Green Chili Chicken Soup

Green chili chicken soup is a 20-minute meal using leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. This flavor-packed soup is made on the stovetop with plenty of green chilies and salsa Verde along with white beans. This is a one-pot soup recipe your family will love. 

Similar to a southwest chicken chili, our green chicken chili has a savory flavor that is enhanced with the addition of lime juice and cilantro. If you haven’t tried your hand at a chili soup recipe, now is the time! This easy soup is becoming a favorite not only because it’s super easy to make, but because the fresh flavors simply shine.

If you live in a cold-weather state like we do, chili is a staple. It is a necessary meal that shows up very, very often. We have chili not only for dinner, but for game nights, family gatherings, and holiday get-togethers.

You can find our favorite Beef Chili Recipe here, and if you’re open to trying our Pumpkin Chili Recipe (it’s made in the crockpot!), you won’t be disappointed. We are quickly falling for this chili chicken recipe and think you will too! 

This recipe uses a store-bought seasoning packet but our homemade taco seasoning recipe that is amazing can be incorporated instead.

Let’s get started! Gather the equipment and ingredients then follow the written instructions or printable recipe card. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth ✅
• 4 cups cooked chicken, diced ✅
• (2) 15.5 ounce cans great northern beans, drained ✅
• (2) 4 ounce cans diced green chilies ✅
• 1/2 cup salsa verde ✅
• 1 packet gluten-free taco seasoning
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which one’s don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.

How To Make

In a large stockpot add the chicken broth, chicken, great northern beans, green chilies, salsa Verde, add taco seasoning. Stir.

Cook

Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

Serve

Blend in the cilantro and freshly squeezed lime juice. Garnish with lime wedges and avocado slices if desired.

Substitutions

• Choose any white bean – we love great northern beans, but any other white bean will work as a substitute.
• Add an extra can of beans for a thicker soup.
• Adjust the thickness of the chili with more or less chicken broth.
• Choose to make your own taco seasoning or use storebought. Our homemade recipe is super easy and can be stored in bulk for future recipes.
• Make vegetarian by adding an extra 2 cans of beans, omitting the chicken and swapping the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
• Use a rotisserie chicken and skip the step of cooking the chicken
• Use chicken breasts rather than chicken thighs
• Use canned chicken 
• Use 3-4 cans of great northern beans for a thicker soup
• Use fajita seasoning rather than taco seasoning
• Stir 1/4 cup coconut milk into the soup at the end of cooking for an Indian chili chicken recipe
• Add a touch of cayenne pepper, sriracha, or sliced jalapenos for a hint of spice

Toppings

Choose your toppings! Staples at our house include cheese and crushed tortilla chips for the kids and fresh lime juice, Greek yogurt, and cilantro for the adults.

We always serve chili with chicken with a variety of toppings kids love including:

• shredded cheese
• tortilla chips
• green onions
• cilantro
• a squeeze of fresh lime juice
• sprinkle of cumin
• dash of hot sauce
• sour cream or Greek yogurt which stirred in makes it a creamy chicken chili.

Kids love getting to choose their own toppings and it makes for a fun dinner idea!

Tips and Tricks

• Sauté Aromatics: Before adding the chicken broth, you can sauté some onions and garlic in the stockpot with a bit of oil until they become translucent. This will enhance the flavor of your soup.
• Taco Seasoning: You can make your own taco seasoning mix at home for a more personalized taste. It typically includes ingredients like chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of cayenne for heat. Adjust the seasonings to your preference for a milder or spicier soup.
• Simmer Time: While the recipe states to simmer for 20 minutes, you can let it simmer for a bit longer if you have the time. The longer it simmers, the more the flavors will meld together. Just be sure not to overcook the chicken, as it can become tough.
• Adjust Consistency: If you prefer a thicker soup, you can use an immersion blender to partially blend some of the soup before adding the cilantro and lime juice. This will give it a creamier texture.
• Taste and Adjust: Taste the soup before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed. You can add more salt, lime juice, or taco seasoning to suit your taste.
• Garnish Creatively: When serving, be creative with your garnishes. Aside from lime wedges and avocado slices, you can also add shredded cheese, sour cream, diced tomatoes, or tortilla strips for extra flavor and texture.
• Storage: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Soups often taste even better the next day as the flavors continue to meld.
• Customize: Feel free to customize the soup to your liking by adding ingredients like corn, black beans, or jalapeños for more heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage Instructions

• Prepare recipe as instructed
• Scoop into an airtight container such as Tupperware, Ziploc bags, or large Mason jars.
• Freeze.

If you use mason jars, make sure to leave enough space at the top because the soup expands as it freezes and could crack the glass if there is not enough space in the jar.

How To Reheat

• Remove from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator to defrost the night before planning to serve.
• Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• You can also reheat by placing the soup in the crockpot on low for 4 hours then let the crockpot keep it warm the rest of the day. 

More Soup Recipes

• Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
• Stuffed Pepper Soup with Sausage
• Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup
• Cabbage Roll Soup
• Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
• Broccoli Cauliflower Soup
• Instant Pot Minestrone Soup