This Spicy Chicken Soup is soul-satisfying and perfect for a cold wintery day. It’s packed with deliciousness and it’s the kind of food you feel so good eating.

a photo of three bowls of tortilla soup with chicken

A Note from Teri on Spicy Chicken Soup

This spicy chicken soup is the kind of dish you want on repeat. It’s so comforting, but also feels healing. The tortilla strips take this recipe up a notch, but they are optional. If you have my cookbook, you’ve seen these tortilla strips in my Epic Salad recipe. They are the perfect crunch and addition to salad or soup in this case.

Certainly, there are lots of store-bought stocks out there, but you will simply never get the flavor you get from making it homemade, and it’s much easier than you might think. This soup starts with my Spicy Chicken Stock, and it is what turns this soup from ordinary to extraordinary! Homemade chicken stock is a must, and once you make your own, you will not want to go back to storebought!

a photo of the ingredients for spicy chicken soup
the ingredients for spicy chicken soup on a sheet tray

Ingredients and Variations

FOR THE STOCK:

  • Water
  • Whole chicken
  • Celery stalks
  • Carrots
  • Onion
  • Cilantro or parsley
  • Chilies de arbol
  • Guajillo chiles (optional)
  • Jalapeno
  • Garlic
  • Apple
  • Kosher salt
  • Coriander
  • Whole peppercorns
  • Bay leaves

FOR THE SOUP:

  • Butter
  • Carrots
  • Cabbage
  • Tomato paste
  • Dried oregano
  • Chipotle in adobo sauce
  • Spicy chicken stock
  • Kosher salt
  • Shredded chicken from spicy stock, pulled off the bones
  • For garnish: Sliced avocado, Cilantro or parsley, Green onions, Lime wedges, Tortilla strips

If you are using Spicy Chicken Stock that you already made, you can substitute the chicken in the soup with rotisserie chicken or everyday roast chicken breast.

How to Make Spicy Chicken Soup

a photo of the broth cooking in a pot
a photo of teri straining the vegetables out of the spicy chicken stock

Step 1: Make the Stock

Add all of the stock ingredients to a large stock pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer on low for 1 hour.

Remove chicken from the pot and set aside for the next step. Discard the remaining veggies from the stock then pour it through a strainer into a bowl. Transfer to jars or a large container until you’re ready to make the soup. 

Note: The stock can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for a few days before you make the soup. Or frozen until you’re ready to use!

a photo of pulled chicken on a cutting board
a photo of carrots and cabbage cooking in a pot

Step 2: Pull the Chicken and Cook the Vegetables

Pull the chicken from the breasts and thighs. For this soup, I prefer using the chicken breast meat only. Note: If you’ve previously made the stock and are making this soup on a different day, you can also add rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breast to the soup.

In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and a pinch of salt, and saute until the cabbage begins to wilt. Then add carrots and cook 5-6 more minutes, reducing heat to medium if the cabbage starts to brown. Add tomato paste, oregano, and chipotle and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook a minute or so to caramelize the tomato paste. 

a photo of chicken added to spicy broth
a photo spicy chicken soup in a pot

Step 3: Assemble the Soup

Add 1 cup of the spicy chicken stock and whisk everything together until everything is dissolved and well combined then add the remaining stock to the pot and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. 

Immediately add pulled chicken and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. 

Serve topped with sliced avocado, fresh cilantro or parsley, sliced green onions, lime, and a handful of tortilla strips.

a photo of tortilla strips frying in a pan
a photo of tortilla strips on a paper towel

Optional: Make the Tortilla Strips

Add 1 cup of the spicy chicken stock and whisk everything together until everything is dissolved and well combined then add the remaining stock to the pot and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. 

Immediately add pulled chicken and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. 

a photo of spicy chicken stock in two mason jars

How To Freeze Chicken Stock

I love to freeze my chicken stock in mason jars, but there are a few tricks to make sure you do it properly. First, make sure your jars are tempered glass and wide mouth. When you fill your jars, make sure to only fill them 3/4 of the way. Allow the soup to cool completely before putting the lids on. When you are ready to place them in the freezer, make sure you don’t let the jars touch in the freezer.

a photo of a bowl of spicy chicken soup

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover soup in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat on the stovetop until warmed through and enjoy.

