I’m a soup-all-year-long type of person. Soup is tasty. Soup is filling. Soup freezes well. And this Chicken and Lime Soup is where it’s at. The clear broth is light enough for summer, and has a deliciously spicy, sour, and salty broth that will keep you coming back for more, and more, and MORE. If you want to change up your chicken soup game, this Chicken and Lime Soup is the way to go!
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This Chicken and Lime Soup was inspired by a trip to a Mexican restaurant where I had the most amazing tangy Caldo Xochitl. I added more lime because I’m a lime fiend, and it gave the soup the perfect mix between spicy, salty, and sour – that same famous combo that makes Chinese hot & sour soup so delish. There’s just something about that flavor combination that tickles all the right parts of your tongue!
Make Your Chicken and Lime Soup Mild
The recipe as written is fairly spicy. The heat comes from the jalapeño pepper and the diced tomatoes with green chiles. If you’d like to make your Chicken and Lime Soup mild, simply skip the jalapeño pepper and use a 15 oz. can of regular diced tomatoes, or fire roasted diced tomatoes, in place of the tomatoes with green chiles.
Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles Substitutes
If canned diced tomatoes with green chiles are not sold in your area, you can use a 15 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes plus one 4 oz. can of diced green chiles. Or, leave the green chiles out and use a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. You can also dice up a fresh hatch green chile and sauté that with the onion, celery, and garlic in the beginning of the recipe.
Use More Chicken if Desired
Using only a small amount of meat in my recipes is kind of my calling card, so that’s what I did here. One chicken breast, shredded so you get a little bit in every spoonful, is all I needed. If you prefer more meat in your dishes, you can use two chicken breasts in this recipe without having to make any other adjustments.
Topping Your Chicken and Lime Soup
For me, topping soup with lots of stuff is half the fun, and you have a lot of topping options with this one. I wrote avocado into the recipe because I really feel like that topping is critical and really makes the soup flavors well rounded, but the rest are totally optional. When I have tortilla chips on hand, I like to use those like I would crackers in other soup, crushing them up so they can soak up that awesome broth. A little dab of sour cream would be awesome, as would a few pickled red onions.
Chicken and Lime Soup
Servings 6 about 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 1 yellow onion ($0.21)
- 3 ribs celery (about 1/4 bunch) ($0.37)
- 1 jalapenño ($0.17)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 3/4 lb.) ($2.32)
- 6 cups chicken broth* ($0.78)
- 2 10oz. cans diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel) ($0.90)
- 1 tsp oregano ($0.10)
- 1/2 Tbsp cumin ($0.15)
- 1 lime ($0.22)
- 1/2 bunch cilantro ($0.40)
- 1 avocado ($1.50)
Instructions
- Dice the onion, celery, and jalapeño (scrape the seeds out of the jalapeño before dicing). Mince the garlic. Add the onion, celery, jalapeño, garlic, and olive oil to a large soup pot and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the chicken breast, chicken broth, diced tomatoes with chiles (with juices), oregano, and cumin to the pot. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to high, and bring the broth up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let the pot simmer for 45 minutes.
- After simmering for 45 minutes, carefully remove the chicken breast from the pot and use two forks to shred the meat. Return the shredded meat to the pot. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the soup (2-3 Tbsp juice).
- Rinse the cilantro and then roughly chop the leaves. Add the chopped cilantro to the soup, give it a quick stir, then serve. Slice the avocado and add a few slices to each bowl.
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Equipment
- Chef’s Knife
- Dutch Oven
- White Cutting Boards
Notes
Nutrition
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Chicken and Lime Soup – Step By Step Photos
Dice one yellow onion, three ribs of celery, and one jalapeño. Mince four cloves of garlic.
Before dicing the jalapeño, slice it in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out the white ribs and seeds. These are the hottest parts of the jalapeño, so removing them first will give you a little more jalapeño flavor and a little less heat.
Add the celery, onion, jalapeño, and garlic to a large soup pot with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent.
Add one boneless, skinless chicken breast to the pot (about 3/4 lb.). Then add 6 cups chicken broth (I use Better Than Bouillon so I can mix up any amount needed at any time).
Next, add two 10 oz. cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles. If you can only find 15 oz cans, you can use one. Or, if you can not find canned diced tomatoes with green chiles, you can either use diced tomatoes and one 4 oz. can of green chiles, or just use fire roasted diced tomatoes.
In addition to the diced tomatoes with green chiles, also add 1/2 Tbsp cumin and 1 tsp dried oregano.
Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to high, and allow it to come up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let the soup simmer for 45 minutes (lid on).
After simmering for 45 minutes, the chicken should be tender enough to shred. Carefully remove it from the pot to a clean cutting board, then use two forks to shred the meat into small pieces. Return the shredded meat to the soup pot.
Squeeze the juice from one lime (about 2-3 Tbsp) into the broth. To get the most juice out of the lime, I like to cut it in half, squeeze as much by hand, then insert a spoon into the lime and twist to squeeze out the rest.
Rinse the cilantro to make sure there’s no sand hiding in there, then give it a rough chop. You don’t have to take the time to carefully remove all stems. Cilantro stems are tender enough to enjoy. Stir the cilantro into the soup.
Slice the avocado and add a few slices to each bowl just before serving! Enjoy!
I made this again tonight, and noticed after I’d already started that I didn’t have canned tomatoes on hand. Normally they’re something I keep stocked. So I substituted with a jar of chunky tomato salsa, and it still came out just as delicious.
Made this tonight, and it turned out perfectly. The lime juice at the end really takes it over the top.
I added Sofrito but Goya which is a base for soup and stews. Next time I’m going to add a bone in chicken breast to add more flavor. I also added cilantro lime rice microwaveable bag of rice which was a great addition!
Beth, thank you for another delicious and easy recipe! This reminded me of the soup I loved years ago at a SoCal Mexican restaurant, and that I never thought to make myself! I also had never used Rotel before, so thank you for that introduction! I added rotisserie chicken at the end, since I happened to have some frozen, and next time I’ll try adding rice and skipping the chicken for a veg version.
Super easy and delicious !
I made this and my wife and mother in law both loved it.
Try it today….your family will love it.
This was fantastic. I will definitely be making it again. Highly recommend the pickled onion and tortilla chip toppings. Thanks for a great recipe.
This soup is great! I nearly doubled the recipe and then added a can of hominy to make it a little heartier. It’s got a gentle kick that builds as you eat, but the avocado provides plenty of relief and the lime lightens it up. Great soup if you love chili and/or tortilla soup but want something a little lighter and more refreshing especially during the summer months.
Good soup recipe but WAY too much salt. Use a no salt or low salt chicken broth & diced tomatoes. Add extra seasonings instead if needed! Other than that, yummy soup.
Very good recipe, very authentic. I substituted limes with key limes. Turned out great.
My all time favorite soup EVER!!!
OMGoodness! Very tasty indeed. Used 3 large jalapeño with seeds (hubs and I like it spicy) shredded chicken that I had on hand, and added a little hominy. My husband said, “I think this is one of my favorites”. I can’t wait to taste it tomorrow since it seems most soups taste better the next day. Thanks for the recipe, I’ll be making it again for sure!
I make this recipe often to freeze into single servings for lunch for my husband and me. It is delicious and reminds me of soup I had in Mexico City! I use BONE IN chicken breast for a richer broth. This soup freezes well since it does not have noodles. Delicious!
I found your recipe a few years back and still enjoy it so much. I like to add a can of hominy or make a batch of cilantro lime rice to add to my bowl. So flavorful and yummo 😋 thanks for the recipe
This is maybe my favorite soup, I love how light it is. And its very easy! My go-to to have something cool but easy if i’ve got people over.
Made this tonight. Eliminated the jalapeno but added half a can of diced chilies. Amazing! The splash of lime and chopped cilantro are a must. Thanks again for another great recipe ♥️
This is a terrific recipe, I make this soup often and the family always enjoys it.
I sometimes add black beans or chick peas to bulk it up. For the topping I usually have shredded cabbage, cilantro, avocado, Queso fresco, baked tortilla strips and of course a good squirt of lime. This soup is very filling and is great the next day!
