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This easy Spicy Chicken Soup recipe is packed with bold Tex-Mex flavors from Mexican spices, tender chicken, chili beans, and corn in a rich tomato broth. It's ready in just one hour and customizable to your preferred heat level.
Spicy Chicken Soup
Spicy Chicken SoupMy love for this soup started when I was in college–I made it for my friends and everyone went nuts for it. You can control the heat level depending on who's at the table – mild salsa for the kids, spicy for the adults who want a kick. The best part? It tastes exponentially better the next day after all those spices have had time to mingle and get cozy together. I've been known to make a double batch just so I can enjoy it for lunch all week long. And don't forget that toppings are king: avocado, cheese, cilantro, and crushed tortilla chips and letting everyone customize their own bowl.
Try my other soup recipes, like Baked Potato Soup, Cabbage Roll Soup, Homemade Chili, Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup, or Hungarian Goulash!
How to make Spicy Chicken Soup:
Cook Chicken: Place water, chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, onion powder, and bouillon cubes in a large pot. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. Take the chicken out but don't discard the broth! Shred the chicken and set aside.
Finish Soup and Serve: Cook onion and garlic in olive oil, until slightly browned. Stir in salsa, diced tomatoes, sugar, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, corn, chili beans, shredded chicken, and 3 ½ cups of the reserved chicken broth. Simmer for 30 minutes then serve in bowls topped with cilantro, cheese, avocado, and crushed tortilla chips!
Recipe
Best Spicy Chicken Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 3 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste (or 3 bullion cubes)
- 8 ounces salsa , your favorite kind
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes , undrained
- 4 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 15 ounce can corn (or frozen), drained
- 16 ounce can chili beans
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- Cilantro, shredded cheese, and avocado for soup garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine water, chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, onion powder and bouillon.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and shred. Reserve 3 ½ cups of chicken broth water.
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly browned.
- Stir in salsa, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, chili powder, cumin, corn, chili beans, shredded chicken, and 3 ½ cups of the reserved water. Simmer 30 minutes.
- Stir in sour cream. Taste and add extra salt, or additional seasonings, if needed.
- Garnish with cilantro, cheese, avocado, crushed tortilla chips, or whatever you like!
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe November 2017. Updated October 2020 and December 2025.
Hi, I am from Finland and my 3 sons enjoy spicy food. This one recipy I do from time to time and has never failed me sofar👨🍳
Hi from Madagascar. I’ve made many of your recipes— and on three continents. 🙂 No chili beans or pinto beans here so I used red kidney beans. Followed the recipe exactly in every other respect. The flavors are great and my husband and I enjoyed it but didn’t really find it spicy. We enjoy spicy food a lot. I’d add more of a kick next time but will definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing SO many recipes! Your site is incredible.
I started to get a cold today, so searched for a spicy soup and found this recipe. It is sooo good! Husband and I both loved it, it’s a winner for sure.
Love! Have made it several times.
My family’s new favorite, I have started keeping batches in the freezer on standby. I use leg and thigh portions instead of chicken breasts but otherwise follow the recipe exactly.
Omg followed to the tee, this was amazing! Thank you
Excellent recipe! I ended up doubling the soup but only used about 1 1/3 lbs of chicken tenderloins, which was the right ratio of meat to other ingredients for our taste. Also I had a couple good sized jalapeños that I halved, sliced and added most of that with the onions. Delicious!
Delicious!!! I used a large zucchini instead of corn, also included 1 poblano, 1/2 jalapeño and 1/2 serrano peppers for an extra kick.
Love this recipe! But I love spicy! If you don’t like the heat, adjust the spice content accordingly! This will be a staple recipe in my home!
Great taste! What pulled it all together is adding in that great reserved liquid at the end. The chicken was perfectly cooked and alltogether the spice and broth was great!
Will it be okay if I don’t add sour cream?
Sure, it just wont have that creaminess to it, but it will taste great.