Imen Dridi Ina Garten’s Mexican Chicken Soup is made with roasted chicken, vegetables, jalapenos, and spices, served with avocado, sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips. It serves 6 and takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to prepare and cook.
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🧡 Why You’ll Love This Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe:
- Flavorful Depth: Roasting the chicken before adding it to the soup creates a rich, deep flavor base that can’t be achieved with just boiled chicken.
- Hearty and Satisfying: This soup is packed with hearty ingredients like chicken, vegetables, and tortillas, making it a filling meal that’s perfect for hungry families or dinner guests.
- Healthy and Nutritious: Loaded with vegetables and lean protein, this soup is not only delicious but also offers a variety of nutrients. It’s a balanced meal that can fit into a health-conscious diet without sacrificing flavor.
- Easy to Make: Despite its complex flavors, the recipe is straightforward and easy to follow. It doesn’t require any specialized kitchen equipment or hard-to-find ingredients, making it accessible for cooks of all skill levels.
❓ What Is Ina Garten Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe?
Ina Garten’s Mexican Chicken Soup features roasted chicken, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, chicken stock, tomatoes, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, and cilantro. It’s served with avocado, sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips, offering a hearty, flavorful, and customizable meal.
🍗 Ina Garten Mexican Chicken Soup Ingredients
- 4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
- Good olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
- 1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
- 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
- 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
- 2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
- 6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas
- For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips
🍲 How To Make Ina Garten Mexican Chicken Soup
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Rub them with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones. Shred the meat and set aside.
- Heat some olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook until they are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, and 1 teaspoon of salt (or more to taste), 1 teaspoon of pepper (or more to taste). Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Cut the tortillas into strips and add them to the soup. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Add cilantro if using and check the seasonings. Simmer until the chicken is heated through.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips on the side for toppings.
💭 Recipe Tips:
- Roast Chicken for Depth: Roasting chicken with the skin on and bones in helps develop deeper flavors. Don’t skip this step as it contributes significantly to the soup’s taste.
- Adjust Heat: Jalapeno peppers vary in heat. Start with fewer peppers if you prefer a milder soup, and you can always add more later if you want it spicier.
- Season to Taste: Don’t forget to taste and adjust the seasonings as you cook, especially the salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander. This ensures a well-balanced flavor profile.
- Toppings Galore: Encourage everyone to customize their bowl with toppings like sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and crushed tortilla chips. These not only add flavor but also texture.
- Make Ahead: This soup often tastes better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld. It’s perfect for making ahead and reheating.
🍗 What To Serve Mexican Chicken Soup?
Serve Mexican Chicken Soup with warm cornbread, a crisp green salad, lime wedges for squeezing, a side of Spanish rice, or quinoa for added texture these sides complement the soup’s flavors and make for a complete, satisfying meal.
🎚 How To Store Leftovers Mexican Chicken Soup?
- Refrigerate: Cool Leftovers Mexican Chicken Soup to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Pour cooled Leftovers Mexican Chicken Soup into freezer-safe bags or containers, leaving some space for expansion freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How To Reheat Leftovers Mexican Chicken Soup?
- In The Stovetop: Pour Leftovers Mexican Chicken Soup into a pot and warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through for up 5-7 minutes.
- In The Microwave: Transfer Leftovers Mexican Chicken Soup into a microwave-safe bowl, cover loosely, and heat on high for 4-6 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot.
FAQ’S
What makes Mexican Chicken Soup different from other chicken soups?
Mexican Chicken Soup is distinguished by its use of traditional Mexican ingredients like jalapeños, cilantro, and cumin, which give it a unique and vibrant flavor profile compared to more classic chicken soups that might rely on milder seasonings.
Can I make Mexican Chicken Soup in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can adapt the recipe for a slow cooker by adding all the ingredients (except for the toppings) and cooking on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Shred the cooked chicken and return it to the pot before serving.
What can I do if Mexican Chicken Soup is too spicy?
Adding a bit of sour cream or avocado can help mellow the heat alternatively, increase the volume of the soup by adding more chicken stock or water, which dilutes the spiciness.
How can I thicken Mexican Chicken Soup if it’s too watery?
One method is to purée some of the vegetables (like a portion of the carrots and celery) and return them to the pot. Another is to mix in a small amount of masa harina (corn flour) to achieve the desired consistency.
What’s the best way to shred chicken for Mexican Chicken Soup?
After roasting and slightly cooling the chicken, use two forks to pull the meat apart into shreds. Alternatively, you can use your hands (once the chicken is cool enough to handle) for more control over the size of the shreds.
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Ina Garten Mexican Chicken Soup Nutrition Fact
Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 156kcal
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Protein: 19g
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Cholesterol: 53mg
- Sodium: 952mg
- Potassium: 531mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 3g
- Vitamin A: 5248IU
- Vitamin C: 23mg
- Calcium: 52mg
- Iron: 2mg
Ina Garten Mexican Chicken Soup
Description
Ina Garten’s Mexican Chicken Soup is made with roasted chicken, vegetables, jalapenos, and spices, served with avocado, sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips. It serves 6 and takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to prepare and cook.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Rub them with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones. Shred the meat and set aside.
- Heat some olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook until they are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, and 1 teaspoon of salt (or more to taste), 1 teaspoon of pepper (or more to taste). Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Cut the tortillas into strips and add them to the soup. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Add cilantro if using and check the seasonings. Simmer until the chicken is heated through.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips on the side for toppings.
Notes
- Roast Chicken for Depth: Roasting chicken with the skin on and bones in helps develop deeper flavors. Don’t skip this step as it contributes significantly to the soup’s taste.
- Adjust Heat: Jalapeno peppers vary in heat. Start with fewer peppers if you prefer a milder soup, and you can always add more later if you want it spicier.
- Season to Taste: Don’t forget to taste and adjust the seasonings as you cook, especially the salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander. This ensures a well-balanced flavor profile.
- Toppings Galore: Encourage everyone to customize their bowl with toppings like sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and crushed tortilla chips. These not only add flavor but also texture.
- Make Ahead: This soup often tastes better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld. It’s perfect for making ahead and reheating.