I commented on this because I’ve got this on my dinner menu tonight and there’s nothing better than this soup on a cold winter night!
This is such a delicious and easy recipe!! I added queso fresco to it when I served it and more lime juice.
This has been on the to-make list for so long. I finally made it today and love it! I almost exclusively use budget bytes recipes, so I know Beth likes spicy. I love the guidance on dialing it down. I skipped the jalapeño but kept the rotel, and it was great! One half of an avocado per serving is more than necessary but absolutely delightful.
This soup is perfect as is, and has lots of room to customize. I sometimes add beans. Top with diced avocado, squeeze more lime, & crumbled corn chips. Thanks!
I, too, have been making this recipe for several years and have not posted a review. This is one of the best “tortilla soup” recipes I have found. I live deep in the heart of Texas, and tortilla soup is a staple around here. However, I prefer the clear or light broth version that a certain Tex-Mex restaurant founded in Austin serves vs. the darker broth recipes. This is pretty darn close to the soup served in that restaurant. I also add corn, zucchini and carrots and top with some shredded Monterrey Jack (along with the avocado and tortilla chips.)
I seriously have not tried a bad recipe here. Thank you!
I did
I’m a lead hostess gringa that often runs food :). Mi hermanos en la cocina served me a chicken soup. Amazing. I’m trying this to possibly get close….im adding zucchini and yellow squash like he did. I only had Serrano pepper so I added w/o seeds. Hopeful. The cilantro and slightly spicy broth made me cook again
Amazing! I just got married and am working on upping my meal prep game for my husband. This is a winner! I did a non-spicy version with half the tomatoes (to be gentle with his acid reflux) and extra chicken.
Delicious! Less salty than the soup I get from the Mexican restaurant and much less expensive when made in a batch and frozen. I used poblano peppers instead of jalapeños and used no salt fire roasted canned diced tomatoes. Unbelievably good! Will add to fave recipe board!
I’ve been making this recipe for many years now and it never fails to disappoint. I’ve started adding white rice to the soup to make it a little more filling. So delicious.
Can anyone tell my what size pot is needed? Would a 4 liter (or 4 quart) pot be big enough?
Yes, this recipe makes about 9 cups total, so 4-quart should be good. :)
Thank you for the quick response! I tried the soup, it is delicious! I added some black beans and a little cooked black rice for some extra carbs, we love it!
Just realized that I’ve been making this for 9 years now and never left a comment! This is so good that I’ve made it both in summer and winter. There’s room to add more ingredients to your liking, or incredible as is! The best part was it was so easy to make 9 years ago as a mom to an infant and on a tight budget. Fast forward to now when my husband was a part of a company wide layoff, I knew exactly what to make to save on groceries. Thanks so much for all of your recipes, but especially this one!
I’m so glad this recipe has served you well for so long! :D
THIS SOUP! It’s one of my absolute favourites. The recipe is perfect exactly as written. 5 stars!
This is a favorite at my house. I’ve had extra people show up and I added a can of black beans and some frozen corn to bulk it up and everyone still loves it. I don’t deseed the jalapeño as we like it spicy. Its good with grated cheese on top, too!
Always a go to. I also leave the jalapeno seeds for heat and add a potato or two
Woaaaah!!! This one is a hit! The flavour is SO INTENSE. Maybe our jalapeño was just particularly good, but this soup is spicy and sour. Don’t skip the avocado or cilantro because they really balance it out! I actually can’t believe how phenomenally this tastes after only simmering for 45 minutes. Perfect summery soup for impromptu dinner guests.
I love this recipe! This soup is not only DELICIOUS but so easy and quick! I think I have made this soup once a month since discovering it in December. Yum
Love this recipe. Will it freeze ok?
Yes, this one will freeze great. :)
Made this today and it’s fantastic! Very flavorful but also easy to make! I used some homemade chicken broth I had in the freezer.
This one is a hard one for me to judge. I made it in the instant pot, followed all the steps and ingredients, but just put it on high pressure for 10 minutes instead of boiling it for 45 minutes. The chicken came out tender, but the soup was quite bland. I had the lime, cilantro, avocado, corn chips…but still something was missing. Not sure if it was because of the instant pot or not. Will try to boil it down a bit more.
This soup was excellent. I used pickled jalapeños and regular diced tomatoes because I had them but everything else the same (a little grated lime peel) and it is so good. Thank you for all the goodness 😋
My favorite soup ever! I modified it by using one can of diced tomatoes w/ green chiles and one can of diced tomatoes w/ jalapenos then omitting the jalapeno as well as adding a can of corn. Delicous!
Made this but made rice and added canned corn, double the limes and the cumin, and added a few bayleaves to the broth. Seared the chicken with garlic and onions because I had frozen chicken. Thanks for sharing, this is a good and cheap recipe that I have added to my rotation!
I have made this soup numerous times now and it’s a hit with the while family! I do not use jalapeños though. Thank you so much for this recipe! 💗
This is one of my new favorite soups! I brought some to work for lunch and everyone walking past the lunchroom commented on how good it smelled. I’m a fiend for cilantro and lime.
I substituted low sodium broth and no salt canned tomatoes with a can of hatch green chiles because I am on a low sodium diet. Still tastes great with some tortilla chips crumbled on top! It reminds me of the excellent soup from my local Mexican restaurant that is now too salty for me to eat. :’)
Can’t wait to try this! It looks delicious! Do you think this could be made in the Instant Pot?
You need a certain amount of empty space in the pot in order for pressure to build. We haven’t made this recipe in the Instant Pot, so we don’t have the correct measurements to share. XOXO -Monti
I have made this soup multiple times over the last couple of years. It’s excellent as written. Sometimes I’ll add in some shredded cabbage or diced zucchini to get some extra veggies in. One of my favorite recipes!
This meal is literally perfect. I’ve been trying to branch out more with my cooking and eat less red meat. The instructions are simple and straight forward. Only strayed from the recipe once and it was because I ran out of chicken stock. I substituted the last two cups of broth with two cups of water and two chicken bullion cubes–it came out perfectly. Overall, I’m really satisfied with how well this recipe turned out. 100% will be making it again!
Wowza, so good! I made the soup exactly as written and wouldn’t change a thing. Loved the avocado and some crushed up tortilla chips as toppings!
One of my absolute favorite soups. The flavor is insane and it couldn’t be easier to make. I eat it all the time but it’s also perfect for when you start feeling under the weather…the gentle heat clears out your nose and the freshness just hits the spot.
This soup was packed with flavor! Delicious and nutritious. I highly recommend this for a quick, easy to make meal that the whole family will love.
Great all-year-around soup recipe. Cilantro and lime are so fresh it doesn’t even matter it’s a hot soup in the summer!
I tried a soup recipe like this recently but the main difference was no tomatoes and the addition of great northern beans. Both versions look amazing!
This is a favorite at my house! We like it spicy, so chop the jalapeño without removing and pith or seeds, and pass extra lime to squeeze in at the table. Thank you!
I love this recipe! I use less broth and more chicken, and just plain tomatoes instead of the ones with chilis (but I still use the jalapeno) and it’s great. I also sometimes add hominy, in which case I use the full amount of broth.
I was looking for something easy to make with the chicken I defrosted. This looks like a tasty option.
This soup is SOO good!! Tastes almost identical to the chicken soup served at my local Mexican restaurant! One little substitution that I made… Mexican Style Rotel! It has lime & cilantro in with the tomatoes & green chiles… mmm mmm mmm! So good! It’s even better the next day when all the flavors have had time to mix together. Thank you for sharing!
Is this supposed to be 1/2 Tbsp or Tsp of cumin? Usually recipes list spices in decreasing order, and 1/2 tbsp isn’t as common in my experience. Thanks!
I used ½ Tbsp, or 1.5 tsp. :)
I made it as the directions, at the end I went a little free style and added a dollop of sour cream, it is delicious
Delicious and full of flavor!
Think this could be done in a crock post?!
