Whether you’re sick with a garden variety cold, fighting the flu, or the dreaded covid, few things feel better when battling illness than a big bowl of chicken soup.
Loaded with protein, vegetables, and bone-warming broth, chicken soup fills you up and is easy on a sore throat or tummy.
And when I’m adding an extra kick of jalapeno to this Spicy Chicken Jalapeno Soup, it’s like a boost of flavor along with a kick of vitamin C for extra sick-busting properties!
Did you know that about jalapenos? Salsa’s favorite spicy pepper is actually a vitamin c powerhouse, boasting up to 6 mg of vitamin c in each little pepper.
Plus, the capsaicin, that element of jalapenos that gives it the fiery kick of heat, helps clear nasal passages, getting more of the bad stuff out of you and letting in more of the good.
Who wants to cook when they’re sick, though?
Here’s the problem- if I or someone in my family is sick, I don’t always have time to stop whatever I’m doing and make a freaking chicken jalapeno soup.
I mean, I got stuff to do, right?
And forget it if mama’s the one in bed. My husband spends his time chasing the kids around while trying to work, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for soup cooking.
That’s why I love making a batch of this easy soup and popping a couple of servings in the freezer. That’s even easier when I’m storing the soup in a Soupercube. That way, I can just pop out what I need in smaller portions, heat it up, and go!
If you’re prepping this soup to cook ahead of time, it’s really easy; just drop the ingredients into a reusable storage bag or a U-Konserve container. Yes- drop them in totally raw!
If you’re prepping the ingredients and then freezing for later use, I think it’s easier to add bouillon cubes or Better Than Boullion paste and then add the water when you’re ready to cook. Using fewer liquids will mean the meal will thaw faster when it’s out of the fridge.
What can I add for toppings?
We like to add sour cream, or dollops of Greek yogurt on top. A squeeze of lime is yummy for an extra zing, too!
What substitutes or swaps do you recommend?
This particular recipe calls for using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and then shredding them at the end. If you prefer (or it’s easier), use shredded rotisserie chicken from the store, or boneless chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts. You can even skip the chicken and go full vegetarian on this one.
The vegetables in this soup are a standard flavor combo of garlic, onion, and carrot. But add in any other vegetables you’d like to bulk this soup up; I recommend celery, corn, green beans, or potatoes.
You don’t have to use the black beans, either, if they’re not available or not to your taste. Kidney beans would work well here as well.
How spicy is this soup?
As spicy as you wish, my friend! If you like the heat, add as many jalapenos as your fiery heart desires. But if you want to tone that heat down, I recommend slicing open the jalapenos and scraping away the seeds and ribs on the inside before mincing and adding to the soup. Those seeds and the ribs add an extra bit of heat, and removing them will lighten it up a bit.
Chicken soup with jalapenos adds zing and flavor, plus vitamin C to your bowl, making this a perfect sick-day soup to keep in the freezer!
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 carrots diced
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 jalapenos diced
- 14 ounce can black beans drained
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
-
Prepare all ingredients except minced cilantro and add to reusable bag or container.
-
Prep cilantro and store alongside the prepared and stored soup bag.
-
Store both bags in the fridge for 3-5 days, or the freezer for 5- 7days.
-
Add contents from the soup ingredients bag to Instant Pot, crockpot, or stovetop pot as needed, and cook according to instructions for each.
-
Prior to serving, sprinkle with minced cilantro and serve hot.
-
Add everything except the chopped cilantro to Instant Pot for 40 minutes on High Pressure, with quick pressure release.
-
Remove chicken breasts and shred, then add them back to the soup.
-
Top with minced cilantro and serve hot.
-
Add all ingredients to the crockpot for 4 hours on high, 6 on low.
-
Remove chicken breasts from the soup and shred, then add back to the pot.
-
Top with minced cilantro and serve hot.
-
Saute onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, until onions have started to soften.
-
Add remaining ingredients except for minced cilantro, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
-
Cook 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and falling apart.
-
Shred chicken in the pot, then top with cilantro and serve hot.
Chicken soup made with jalapenos adds zing and flavor, as well as adds a bunch of vitamin C to your bowl, making this a perfect sick-day soup to keep in the freezer!
If you don’t want too much heat, scrape the seeds and “ribs” off the inside of the jalapenos before mincing and adding to the soup. Making this to go straight in the freezer and cook at a later date? Use bouillon cubes instead of broth, which makes it easier to freeze and thaw. Just don’t forget to add the water when you’re ready to cook!
Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Chowder
Leave a Reply