Try These Other Soup Recipes

If you make this Spicy Chicken Soup recipe, be sure to review it below and let me know what you think! If you’re looking for more inspiration, subscribe to my Substack, and follow along on Pinterest,  Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!

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a photo of a bowl of spicy chicken soup

Spicy Chicken Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Teri Turner
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

Make this Spicy Chicken Soup for a delicious and soul satisfying meal.

Ingredients

FOR THE SPICY CHICKEN STOCK:

  •   6 quarts water
  •   3 to 4-pound whole chicken
  •   3 celery stalks, halved
  •   2 carrots, trimmed and halved
  •   1 onion, quartered (leave the skin on to develop color)
  •   1 bunch of cilantro or parsley (no need to trim)
  •   7 dried chilies de arbol
  •   3 dried guajillo chiles (optional)
  •   1 jalapeno halved, seeds removed
  •   1 head garlic, top end trimmed
  •   1 small apple
  •   Kosher salt
  •   1 teaspoon coriander
  •   1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
  •   3 dried bay leaves

FOR THE SOUP:

  •   1 tablespoon butter
  •   2 medium carrots, cut into coins
  •   3 cups sliced cabbage
  •   1 tablespoon tomato paste
  •   ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  •   1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped so finely it’ll melt into the dish 
  •   2 ½ quarts of spicy chicken stock
  •   2 teaspoons kosher salt
  •   2 cups shredded chicken from spicy stock, pulled off the bones

FOR GARNISH:

  •   Sliced avocado
  •   Chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)
  •   Green onions, sliced (optional)
  •   Lime wedges (optional)
  •   Tortilla strips, optional (see notes to make your own)

Instructions

FOR THE SPICY CHICKEN STOCK:

  1. Add all of the stock ingredients to a large stock pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  2. Reduce heat and simmer on low for 1 hour.
  3. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside for the next step. Discard the remaining veggies from the stock then pour it through a strainer into a bowl. Transfer to jars or a large container until you’re ready to make the soup. 
  4. Note: The stock can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for a few days before you make the soup. Or frozen until you’re ready to use!

FOR THE SOUP:

  1. Pull the chicken from the breasts and thighs. For this soup, I prefer using the chicken breast meat only. Note: If you’ve previously made the stock and are making this soup on a different day, you can also add rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breast to the soup.
  2. In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and a pinch of salt, and saute until the cabbage begins to wilt. Add carrots and cook 5-6 more minutes, reducing heat to medium if the cabbage starts to brown. Add tomato paste, oregano, and chipotle and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook a minute or so to caramelize the tomato paste. 
  3. Add 1 cup of the spicy chicken stock and whisk everything together until everything is dissolved and well combined then add the remaining stock to the pot and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. 
  4. Immediately add pulled chicken and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. 
  5. Serve topped with sliced avocado, fresh cilantro or parsley, sliced green onions, lime, and a handful of tortilla strips.

Notes

Tortilla strips:

  •   24 fresh corn tortillas
  •   1 – 2 cups light olive oil or any high heat oil 
  •   Kosher salt

Make the Tortilla Strips:

Cut the tortillas into ¼-inch strips. To save time, stack 4 to 5 tortillas and cut them all at once.

In a fry pan, heat ½ cup oil over high heat until it’s shimmering and reaches 350°F. Reduce the heat to medium, add 1 cup of the tortilla strips, and fry until crisp and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Note: The amount of oil you need will depend on the size skillet you’re using. If it’s a smaller pan, you can start with ½ cup but a larger pan might need 1 cup to get started. You’re shallow frying the tortilla strips, and the key will be to go little by little. 

Use a strainer spoon to transfer the tortilla strips to a paper towel-lined platter or baking sheet to drain, and season with a sprinkle of salt. Repeat with the remaining strips, testing the oil temperature between batches by frying one or two strips, and increasing the heat if necessary. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 266
  • Sugar: 12.8 g
  • Sodium: 588.4 mg
  • Fat: 5.2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 30.4 g
  • Protein: 25.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 74 mg