We love making it and my husband wants to make it for his station but worried if they get a call they would have to stop cooking it
Yes, I think that would work well. You can use the method that I used for my Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup as a guide. :)
This soup is so comforting and probably one of my favorite things to make. I suggest cooking some white rice on the side and adding it in when you serve (helps make it a bit more filling).
I also suggest getting more than one avocado so you can cut it up each time you reheat it.
Additionally, I have to have a lot of protein to make me feel full so I added a second chicken breast. Turned out perfect!!!
This was SO good and so easy! I didn’t have the cumin or oregano, and it still turned out great! Sprinkled some shredded cheese on top.
This is a favorite in my house! I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. I also add rice so it’s a Chicken and Rice soup. Kids and husband love it!
This was really, really good. I rarely make comments… Added a dollop of sour cream as well at the end. Delicious. Thank you!
Great recipe. I love heat, so I added in the Hot Rotel with habanero peppers. I also added salt, pepper and accent for added flavor. (I also took the easy way out and used a rotisserie chicken instead of a raw chicken breast. Lol )
Good stuff. I used chicken thighs instead of breast and it worked. A little harder to shred, and might have made the broth fattier than intended. Still plenty spicy even without the jalapeno!
Love this recipe but as so common with many dishes, the sodium is sky high.
Is one chicken breast enough to make six servings?
My recipes are typically not very meat-heavy, but you can always add more if you’d like. :)
When anyone in my house is sick, I make this soup. Very easy to tweak and make your own, but it’s also great as is. When my husband and I were first dating, this was the first meal I made for him. He had 3 bowls in one sitting :-)
Delicious, flexible, and quick to make. I add extra of all the spices, because why the heck not? Also, it’s already super healthy as it is, but I’ve gotten into the habit of adding kale at the very end to make it a wee bit heartier – it would definitely accommodate a plethora of other veggies if you felt so inclined.
Loved it! I didn’t have celery so I added carrots. Made it for my housekeeper, and she suggested throwing a can of pinto beans in which was delicious and then she said to pour it over rice. Easy-peasy! I’ll probably also add corn next time.
This recipe is so incredibly delicious. Do you think I could substitute red peppers for the tomatoes?
I’m not sure how much that will affect the flavor without trying it, but if you do decide to try it I would definitely also add a small can of diced green chiles. You don’t want to miss those or the flavor will definitely be affected!
This has become a staple for me! I make it about twice a month for meal prep, adding 2-3 sliced carrots with the onion and celery, a bay leaf or 2, a couple of diced zucchini about 10 mins before pulling the chicken out, and juice an extra lime. Anything left at the end of the week gets frozen in a large silicone muffin pan, then stored for dinners when I’m not up for cooking. Such a great recipe!
Any idea how to best adapt this for an instant pot?
I’d probably use the sauté function in the beginning and then once all the ingredients are added I’d use the poultry setting to make sure the chicken cooks to the point where it is shreddable. :)
This is now a staple dinner item in our family. We love spice and lime juice so I add a little extra of both. I make it in the crockpot and it turns out great! (I’m so lazy) If you don’t like spice, you’ll still love this recipe. I’ve made it with and without the kick and it’s fantastic.
Love love this!
I didn’t have everything in the recipe so I did #MakeDoRecipe by using chicken drumsticks (thighs would work also) as I don’t purchase breast meat. More cumin, onions, garlic less oregano. No jalapeño, so diced tomatoes and canned green chilies. Two corn tortillas sliced into bite sized pieces and quick fried.
ATM I am on the beach in the tropics rather than the PNW on a heavy fog.
The fragrance is delicious. Of course I didn’t wait to taste until dinner as I am not a masochist.
This soup is delicious! We like to add corn and black beans and extra lime. Excellent recipe!
This was super delicious!! I think next time I’ll cut the onion in half and also add some carrots to punch up the veggies. I did leave the seeds in the jalapeño and put in two limes’ worth of juice, but I really like lime juice. I also was able to get tenderloins cheaper than chicken breast so used that instead, which is a little bit of a pain to try to fish out with tongs but definitely was easier to shred and I felt like the chicken was able to absorb the flavors of the broth more. It was super delicious and it made enough for me to eat all week!
Just made this – it’s fantastic!
Does this soup freeze well?
Yes, it does! :)
I make this often! It’s sooo good and flavorful!! I add broccoli to mine 😋
Easy and delicious! We like it spicy so don’t remove seeds from the jalapeno. We fry up some strips of corn tortilla and sprinkle some lime salt (Tajin) on them then top the soup with them. Thanks for a winner!
Love this … simple, delicious and fast. We already had the homemade chicken broth and shredded chicken, so that made it extra tasty and swift. Some changes based on what we had in the kitchen: no celery, used 1 serrano chile pepper instead of jalapeño, used a 14.5 fired roasted tomatoes b/c didn’t have what the recipe called for. I’d like to try it spicier as the recipe calls for, just for comparison…but this was deelish even in its more milder version. Also, doubled the cumin and toasted it before adding to the soup.
Oh my gosh, I’m almost weepy with anticipation on this one. It happens to be the very day when I haul all my farmers’ market tomatoes and Hatch and ancho chiles to the park’s charcoal grill to prep for the freezer, to last the winter. Once the chiles are sloughed, seeded and pureed, I’ll be tossing some of that puree and a lot of these tomatoes into this broth. It looks pretty perfect as-is, and for a reason I couldn’t place I also bought a bunch of limes this week. This flavor profile looks perfect for right now.
I’m also grateful that the chicken prep is so simple. Thanks!!!
This is amazing! Tastes just like the Mexican restaurant soup I love so much with the added bonus of a controlled spice! I am adding this to the rotation for sure 😍
So wonderful! It ended up tasting very similar to a chicken soup served by my favorite Mexican restaurant. Since I’ve moved away, I’m so excited to be able to make this as a substitute. Great comfort soup and just spicy enough to warm me up.
Excellent! Used shredded chicken from leftover Insta pot meal and was able to complete the soup in 30 minutes easy. Will repeat as family liked it. Cilantro added an excellent flavor.
This would be a nice soup for a light starter, as it is very refreshing and easy to eat, however, I found it a little underwhelming for dinner. I’ve had authentic chicken and lime soup from several parts of Central America, and every region does it a little differently but this was definitely unlike any soup I’ve ever had. I doubled the recipe for a family party and everyone felt it was just missing a little something. Can’t quite place my finger on it… I might try to play around with the recipe, using it as a base recipe. The avocado is 100% necessary though, it definitely made the soup 10x better.
When you doubled the recipe, did you double the broth as well? How runny did you find it to be?
When I make a recipe that calls for cumin, I always double and often triple the cumin. Maybe that’s it? I think palates that prefer “authentic” flavors want more cumin.
Tip: I also like to toss all my cumin in a shallow frying pan and toast on fairly low heat, stirring constantly, until it’s fragrant and also just starts to turn golden-brown. Take off heat immediately and keep stirring til it’s cooled a bit. Once completely cooled, funnel back into the jar and mark that it’s already toasted. Something about this step — which only takes 5 minutes all-told — adds so much depth to the cumin, which I use like a fiend all winter.
Give that a try.
We’ve made this recipe twice and absolutely love it!!
Can you freeze after cooking? Looks delicious!
Yes this is a great freezer meal!
Can you can this soup? If so what is the information for canning.
We have never tried to can it. I would suggest reading the Ball Book of Canning or reaching out to your local extension office for some suggestions.
Just made this. It was wonderful. It was very fresh and flavorful. I did tweak it a little bit. I used 4 chicken thighs I had leftover the night before. The 2 cans of rotes made it too spicy for my liking so I added 3C water and cooked it down. It turned out perfect. The avocado at the end makes it POP. Thank you for posting. Much needed “take out” flavor made at home.
