Mexican Chicken Soup – Whole30 Recipe
Try this Mexican chicken soup – whole 30 recipe recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Mexican chicken soup – whole 30 recipe recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken (2-3 large breasts)
- 1 32 oz container chicken broth
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup chopped carrots
- 1 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 lime juiced
- Carbohydrate 9.88835805996611 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.310463403297305 g
- Fiber 2.34310378889582 g
- Protein 1.60222398990295 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0591720774590423 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -8 (261g)
- Sodium 316.647047380914 mg
- Sugar 7.54525427107029 g
- Trans Fat 0.0723787727952902 g
- Calories 44 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8.
- Cook until the chicken shreds easily and the vegetables are tender.
- Shred chicken and serve immediately.
What happens when you realize the pantry lacks fresh bell peppers midway through prep? Cooking efficiently means knowing which aromatics can substitute for others without derailing the final product. Bell peppers contribute both sweetness and structural moisture, but poblano peppers or even frozen green bell pepper dice work equally well when fresh varieties stretch the budget. Adjusting the ratio is straightforward: substitute one cup of diced poblano for the red bell pepper to maintain the requisite moisture balance while introducing a deeper, earthier profile.
This style of rustic broth-based soup draws inspiration from traditional Mexican caldos, where aromatic vegetables and poultry simmer together to build a deeply savory foundation. Slow cooking breaks down the connective tissue in boneless skinless chicken breasts, ensuring the meat reaches a tender stage where it shreds easily under two forks after three to four hours on high heat. If transitioning the slow cooker to a low setting for six to eight hours, ensure the lid remains sealed to prevent valuable moisture loss through evaporation.
Tomato paste acts as a critical thickening agent and umami driver. Fry the paste briefly in a separate skillet with the cumin and chili powder if utilizing a stovetop method, or let it dissolve completely into the liquid in a slow cooker to avoid raw tomato pockets. Fresh lime juice added at the very end brightens the accumulated flavors by cutting through the savory richness of the chicken broth. Store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to four days, or freeze the solid components for up to three months before adding fresh cilantro during reheating.
