Chicken Cilantro Lime Soup
Chicken cilantro lime soup has so much flavor and is an easy one-pot meal. This recipe is dairy-free and gluten-free with a meatless option.
Looking for cozy soups to warm you up on a cold winter day? Look no further than this Mexican chicken soup. This recipe is inspired by Mexican lime soup or sopa de lima. It has a clear broth with a tangy lime flavor, and fresh cilantro for loads of extra flavor.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Celery
- White or yellow onion
- Jalapeno pepper (optional)Â
- Garlic cloves
- Ground cumin
- Chili powder
- Dried oregano
- Chicken breasts
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Can of diced green chiles – mild or hot depending on preference.
- Chicken broth – for a super flavorful broth, I like to use homemade bone broth, but you can also use storebought.
- Cilantro
- Fresh lime juice
- Kosher salt
How to Make Chicken Lime Soup With Cilantro
Step 1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add in the diced onion, celery, and jalapeno. Cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent and starting to brown. Then add the minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, and a big pinch of salt. Cook for an additional minute.
Step 2. Add in the chicken breasts, diced tomatoes (with the liquid), green chiles, and chicken broth. Stir and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a gentle simmer over low to medium-low heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 30-35 minutes.
Step 3. Turn off the heat and carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then transfer the shredded chicken back to the pot.
Step 4. Stir in the chopped cilantro and the juice of 1 lime. Season to taste with salt.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this chicken cilantro lime soup using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No chicken breasts? – you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs or leftover chicken from a rotisserie chicken for a quicker option.
- No celery? – you can also use carrots, but you’ll only need about 2 medium.
- No jalapeno pepper? – use a poblano pepper or even a serrano pepper if you love spicy food. Otherwise, omit the pepper completely.
- Don’t like cilantro? – you can also top it with green onions.
- Make it plant-based – swap out the chicken for 2 cans of white beans such as butter beans or Great Northern and use vegetable broth.
- Add-ins – cooked white or brown rice.
How to Store
Let the soup cool to room temperature then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Serve
Serve with tortilla chips for a little crunch, a dollop of dairy-free sour cream or cashew cream, slices of ripe avocado, or tortilla strips.
Helpful Tips
Food waste tip. Cilantro stems have just as much flavor as cilantro leaves, so don’t throw them away.
What size of soup pot is best? You’ll need to use a 5-quart Dutch oven or bigger. Don’t go smaller or it’ll boil over.
More Soup Recipes
Chicken Cilantro Lime Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow or white onion diced
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes removed diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 4 ounce can of diced green chiles mild or hot depending on preference
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup cilantro roughly chopped
- juice of 1 lime
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add in the diced onion, celery, and jalapeno. Cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent and starting to brown. Then add the minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, and a big pinch of salt. Cook for an additional minute.
- Add in the chicken breasts, diced tomatoes (with the liquid), green chiles, and chicken broth. Stir and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a gentle simmer over low to medium-low heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 30-35 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then transfer the shredded chicken back to the pot.
- Stir in the chopped cilantro and the juice of 1 lime. Season to taste with salt.
- Serve with tortilla chips for a little crunch, a dollop of dairy-free sour cream or cashew cream, slices of ripe avocado, or tortilla strips.