Southwest Chicken Soup with jalapeno peppers, Anaheim peppers, and Monterey Jack cheese. It’s a little spicy and but light and nutritious!

A spoon of Southwest Chicken Soup over a large pot of soup.

You’ll love how easy this spicy Southwest Chicken Soup is! There is a bit of chopping with the vegetables, but you can knock that out in about 20 minutes. Then you just put it all together and cook the soup.

This Southwest Chicken Soup is great for your Super Bowl parties, game day parties, or holiday gatherings. It feeds a crowd, is a great make ahead dish, and also stores well in the freezer.

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Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • Carrots
  • Onions
  • Celery
  • Garlic
  • Jalapeño
  • Anaheim or poblano pepper
  • Ground cumin
  • Dried thyme
  • Dried cilantro leaves
  • Chicken stock
  • Cooked, chopped chicken
  • Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
  • Heavy cream

To make the cooking process a little easier for the Southwest Chicken Soup, I like to plan out my menus and do most of my vegetable chopping early in the week. Then when it’s time to make the soup, everything is ready to go!

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How to make southwest chicken soup:

Step 1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat, then add the carrots, onions, celery, peppers, and garlic and sauté for about 8 minutes.

A pot of peppers and vegetables for Southwest Chicken Soup.

Step 2. Add chicken stock, salt, pepper, cumin, thyme, cilantro, and chicken and cook for about twenty minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the grated cheese until melted and then stir in the cream.

Cook’s Tip: If you like a thicker soup, you can thicken with a cornstarch slurry.

Toppings

  • Fresh, chopped cilantro
  • Hot sauceI am literally obsessed with this sauce.
  • Sour cream
  • Grated cheese

Can you freeze the soup?

This Southwest Chicken Soup is great for making ahead and freezing. Just portion your soup into freezer safe containers—I love these!—and then store in the freezer for up to 4 months.

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5 from 2 votes

Southwest Chicken Soup

Southwestern flavors from peppers and spices make this a warm and savory chicken soup to share with friends.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients 

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 5 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 chopped jalapeno
  • 1 chopped Anaheim or poblano pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon dried cilantro leaves
  • 4 quarts chicken stock
  • 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
  • 2 cups grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions 

  • Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, celery, peppers, and garlic and sauté for about 8 minutes.
  • Add the stock, salt, pepper, cumin, thyme and cilantro and chicken and cook for about twenty minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  • Stir in the grated cheese until melted and then add the cream.
  • If you like a thicker soup, you can thicken with cornstarch or flour.
  • Can also add fresh, chopped cilantro and hot sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 10servings, Calories: 368kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 22g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 978mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g
Course: Soups
Cuisine: American
Calories: 368
Keyword: southwest chicken soup
Love this recipe?Mention @southernfoodandfun or tag #southernfoodandfun!

Update Notes: This Southwest Chicken Soup post was originally published December 17, 2010, and on January 15, 2020, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.

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Check out our whole Soup recipe section where you’re sure to find something that will make your life deliciously easier!

Lucy standing behind a counter with a cheese board and glass of wine.

About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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