Where did the old recipe go?? I used to love this recipe when it was called xochitl soup but now that you updated it to chicken & lime soup it’s changed. Now jalapeno, oregano & cumin is included. This used to be my favorite soup recipe because it really let the lime and chicken shine & had such a bright fresh flavor. I wish you would have kept the old recipe up & just added this one as it’s own. :(
Hi Maegon! Just shoot us an email at support@budgetbytes.com and we’ll get it for ya :)
I like adding chickpeas to this soup to bulk it up a little and leave out the jalapenos, and then it’s the perfect level of spice and filling for me. My husband requests this all the time! Thanks for the yummy recipe. =)
This recipe is AMAZING and SO SIMPLE! The flavor is almost identical to our favorite Mexican restaurant’s chicken soup, but even better! I bought pre-cooked, shredded chicken, and so start to finish this recipe took about 15-20 minute, and tastes like it’s been simmering all day! So delicious – I did add some pico de gallo I had on hand and a pinch of salt, but would be good with or without it. Definitely going in the ‘staple recipes’ file!
Made this tonight and it’s so scrumptious! I only used one 14 oz. can of tomatoes (trying to stretch out my canned goods right now) and it feels like the perfect chicken to broth ratio. Between the sour lime and the shredded chicken, it strikes a beautiful balance between hearty and bright. Thank you for sharing!
One of my favorite soup recipes! Perfectly seasoned. I, too, had a wonderful chicken lime soup on a trip to Mexico that helped me overcome some issues with an upset stomach. I kept searching for a soup recipe that was most like the one we enjoyed on that trip and this one comes very close. Maybe its even better! I have made this soup numerous times and have given away portions along with the recipe. Thank you!
really really yummy! can even add cooked rice in if you want, thats how ive had it served at restaurants before
Do you add rice to the pot or serve it over already-cooked rice?
We made this almost entirely as written, but we added one can of rinsed black beans, and one can of corn. This gave the soup a little more substance. But we loved it! Served it with tortilla chips to soak up the broth.
I know Beth really recommends avocado as a topping, however, I am super-duper-hospital-visit allergic to avocado. Is there a substitute that’s recommended (here and in general)?
It might be worth having it noted, since people with latex allergies also tend to be allergic to avocado.
Hi Teresa! In this case for the soup it’s really just an added garnish and adds a bit of creamy texture. There’s not really a substitute to avocado, but for here I would suggest a dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt!
Could this be done as a slow cooker recipe do you think? Maybe 4 hours on high or 6 on low? Still adding the cilantro and lime at the end. I’m trying to fit this into a “Gal-entines Day” lunch with a crazy busy schedule!
Love Galentine’s Day! Put everything into the slow cooker except the cilantro and lime juice. Cook on high for four hours or low for eight. After cooking, shred the chicken and then stir in the lime juice and cilantro. That should work! :)
This was DELICIOUS!! It’s going into heavy rotation. Used a pack of boneless, skinless thighs, fresh tomatoes with a 4oz can of green chilies, 2 limes, the entire bush of cilantro and kosher salt. I topped it with avocados, crushed cafe style tortillas and Mexican crema. Soooo good! The hubby said this is the best soup he ever had.
This soup is amazing. Bursting with flavor and it’s easy to put together. The avocado adds a slightly creamy flavor to this soup which is a perfect addition to the spice of the jalapeño and slight tartness of the lime. I’ve made this over ten times, and love it every time.
I’ve made this soup several times! Absolutely love it. But this time around, I was distracted and accidentally added the lime in to the soup and then added my chicken instead of waiting until the end 😭. Do you think that will make a difference?
You should be just fine!
Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! This soup has kept me breathing easy though the sniffle season!
I can’t handle jalapeno, even if I’m a Texan, but poblano peppers add enough kick for me.
This is probably my favorite soup ever. Don’t skimp on the lime juice. I sometimes add more chicken if I have it, but it’s good with just one breast. The broth is SO good. We “thicken” it with crushed tortilla chips. We like spicy so I usually have another fresh jalapeño chopped for topping. It makes a nice crunch. Just had it again tonight and can’t wait for leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
I’ve made this soup multiple times and love it! However, I like it even better when I swap the olive oil out for a smaller amount of a more neutral oil (like 1 TBSP of canola oil) that really lets that lime flavor shine through.
SO good and SO cheap! I made this when I was feeling a bit under the weather and it was perfect.
Wow! This is the second recipe I have made Fromm you and this is soo good! I love stuff so o added more tomatoes and chicken. I only used 4cups of chicken broth. This is sooo good. I am so glad I found your site. We also had the vegan lentil soup. Yum
First time making this and it turned out pretty well despite some minor setbacks (I thought I had oregano and celery already at home when i bought everything else…). I omitted the Jalapeno because personally I don’t enjoy super spicy food, and the two cans of tomatoes and chilies made the soup spicy enough. Next time though, I may just go for 1 15 oz can of the tomatoes and chilies and maybe 1 more chicken breast because with two cans there were way more tomatoes than chicken. Again, despite these setbacks/things I’d change, it was still a good recipe!
Thanks for the honesty Opal!
This soup has great flavor, but I like the broth to have a some body. I took out some of the broth, simmered some potato in it, then pureed that and added it back into the soup. Perfect!
That sounds like a delicious way to thicken it up some. Thanks for sharing Mary.
I made this as directed (milder version without the jalapenos), and it’s one of my most favorite Budget Bytes recipes yet!
The recipe listed here makes a pretty soupy soup (more liquid to solid than I usually like). Next time, I will probably double the chicken and add less broth.
Good to know Whitney!
Soooo good and so simple!
Thanks Denise!
I’ve made this like 4 times. I live with my brother who is a cook and he was freaking out about how good it was. All I change is that I add black beans to it t make it a bit heartier. Some crushed tortilla chips on top too is pretty bombalicious. Thanks so much I love this site!!!!!
Black beans are a great addition! Thanks for sharing Dustin!
A great twist on chicken tortilla soup, have made twice!
Thanks Madison!
Sooo good! Everyone loved it! So good for cold days. Will definitely be making it again.
Stay warm Victoria! :)
One of my favorite go to recipes. It is simple to make and incredibly delicious. I make it exact but I do make white rice on the side. Spoon a little bit into the bowl with the avocado then add the soup. Makes it a hearty dinner!
Love it with a little rice! Thanks Brittany.
This was so good. I made it on a whim today. It was spicier than I expected, but still really good!
Have to get the macros for this soup so I know if I can make it more often haha
Ha! Happy to hear it Alex!
Delicious! We were looking for a recipe for something similar to what we get at our local mexican restaurant and this is spot on. We make rice but do not add to the soup or it becomes porridge. We put the rice in the bottom of our bowls and top it off with the soup.
We love it! Thanks for the recipe!
Oooh great tip! Thanks Amy!
I just made this soup for dinner and my boyfriend (who doesn’t think soup is a meal) LOVED it! I halved the recipe and it worked perfectly (had leftovers for lunch, too)! I did not have yellow onion so I used red onion; and I did not have diced tomatoes with green chiles so I used a can of diced tomatoes and used 1 whole jalapeno instead of half. Great spice, loved the lime! The avocado is a must!
Love this! Thanks for sharing Jess.
Can you make this in a huge batch and freeze? Does it freeze well?
You can! It would freeze wonderfully.
Kelly, this has been my favorite soup for quite some time. I have a favorite local Mexican restaurant where I get their chicken lime soup and it’s almost as good as yours! Thank you for many good recipes. I appreciate your efforts!
Thank you Ann!
This is a favorite for my wife and I!
For style points; I’ve added a couple poblanos and Chipotle powder as well as chopping up the cilantro stems and letting them simmer the full time, reserving the leaf-parts for the end!
Yes have to add that little bit of flare at the end!
Any tips on adding rice to this?
I’ve never tried it, unfortunately! You’d probably want to do it toward the end, though, so the rice doesn’t completely break down during the cooking process.
Hi Beth!
Thank you for always making extraordinary dishes that are so delicious! You have saved my budget palate from destitution!
Quick question, if I decided to use rotisserie chicken, would I cut my boiling time down to 20 minutes? Or what would you suggest?
Yep! If you’re using pre-cooked chicken you don’t have to boil long enough to make the chicken shreddable. 15-20 minutes should be plenty.
Made this tonight. So good. Thank you.
Thanks Lauren!
