This soup came from my website, Perry’s Plate, and used to call for rice, corn, beans, and barley. It was a staple, and everyone in my family (including my extended family) loves it. After swapping out the grains and legumes with more nutritious alternatives, it’s still super tasty, is more colorful, and is a perfect way to use fresh summer vegetables!
Prep time 20 minutes
Serves 10 to 12
11/2 to 2 pounds (680 to 905 g) boneless, skinless chicken (breasts or thighs)
1 large onion, diced
2 bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium yellow squash, diced
4 to 5 large stems of Swiss chard
1 7-ounce (198 g) can diced green chillies
1 14.5-ounce (411 g) can crushed tomatoes
1 15-ounce (425 g) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) chili powder
1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
6 cups (1440 ml) (1.4 liters) Simple Chicken Stock
1 teaspoon (5 ml) sea salt
Juice from 1 lime
1 cup (16 g) fresh, chopped cilantro
Diced avocados and hot sauce, for serving
1 Add the chicken, onion, bell peppers, garlic, zucchini, and yellow squash to the cooker. Remove the leaves from the Swiss chard stems. Chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces and dice the stems. Place the leaves and the stems into the cooker.
2 Add the green chillies, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, stock, and salt to the slow cooker.
3 Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or 3 to 4 hours on high).
4 Remove the chicken, shred it, and stir it back into the soup. Squeeze the juice from the lime into the soup, and stir in the cilantro. Taste, and add more salt if necessary. If the soup tastes acidic, add 2 tablespoons (40 g) of honey.
5 Serve with diced avocados and hot sauce.
More Recipes You'll Love
Southwest chicken and summer vegetable soup is a slow cooker pot of shredded chicken, peppers, zucchini, and Swiss chard in a smoky tomato-chili broth. Green chilies and chipotle powder give it gentle heat that builds as it cooks. Lime and cilantro stirred in at the end make the whole pot taste freshly made.
Pro Tips
- Leave the chicken breasts or thighs whole in the slow cooker and shred them at the end. Pre-cubed chicken dries out over the long cook; whole pieces stay juicy.
- Use the chard stems as well as the leaves. Diced and simmered all day, they go tender and sweet — nothing needs to go to waste.
- If the soup tastes acidic after the lime, stir in two tablespoons of honey. It rounds off the tomatoes without making the soup taste sweet.
- Do not skip the avocado garnish. The cool, creamy dice against the smoky broth is what makes each bowl feel complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this soup on the stovetop?
Yes. Simmer the chicken gently for about twenty minutes, shred it, then add the vegetables for another twenty. It will lack the all-day depth but still tastes wonderful.
How spicy is this soup?
Mildly spicy from the green chilies and chipotle. The heat is warm and smoky rather than sharp — adjust the chipotle powder up or down to taste.
Can I freeze southwest chicken soup?
It freezes very well for up to three months. Freeze without the avocado garnish and add fresh avocado when you reheat and serve.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Diced avocados and hot sauce, for serving
- 1 Add the chicken, onion, bell peppers, garlic, zucchini, and yellow squash to the cooker.
- Remove the leaves from the Swiss chard stems.
- Chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces and dice the stems.
- Place the leaves and the stems into the cooker.
- 2 Add the green chillies, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, stock, and salt to the slow cooker.
- 3 Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or 3 to 4 hours on high).
- 4 Remove the chicken, shred it, and stir it back into the soup.
- Squeeze the juice from the lime into the soup, and stir in the cilantro.
- Taste, and add more salt if necessary. If the soup tastes acidic, add 2 tablespoons (40 g) of honey.
- 5 Serve with diced avocados and hot sauce.
