Green Chili Chicken Soup

This Green Chili Chicken Soup is comfort in a bowl — cozy, flavorful, and brimming with tender chicken, white beans,chiles, and a creamy, tangy finish.

Course Chicken Dinner, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken soup recipes, Green Chicken Chili Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 304kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 cup onion, diced
1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried coriander
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon chicken flavor Better Than Bouillon
1 cup green enchilada sauce
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 dried bay leaf
2 (3-inch) pieces Parmesan rind
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Optional Toppings

cilantro, pepper jack cheese, avocado, sour cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Sear the Chicken: Heat the olive oil (1 tablespoon) in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced chicken (1 pound) and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 4–5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
Sauté the Aromatics: In the same pot, add a bit more oil if needed, then add the onion (1 cup) and poblano pepper (1). Sauté slowly, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden — about 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic (1 tablespoon) and cook for 1 minute more, just until fragrant.
Toast the Spices: Stir in the cumin (1 tablespoon), oregano (1 1/2 teaspoons), and coriander (1/2 teaspoon). Toast the spices for about 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until they’re fragrant and slightly darkened. This step brings out their full flavor.
Build the Broth: Deglaze the pot with a splash of the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the remaining broth (3 cups) and whisk in the Better Than Bouillon (1 tablespoon) until fully dissolved.
Add the enchilada sauce (1 cup), white beans (2 cans), green chiles (1 can), bay leaf (1), Parmesan rind (2 pieces), and salt (1/2 teaspoon). Return the chicken to the pot and stir to combine.
Simmer and Develop Flavor: Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The broth will deepen in color and flavor as the Parmesan rind melts and the aromatics mellow.
Finish the Soup: Remove and discard the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Remove the soup from the heat and let it cool just slightly (a minute or two). Before adding the sour cream (1/2 cup) to the pot, whisk a few spoonfuls of the hot soup into the sour cream in a small bowl to gently warm it. Then slowly stir that mixture back into the soup. (This brings the sour cream up to temperature gradually so it blends in smoothly.)
Stir in lime juice (1 tablespoon) and cilantro (1/4 cup). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper, and more lime, to taste as needed.
Serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with extra cilantro, shredded cheese, avocado, more sour cream, or lime wedges as desired. Serve warm.

Notes

Build the base patiently. Let the onions and poblanos cook until golden at the edges — it’s the secret to a rich, flavorful broth.
Simmer uncovered. Allowing some liquid to reduce intensifies the flavors.
Balance the salt at the end. Better Than Bouillon is salty; taste before adding more.
Garnish generously. Cilantro, shredded cheese, or diced avocado make it irresistible.
Mash some beans: Before adding them, mash about ½ cup of the white beans. It naturally thickens the soup and gives it a silky texture.
Use a Parmesan rind: It won’t make the soup taste cheesy — just deeply savory and perfectly rounded.
Add the sour cream off heat: Stir it in after removing the pot from the burner so it stays creamy and smooth.

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