Delicious!!! Thank you! :)
Hi Beth, Looks really good! Do you think I could add pasta to it an if so how much? Also could I add the dry pasta to the pot? Thanks, Shannon
Sure, I think you could definitely add pasta to this. :) I would probably add 8 oz. pasta, and I’d do it right after adding the shredded chicken back in. Then just let the pasta boil in the soup for about 7 minutes until it’s tender, then carry on with the recipe (adding lime juice, etc.)
Wondering…..could this be made in an instant pot?
I’m sure you could. I would try the soup function. :)
I just made it in the Instant Pot. I used 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs and did 15 minutes high pressure. Came out perfect. Thank you for the recipe.
Happy to hear it!
Illness prompted my choice of this recipe today … Love the flavour medley going on in this soup and definitely would enjoy as-is for a summer soother, but now that it’s fall, I should have realized I’d need more “body” – next time, I will definitely beef this up with some rice or beans :) I subbed out the jalepeno for a habenero, and that gave the level of spice my sick sore throat could handle today. All in all though, a perfect comforting cuppa that steps away from traditional chicken noodle if you want to explore something new :)
Sorry you aren’t feeling well! Great swaps though. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve never commented before but I feel the need to tell you that I’ve been making this soup, proabably since about 2012 when you first published it and it is my single favorite soup ever. I’ve almost become known for it when anyone in my extended family is sick. Its simply the best. I’ve tweaked it a bit over the years and usually do it in a slow cooker, but it is so delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing Holly!
This is a FANTASTIC recipe. I substituted the celery for fresh okra and it worked well! Great budget soup! I will definitely make this again :)
Oh that sounds like a delicious swap. Thanks for sharing!
So.Much.Flovor.
Will definitely be making this again :)
Thanks Catherine!
Has anyone tried this in a slow cooker? Trying to decide if it would be feasible or not! :)
While I haven’t tried it, I think it would probably work well. I’d do 4 hours on high or about 8 hours on low.
Yes! I’ve actually been making this for years, mostly in a slow cooker. I usually saute the veggies on the stove then transfer it and all the other ingredients (except cilantro and lime) to the sloow cooker and cook on low for about 6 hours (sometimes longer) then shred and add the lime juice and cilantro. I absolutely love it. I usually add quite a bit more quicken, but I love how it comes out in a slow cooker.
I love this soup so much! I’ve made it twice now and my husband is a huge fan!! I make it with rice :)
I like adding rice to mine too!
Question- do you follow the instructions on the Better Than Boullion jar that says to use 1 tsp for every 8oz of water? I have heard some people say that is too strong and you should use half that amount. Please let me know!
Hi Alina, Yes I use the ratio suggested on the jar for Better than Bouillon (1 tsp BTB per 1 cup water). :)
This was delicious! Like other people suggested, I added black beans and some rice I had in the fridge. I also used the juice from two limes.
This soup was incredibly tasty. I cooked enough for two days and ended up having all of it, will definitely make again.
My modifications: no celery, no cilantro, an two tablespoons of Better Than Bouillon chicken soup base in addition to the chicken broth.
Thanks!
This was so easy and so delicious! Adding into the regular rotation.
My mods: added a chicken breast, skipped jalapeño, added ancho Chile powder.
Topped with: crema, avocado, crushed tortilla chips, cilantro
I skipped the jalapeño and added crushed dried chili and cayenne pepper instead. I also added about 1 cup of rice! Turned out amazing!!!
Easy and delicious!
My son makes fun of how much I make soup, but he tried this last night and immediately said “Wow this is so good mom- I know I am going to have a second bowl”. I think the lime really makes it a winner. I repeat others here by adding beans, hominy, or rice to stretch it out.
Instead of the tortillas, i cooked some brown rice and spooned about a 1/4 cup in mine. I have also seen some people cube potatoes and put them in the soup! This was a very yummy recipe! And it made plenty so that I could enjoy it for another day!
Garnish with fried tortilla strips and some crumbled queso fresco (Cotillo or Feta work, too)–you have what most Texans call Tortilla Soup. This clear version is much more common than thickened and overly flavored versions found mostly outside of the state.
That’s what I was thinking, this is what I think of as Tortilla Soup. I never order it at restaurants anymore cuz whatever that creamy cheesy thing with beans is they bring out it is not tortilla soup.
I make a recipe super similar to this (fry my own tortilla strips, roasted tomatoes instead of rotel, sometimes roasted corn, jack cheese as a garnish) a couple times a month. It’s the one dish that gets everyone to the table on the first call.
Oh yum!
I know I have reviewed this before, because it is a work lunch staple. I will be making it soon. My tip for freezing is this: cool the soup, spoon into the container you will use to transport it to work (tupperware, glassware, mug, etc) then freeze it. Next, remove the frozen bricks of soup into a ziplock gallon bag, label, and pop back in the freezer. Plasticware is easy to pop frozen soup out of. If using glass, or other, a quick spritz of non-stick oven spray makes the mug or glass easier to pop out, or just run it under a warm faucet. Thanks Beth, so good!
Great tips Colleen!
This soup looks incredible! I can’t wait to make it in the fall!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
I am also a soup all year person! People think I’m weird, but I find it to be one of the easier things to make, it freezes perfectly for days when you just need food and have no time/energy/inclination to cook, and it can be very healthy. I haven’t made this, but I plan to modify to my slow cooker vegetarian life like this:
-double the recipe in my 7qt slow cooker on high
-replace the chicken with pinto beans. 1 can is equivalent to your 3/4 lb chicken.
-Note: I’ve found that 1 lb dried beans=4 cans, so per recipe I would use 1/4 lb of dried beans. I’d also add a 1/2 cup of water because I’m not going to soak them first, just going to cook on high all day.
-veggie broth
-no cilantro because I think it’s yucky
I love how easy it is to convert so many of your recipes. You’re my go-to blog!
How do you freeze this?
I think the best technique here would be to cool it in the refrigerator so it comes down to a safe temperature quickly, as you don’t want it at room temp very long. Once fully chilled, then transfer to your freezer bags and pop it in the freezer. :)
I think the best technique here would be to cool it in the refrigerator so it comes down to a safe temperature quickly, as you don’t want it at room temp very long. Once fully chilled, then transfer to your freezer bags and pop it in the freezer. :)
This is one of my go-to recipes, especially if I’m feeling like I’m coming down with a cold. The spiciness helps to clear head congestion better than any OTC meds.
I love to add a can of black beans and a few handfuls of already cooked rice to stretch the soup out a little more. I top with cheese and extra sliced jalapenos for more heat.
Oooh great idea for the beans!
I’m not one to comment much… but here, I just HAVE to!
Since I stumbled over this recipe it’s become my go-to summer soup, it’s just perfect – the sourness of the lime perfectly balances out the fatty chicken-broth and the tomatoes give it a nice fruity flavour – I really am in love.
Even a friend who’s not much for soup loves it – so much so she now makes it every other week – it’s just that perfect!
I owe you quite a lot of thanks, this recipe changed soup for me …so – thanks! :-)
Oh yes, def making this.
This has been a favorite in my house for years now! I’m actually making some right now haha! I leave out the jalapeño but it’s so yummy!! We love it when we’re sick, on rainy days, and just here and there because it doesn’t rain enough here lol! Thank you for this recipe!!! It will be in our house until I grow old 🙂
Made this in the Crockpot for lunches all week. I just scaled up the recipe, added a few bay leaves, used Hot Rotel for extra spiciness. The flavor was fantastic. We cut up avocados when we actually ate lunch and put it in and it was so good. So glad I found this recipe. Thanks!
I love the flavor of this recipe. I recently posted a variation where I added black beans for extra protein, and hominy for fun. :)
My tip: save your chicken bones in the freezer and use them to make your broth. Much cheaper, healthier and tastier!
Added this to my winter soup rotation – good, healthy, easy. Thank you!
Really good, an easy go-to recipe with no complicated ingredients. Added more cilantro than recipe calls for because we are fans. Added tortilla chips on the side to finish out the meal.
We add a ton of cilantro too! Like 2 bunches haha!
