Description
This Crockpot Chipotle Chicken Soup is a flavorful, spicy Mexican-inspired dish made with tender chicken breasts slow-cooked alongside fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, corn, and a smoky chipotle pepper base. Perfect for a cozy meal, it’s hearty, gluten-free, and packed with protein and fiber. The slow cooker method allows the flavors to meld beautifully while keeping preparation simple.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Spices & Sauces
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the chipotle peppers)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Other
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of the crockpot, ensuring they are laid out evenly for even cooking.
- Sauté aromatics and spices: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Combine ingredients in crockpot: Transfer the sautéed mixture from the skillet into the crockpot over the chicken. Add the fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with their juices), drained black beans, frozen corn, and chicken broth to the crockpot. Stir gently to combine all ingredients.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 7 hours or on high heat for 3 to 4 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred.
- Shred chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the crockpot and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken back to the crockpot and stir it into the soup evenly.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the juice of one lime and the chopped fresh cilantro. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot, optionally garnished with avocado slices, crunchy tortilla strips, or shredded cheese for extra flavor and texture.
Notes
- You can substitute rotisserie chicken to save time; reduce the cooking time by half since the chicken is already cooked.
- For extra heat, add a second chipotle pepper to the sauté mixture.
- This soup freezes well and the flavors often improve after a day in the fridge.
