Salsa Chicken Soup
This naturally gluten free Salsa Chicken Soup recipe has a little underlying heat, and the depth of flavor that comes from starting your soup by simmering a whole chicken!
Servings 12
Ingredients
- 4 lb whole chicken see Note
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon oregano divided
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 16 oz salsa
- 1 can corn drained
- 2 cans black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
Instructions
- Remove chicken giblets, if present. Place the chicken breast side up in a large pot, then add enough water to nearly cover. Season with ½ teaspoon seasoned salt, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon cumin, and black pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil. Skim any foam off the top and discard, then cover the pot and reduce heat to medium-low.
- Simmer for about 90 minutes or until chicken shreds easily, stirring occasionally and skimming again as necessary.
- Remove chicken from pot and let it cool slightly. Shred chicken (see Note), discard the skin and bones, and return the cooked shredded chicken to the pot.
- Chop your onions. Add onions, salsa, corn, beans, garlic, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon oregano, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne to the soup pot.
- Stir, cover, and continue simmering on medium-low for another hour, stirring occasionally, or until onions have softened and flavors have blended.
- Discard bay leaf. Serve the salsa chicken soup topped with shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced avocado, chopped green onion, tortilla chips, and/or other toppings of choice.
Notes
I actually used a larger 5+ lb chicken here, so I could reserve some of the cooked shredded meat for a second recipe. I always like to cook up a little extra like this when making soup from a whole chicken, so as to have some left over for another meal! If using a smaller chicken, though, return all of the cooked chicken to the pot after shredding.