My favorite soup recipe EVER! So tasty and healthy 🥰🥰🥰
I add chopped red, yellow & orange peppers & zucchini & carrots. I garnish with tortilla chips, shredded cheese & sliced avocado.
I may have reviewed this already but now I’ve been making it fore two years and it’s one of my all time favorite recipes! I make it almost weekly. It’s also great to make and freeze for later!
This was wonderful! I loved it and will make it again and again. I actually cooked chicken tenders in the slow cooker with some salt and pepper and a little lime juice while I was out running errands and added the broth to the soup when I got ready to put it all together. It was great.
I dont have have any celery or jalapenos. Will that drastically affect the taste?
Yes, that will probably change the flavor quite a bit.
Does anyone know how many calories are in one serving of this?
This is one of my favorite lighter soups on Budget Bytes and I make it at least once a month. The recipe is delicious as written but is also highly adaptable. I had a half a bunch of collard greens left over from making West African Peanut Stew earlier this week, so I sliced those very thinly and added them to the soup for the last 10 minutes of simmering time. I’ve also added some black beans for additional fiber, or served over a scoop of leftover rice. It’s fantastic anyway you serve it.
Can this be made in crockpot ?
This would probably work in a crock pot, although I haven’t tried it so I’m unable to offer specific instructions.
I have a pound of shredded chicken left over from another meal. This recipe sounds amazing for it. When do you think I should add the chicken in since it is already shredded?
I would add it toward the end. :)
This turned out brilliantly! I added a roasted and diced poblano pepper to the pot, as well as white rice (cooked separately). The flavors of all the ingredients come together beautifully. I will definitely make this again!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe with us!
Can I make this in my new Instant Pot? It seems like it would be a good fit!
I’m sure you could. I would try either the soup function. :)
I used my electric pressure cooker: Instead of simmerint for one hour; pressure cook 5 min./turn to off/wait 10 min./then do a quick release. Continue recipe as written.
Have you ever used frozen chicken breasts and adjusted the time?
I haven’t tried that, unfortunately.
Do you drain the tomatoes?
Nope, add the tomatoes and all their juices. It makes the broth more tasty. :)
I make this by adding zucchini, jarred jalapeños (usually I always have on hand) and a bag of frozen corn. It is my favorite and super fast to put together.
This soup is so good! Thank you for the recipe. Can it be frozen? If so, do I make any adjustments? Thanks again!
Can’t wait to make this tonight! If I add a can of black beans, when should I throw in?
You can add them before the simmer time. :)
Can’t wait to make this!! I have yet to make a recipe of yours I don’t love!
Thank you so much for this treasure of a recipe!! I quadrupled this for a large group, camping and added black beans for more protein!! I love how flexible (not to mention cheap) this dish is!!
This soup was really good. The only thing I did different was cut my chicken breast in small pieces before cooking and simmered it for just half an hour. I will definitely make this again.
I used regular tinned tomatoes, green bell peppers and bird eye chillis and added kidney beans towards the end to bulk it out without the need for rice or noodles. It was phenomenal, and I can’t wait for my rockhard avocados to ripen so I can take it to the next level.
Another winner of a recipe. Thanks, Beth!
I used two limes in mine and it was perfect! Love this recipe!
Made this tonight and it is delicious! I will make it again, and again, and again! I made homemade bone broth, but other than that, I didn’t change a thing. Thank you!!
Love it! Will definitely make again😄
just wanted to say this was absolutely delicious—spot on to my favorite cold remedy soup from the little mexican restaurant by our house with some added rice. thank you so much!!
This was delish! I did make some substitutions out of necessity: bell pepper instead of celery, and fresh tomatoes instead of canned. And I was in a rush so I quartered each breast and was able to shred them after just 15 minutes of simmering. To bulk up the soup I also added a bit of parboiled rice at that stage (and extra broth to compensate), cooked the soup another 15 minutes, and voila!
Best Soup ever to get through cold days. Greetings from Germany!
Is this soup low carb?
Hi Beth! Just stumbled on your site and I love it. Does this soup freeze well?
Hi Amy! Yes this one freezes great. :)
Very tasty and fresh! Yummy even on a hot summer day🙂
I made this in my pressure cooker and it took 30 Minites. Also added a bay leaf. Yum!!!!
If I want to add long grain rice, when should I add it to the pot?
I would do it at the very end so that it doesn’t overcook and get mushy. Then, just let it simmer until the rice is tender.
I just made this last night & it was really delicious! I added a package of VIGO Mexican Rice mix when I shredded the chicken. I also did not add the cilantro & lime to the entire pot; I added it along with the avocado in each individual bowl because I made a double batch to freeze it & like the taste of these 3 ingredients to be fresh. I liked your recipe so much that I’ve already shared it with my sister & friend this morning. Thanks so much!
If making with cooked chicken (leftover from previous meal) then how long simmer? I would assume simmer 30 minutes then add chicken and cook additional 20 minutes but just want to see if anyone else has used cooked chicken vs. raw. Thank you!
Yes, if the chicken is already cooked, you’ll want to add it at the end and just simmer until it’s heated through. You don’t want it to over cook. :)
Can I use 2 or 3 more chicken breasts and still have the same cook time?
I meant 1 or 2 more…
It may take longer to come up to a boil, but once it’s simmering away it should be about the same amount of time.
I made your recipe with a couple changes (accidently) & it was great! I thought I had tomatoes with green chili’s but grabbed tomatoes w/Italian herbs. When I realized that’s what I did, I omitted the extra oregano & followed the recipe for the rest. My husband can’t stop saying how much he liked it, 2 days later!
Has anyone used a can of Rotel mild?
Yes — I actually use fire roasted tomatoes and a couple teaspoons of canned green chiles, but the result is similar. I omit the jalapeno some times, some not.
I’ve tried lot of different versions of this soup and I really like this one. The ingredients are simple and inexpensive. It has a little kick in it but not too much to handle. I used a pressure cooker to speed up the simmer and the flavor was still incredible.
This is one of my favorite recipes on the site! So easy and sooo good. Add in some extra chicken broth/water and 4 oz of wide egg noodles for a chicken noodle soup!
Can u replace jalapeno with cayenne seasoning to make it spicy
You can, but it will also change the flavor.
I actually just made it this way tonight after realizing that my jalapenos didn’t make it when I recently moved apartments & it’s still just as awesome as it was with a jalapeno! I did 1/2 tsp of ground cayenne and it was very spicy for me (but I also am a baby when it comes to spice). Like I said it was still super good!
Can this be made in the croc pot?
Probably, although I’ve never done it. :)
I was wondering the same thing. I would probably do forst steps on stove up to chicken with one change. Since fast cooking chicken can make it tough i would slow simmer/poach chicken then transfer all to crockpot and finish cooking on low. . This way you get flavor from cooking the flavor giving ingredients on stove ehere it can release all the goodness better than crockpot.
I’ve done in the crockpot more than once with no extra steps beforehand. Just toss it all in the pot (except cilantro and lime – add that later when you shred the chicken) and let it go on low for 6-8 hours. I’ve made it both ways, and I think it actually turns out even better using the crockpot since the flavors get to mingle slowly all day long.
Fantastic recipe! I used fire roasted tomatoes w/chiles the second time and it tasted even better. Thanks!!
Delicious as always!!
Pumped up the herbs, as I like it hot, including adding cilantro stems to onion / celery during prep. Also added a can of white beans for extra fibre.
Added to my favourite recipes. Yum, yum!! 😊
What could be used as a chicken replacement? Since I would love to make a veggie version
Maybe hominy? But I think you’ll be changing the flavor profile a lot if you switch out the chicken and/or chicken broth.
can you freeze this soup?
I should have asked – can you freeze this soup that is left over? Does freezing then reheating diminish the fresh lime juice and cilantro taste?
It still tastes good, but the fresh punch from the cilantro and lime is slightly dampened.
Added crushed lime flavored chips to bowl. Delicious also made corn bread muffins with jalapeño peppers
SO YUMMY!! Added a little extra lime, extra seasonings—and of course a huge heap of avocado. We just returned from the Yucatan and have been craving the LIme Sopa ever since we got back; this hit the nail on the head. Yum <3 Thank you!
