week. Take care. -Meggan

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