A flavorful blend of spices adds big flavor to this Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup. Make use of pantry staples to create this easy, super satisfying meal.
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I’m writing this post today from our couch, surrounded by windows with a view out to our backyard. Every now and then I glance up to see the trees blowing in the wind and rain. This is the perfect day to be writing about this cozy Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup.
I honestly can’t imagine a better or more delicious way to warm up on a day like today. This is a quick and easy recipe that utilizes fully cooked chicken and will be on your table in just over 30 minutes. Get it on your list to try the next time you pick up a rotisserie chicken or have leftover cooked chicken or turkey in your fridge.
Table of contents
Ingredients
- You’ll need 2 cups of fully-cooked chicken for this recipe. A store-bought rotisserie chicken works perfectly. It’s also a great choice for making use of leftover holiday turkey.
- Black beans and white beans add flavor, fiber, and nutrition. Look for canned navy beans which are typically labelled “small white beans”. Cannellini and great northern beans are a bit larger than navy beans and will also work.
- Cream cheese balances out the acid in the tomatoes and is behind the creamy nature of the thickened soup base. I always use Neufchatel which has a third of the fat of regular cream cheese.
How to Make Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the garlic for another minute, until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook, stirring for another minute or two. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring as you add it until smooth and just slightly thickened.
- Add the undrained diced tomatoes, beans, chicken, and all the seasonings. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese and stir until completely melted and the soup is smooth. Add the frozen corn and stir in the juice from the lime. Taste and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
Serving Suggestions
This soup is just calling out for toppings like grated cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and crunchy corn chips. We love it with Fritos but tortilla chips are also a great choice. A drizzle of hot sauce is a nice finishing touch for those that like a little heat.
With a double dose of protein from chicken and beans, this soup is hearty enough to be a meal in itself. It’s also perfect to serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Chicken Fajita Quesadillas, or Baked Chicken Taquitos.
Storing Soups with Cream Cheese
I don’t recommend freezing soups that contain cream cheese. Dairy has a tendency to separate when the soup is thawed and can result in a somewhat grainy texture. For that reason I recommend refrigeration.
- Store leftovers in airtight container in the refrigerator. The soup will be best if consumed within 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
If you like this Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup, you’re going to love these other easy, comforting soups!
- Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
- Stovetop Taco Soup
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker Hamburger Minestrone
- Check out my entire collection of Soups, Stews, and Chilis
Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 1 cup diced sweet yellow onion
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 14 ounces canned fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 14 ounces canned small white beans (navy beans), rinsed and drained
- 14 ounces canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chopped fully cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken works great
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 4 ounces cream cheese (⅓ less fat or regular), softened and cut into small pieces
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 lime, juiced
Optional Toppings
- cilantro
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- hot sauce
- crushed corn or tortilla chips, we love this with Fritos
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over MEDIUM heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook, stirring for another minute or two. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring as you add it until smooth and just slightly thickened. Add the diced tomatoes (with juice), beans, chicken, and all the seasonings. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add the pieces of cream cheese. Stir until completely melted and the soup is smooth. Add the frozen corn and cook, uncovered, for 2 or 3 minutes. Squeeze in the juice from the lime and remove from the heat. Taste and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
- Spoon into bowls and add the toppings of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
Delicious!
Our family eats a lot of soup, and I’ve tried several similar to this that were good, but not great. This one is great! I wish you much success in the future!
Thank you, Bonnie! 🙂
This is a really good recipe. I unfortunately underestimated how much rotisserie chicken I had… I only had half the amount for a double batch. I’ll definitely be making this again!
This is the best I tasted so far….I like chicken soup with pizazz…not plain Jane stuff….
I made this sans the cream cheese and it was delicious. I also had some extra canned green chiles and added that in there.
This recipe is so easy to make and delicious!!
Can’t wait to try this! Could heavy cream be substituted for the cream cheese? I try to use what I have on hand.
Sure! It will be slightly less rich but still delicious.
this recipe was soooo soul-satisfying! i’d be happy just with that thick, rich base on its own. i added some sundried tomatoes for that extra brightness and texture. will become a staple in my rotation!
Oh, yummy! Sundried tomatoes are so flavorful. Thanks, Harrilyn!
Add more broth and a little sugar.
I had some leftover Thanksgiving turkey lounging in my freezer and decided this looked like the perfect recipe for it. I had no peppers on hand, and had to substitute a lemon for the lime. This recipe was still 5 stars, and SO delicious! I love how easy it was to prep and make it. It is going in our meal rotation, for sure!