SO amazing
Amazing flavor and I don’t feel guilty for eating it! Thank you!
I have made this soup several times and it is easy and delicious, a household favorite! I added Mexican rice at the very end, after soup came off stovetop (cooked rice separately). Otherwise, the rice becomes mushy like porridge. I have used avocado when available. If not available, it is still delicious! I can not Thank You enough for posting recipe! I had looked high and low for a recipe that mimicked genuine Mexican restaurant soup.
I make this soup year a round because it is so good. I heat flour tortillas in skillet 30 (+/-) seconds both sides and serve with soup. It is so yummy!lll
Budget bytes I ❤ you. So many good recipes. Made this and added back beans and corn. Had crumbs of tortilla chips left from a bag and had those as a garnish. Easy and delicious! Even with a toddler climbing up my leg and a needy newborn. Thanks for all the great recipes.
This is delicious!! I added a few dashes of chipotle seasoning and some rice to it so that I could better copy the version from our local Mexican restaurant and it was soooo fantastic! Thanks!!!
fabulous
This is a favorite in our house. My husband (who is originally from Mexico) was so impressed with this soup! He asked me “when did you learn to make caldo de pollo?” I told him that I wasn’t trying to make it, but I somehow produced something he liked! lol. He even told me he liked it better than his mom’s which is a huge compliment!! :)
Thanks, Beth!
WOW! Tell him thank you for me! :D
Wow!!!! I have tried a few of your recipes and this is my favorite so far. The broth is to die for!!! The only thing I did differently was add a little more chicken because I had to use it up. This is a perfect recipe!
This recipe has become one of my favourites! Easy to make, delicious and satisfying. The only modification I have is not using diced tomatoes with chilies, mostly because I can’t find that and also because I have to watch the heat for my boyfriend. I’ve recommended to people looking for a quick chicken or soup recipe.
How delicious is this soup?!? SOoo delicious! This is my favorite soup thus far. Instead of putting jalapeño peppers I used cayenne pepper and used diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano and garlic. It came out perfectly. I now have all my friends making this soup.. Thanks for sharing!
Made this for dinner last night and it was a total win! Couldn’t be any easier and great flavor! My boyfriend can be pretty picky with soups and he loved this. Can’t wait to make it again soon!
This is soooo full of flavor. I added a diced zucchini and a can of rinsed great northern beans. We served it with tortilla chips. Delicious!!!
This was pretty good, but it was mostly broth and onions and celery. I even used a pound of chicken breasts.
I think next time I will reduce the broth to 4 cups per batch and add a can of beans for more substance. Wonderful flavor though, I love the freshness of the lime.
OMG!!! THIS SOUP IS AMAZING!!! I’m trying to lose weight and I’m also on a VERY VERY tight budget. This soup cost me less than 7 dollars to make as I already had most of the ingredients at home. SO MUCH FLAVOR!! And very filling. I left out sour cream or tortilla chips and just put extra avocado to make it even healthier. I will definitely be making this all the time now!!
This really looks good I will make it tomorrow
How much carbs and protein?
This soup is delicious. I couldn’t be more pleased with it. I doubled the recipe (note: I probably should have used 10 cups chicken broth instead of 12 in doubling, but it’s still really good), had a heavy hand with the spices and lime, and served with tortilla strips (and avocado chunks per serving as suggested). It’s just great. I’m the only one eating it (my roommate’s a vegetarian), and I expected to freeze quite a bit of it, but I don’t think I’m gonna; I think I’m just gonna eat it three meals a day until it’s gone. Yum!
This soup is THE BEST! When I’m craving spice I use the recommended two cans of diced tomatoes with chilis, but to take it down a notch to “comfort food” status I replace one of those with a plain can of diced tomatoes. Less of a kick, but still very flavorful and rich. Add some corn muffins and dinner is served! It freezes well too.I’ve stopped buying canned soup since I started making and freezing Budget Bytes recipes because there is really no comparison, either in flavor or in price.
How can I do this in the crockpot??? Thanks!
I love this soup! A bonus of making it is that your hands smell like limes afterward ;)
I made this recipe tonight for dinner and it turned out AMAZING. It is so flavorful with a little bit of kick. I altered it just a little. I didn’t have any olive oil, so I used vegetable oil. I also didn’t have oregano, so I used dried basil. And I doubled the amount of chicken. I will be using this recipe again!
How can I modify this recipe for a slow cooker?
Delicious!! I added a can of corn and two potoatoes to this recipe. It was yummy!
This was good and I’ll be sure to make again. I ended up using a fresh tomato and purchased a rotisserie chicken. I also had to omit the avocado because the one I bought was spoiled grrrr.
I just made this soup and it was fabulous. Unbelievablely tasty. I had some gouda, which seems weird, but it was suuuper tasty.
We vacation in Mexico every year and at our resort they make this awesome chicken lime soup to die for; this reminds me of that!!!!!! I made this soup a few months ago and I cannot wait to make it again. I did take a shortcut and bought a rotisserie chicken; plain. I followed all the steps excluding the chicken; then added it after everything started to simmer. It was definitely quick to make and extremely flavorful! THANK YOU BETH.
What are those crackers in the pics?
Those are Mission brand tortillas strips (thick tortilla chips in rectangular shape rather than a triangle).
Tout simplement délicieuse !!!
I made this soup and froze it…delish. I love the mix of flavors of spicy and citrus and the chicken is so tender. Wish I had added some avacados but they were overripe at the grocery store.
I LOVE THIS SOUP! Definitely one of, if not, my favorite. I will usually add a can of black beans to stretch it a little farther and add a little bulk. So yummy.
Also…. Don’t skimp on the avocado. It really makes the soup that much more amazing. something about that nutty flavor and smooth texture is just amazing.
Made this tonight for dinner. Again I doubled the recipe and it came out so tasty! This is definitely a favorite!
Has anyone tried adding rice to this recipe? I’m curious how it would work, and if you’d add the rice uncooked or cooked. Any ideas? I’m excited to give this recipe a try!
I haven’t added rice to this exact recipe, but I will often add leftover cooked rice to other similar soups. Always turns out great!
I added uncooked arborio rice and it turned out swell!
Yes, I added a package of VIGO brand Mexican rice mix after I shredded the chicken. I let it cook about 10 more minutes – it tasted great.
To keep this soup tasting fresh, I wait to add the avocado, cilantro and lime until just before serving and I add it to each individual bowl as opposed to the entire pot. The lime and cilantro become flat if you add them to the entire pot – especially if you plan to eat the leftovers or are freezing the soup. Avocado should always be fresh as it doesn’t freeze or store well once cut.
I made this last night and it was wonderful!! So easy to make too!! Will definitely be making this again!!
Super easy, fast and delicious.
Thank you for this recipe. It is my all time favorite soup!!
can this recipe be made in a crockpot?
Yes, put everything in the crock pot (except the lime, cilantro, and avocado) and do four hours on high or eight hours on low. Then pull the chicken out to shred and remove bones, then add the lime juice, cilantro, and avocado. :)
Figured i would take a moment here to say that I’ve been making this soup almost weekly for 10 months now – yes, you read that correctly. It’s become my de facto office lunch, and I’ve converted almost everyone in my office to making it at least occasionally. It freezes exceptionally well so I’ve taken to making double- and triple- batches, which can take care of almost 3 weeks of lunches in one fell swoop.
Seriously, this soup is unreal. I don’t understand how i’m not sick of it yet, but there it is. Amazing.
I, too, have been making this for quite a long time, we love it! I’m so glad to see you post because I’m making a batch for my dad (who loves alone) and was wondering about freezing it. Great to hear it freezes well!
This is the best soup ever!! I love Beth’s recipes. I have never cooked before, and now I cook all the time with Beth’s help. It is so easy and delicious!
Anyone ever added califlower rice to this recipe? It make it thicker?
I wanted to thank you for this recipe. It has become my go-to whenever soup is needed. Easy to adjust, a dream to remember, it is the perfect combination of comfort and flavor. I made this for my Grandfather during his final days on earth; he couldn’t eat sodium, so I didn’t use any salt, and the flavors were still wonderful. There is something warm and true and good in finding a recipe to take to heart; this one has become nestled deep in my bones. The Internet so rarely offers opportunity for depth or poignancy, but I wanted to take the time to let you know that even a little thing like a good recipe can make a huge difference in someone’s life.
Awww, thank you for that! You really don’t know how much that means to me. :) :) :)
This soup is amazing! I ate it over rice and with some homemade nachos. So. GOOD! Ever since I started living on my own (I’m in my second year of college), your website has really helped me out. I finally feel full and like I can survive on my limited budget. Beth, you have honestly changed my life so much and I cannot thank you enough.
One of my favourites! Thanks :)
Soup is very good! At the end, I added a can of black beans and a can of corn (fiesta style). Will definitely make this again!
This soup is so good! I’m vegan, so to make it work for us I switched the chicken for a can of black beans and the chicken broth to veggie broth. I let it simmer for about 20 minutes instead of an hour. Served up with avacodo and better than sour cream on top, sometimes I eat some plain fritos Coen chips with it too. We love this soup! Thanks for the recipe!
Very good. Delicious.
I am making this today.
Hi Beth, your recipes are always delicious and super-simple. I have ZERO cooking experience but your website has really helped me to learn — and to not sacrifice health / taste for a budget! This recipe has become one of my favorites — I usually serve it with rice (really just to make a batch of it last longer, lol). Thank you for such a great site!!!
I usually buy whole chickens is there a way I can make this soup using a whole chicken?
You probably won’t need an entire chicken for this soup, but you could cut the chicken into pieces and use a couple of them in place of the chicken breast. Remove the skin, but the bones can be left in until after it boils. Just remove the bones when you shred the meat. :)
Made this tonight. Soooo good!!! Didn’t have the tomatoes with peppers, just plain canned diced tomatoes so I added 1 tsp of red pepper spice and it was perfectly spicy. Used 2 tbsp of lime juice. Poured over some rice with plain Greek yogurt, cheese and tortilla strips. Already had some shredded chicken so only had to cook over stove on high for 15 to 20 mins. It is a keeper for sure! Thank you.
This looks really good! Any thoughts on whether this would work well with ground turkey, I thought I had chicken in the freezer. ha :)
That would probably still work. :)
I make soup for as many as 50 people at a time – it would be a lot more efficient if I can change the yield shown
to a yield I want. it wouldl make my life a lot easier as this soup (above) is something I’d love to try
If you want to make it for 50, just multiply the recipe by 8.5? It currently serves 6.
I’m planning on making this tomorrow with some precooked shredded chicken (using your method btw!) when would you suggest adding it during the cooking process??
Yes, you can add it at the same time as I added my raw chicken, but you won’t need to let it simmer for an hour (that’s just to make the chicken tender enough to pull off the bone). You can simply let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
Loved this soup and will be making it a lot in the future! I took someone else’s suggestion and poured the soup over rice–delicious and helped stretch out the soup more so we had leftovers for lunch the next day.
I make it a chicken noodle soup, by adding the reames frozen noodles. It’s amazing and oh so yummy.
I live in Canada and I’ve never seen tomatoes with green chilies, or green chilies on their own in a grocery store. Anyone else find that of have any suggestion? I have a feeling that this soup would need the green chilies to taste authentic.
Thanks
Btw really cool site lots of good recipes on here
I found it at no frills!
This soup is AMAZING!! it’s ultra low cal too. Thanks…I have made it 3x now :-)
Made this last night and it was easy and yummy! I followed directions but added a can of hominy. So good!!!
This is one of my favorite recipes to make all year ’round. The flavors burst in every bite. The first time I made it was the first time I made a meal for my wonderful boyfriend.. That was over 2 years ago. It might be why he has stuck around for so long ;) haha. I make my own tweaks with it, like adding a little more chicken & an extra fresh jalapeño for more of that spicy kick we like in this household. It is a hit every time, and I’m so glad I stumbled upon it. I’m making it tomorrow with homemade guacamole and salsa on the side with some tortilla chips. I look forward to it as always (especially on a cold rainy weekend). Thank you for providing such a simply delicious recipe!
I really wish I could find a store with these cheap prices! I’m making this tomorrow and so excited!
I see this recipe serves 6, but it doesn’t say how large the portions are… do you recall? One cup each? One and a half? Thank you!
I’m not sure why I didn’t include that info (this recipe is REALLY old), but after looking at the ingredients, I’m going to guess that each serving is 1.25-1.5 cups each.
Thank you!
Just made this soup and it is delicious. I wouldn’t change a thing!
im also interested to know if it freezes well, I plan on making this tonight!
Yes, this recipe freezes well. :)
I have made this soup at least 3 or 4 times. IT IS AMAZING. The combination of the lime, cilantro, and chicken is amazing. I was thinking about cooking up some egg noodles to add to it, but scratched that idea because the soup is great on its own. Thanks for the recipe :)
I haven’t made this soup yet but I’m really excited to! I’m just starting to get into meal prep and freezing meals to have on a different day. Do you know if this will freeze well?
I am also doing the same. I work late nights so I have been freezing meals for family meals. Really been a blessing to do. I am wondering how I could make this as a freezer meal in bulk. Can I slap all of it in a bag, except for lime and cilantro, then day of, thaw, put in a crockpot to cook all day. Then get home, add lime, cilantro after shredding chicken? Is it necessary to actually cook those first few ingredients. I am SUPER excited to try this out! It looks just like my favorite soup at my former go-to Hispanic restaurant.
This is my favorite recipe of yours! Thanks!
This recipe was just perfect! I’ve had a cold for a couple days now and decided I’d try a healthy soup that would get my metabolism going. This was exactly what I was looking for.
I also added some organic kale into the soup and I would definitely recommend it! I’d say it made the soup.
Thanks for this great share!
I usually tinker with recipes to suit my tastes, but this was absolutely perfect exactly as written. My husband ladled his second serving over a scoop of rice, but I enjoyed it as is, with a little avocado on top and a green salad on the side. Delicious!
Thanks for the rice suggestion! I made some rice to go with the soup and it was awesome. It also helped stretch the soup a little further. :)
This Soup is WOW.
Made this for my family and they loved it. They say its finger lickin GOOD.
Thanks a million.
Just made this for the first time yesterday and I have to say it came out perfect. I had to log in here and say something about it. I’m new to cooking and it was the perfect entry level dish with lots of flavor. My boyfriend who isn’t much into Mexican style dishes really enjoyed this soup. I will definitely be making this again.
This soup is so good! The best soup I have ever made! I added egg noodles because my kids and husband love pasta. Everyone loved it! Thanks so much!
This was so so good. I normally wouldn’t try anything like this but it was great! However I used one lime but I think it was a bit too strong for me :/ The leftovers were better! I added in enough pasta that it could be classified as a pasta dish (due to me not knowing how much pasta per person, then halving it :’)) but I think it made the soup.
Added sour cream at the end too and it was equally good :) I also never expected avocado to go so well with it.
Will definitely make this again!
SO good! Thank you for posting this recipe, it’s amazing
What is the nutritional value please ? Calories particularly. Thank you
One word: heavenly.
I have made this soup a dozen times in the past few months and it is delicious every time! I add 1-2 cups of cooked-from-dry black beans and serve over crushed tortilla strips with a dollop of crema and a bit of monterey jack. So delicious, and the beans make it even cheaper & heartier. I usually make a double batch, it’s even tastier as leftovers.
This was AMAZING YUMM
I was worried that adding a full lime’s worth of juice to the soup would ruin it. I was very wrong. My implementation of this soup turned out very tasty: https://i.imgur.com/82GKA1f.jpg
Oh my gosh… this soup is truly a gift from God!! After the first bite, this soup became my favorite ever (along with my Mom’s vegetable sausage soup)!!!! You are an amazing cook/chef and I hope you start a restaurant or something:) thank you for this soup!
I made this today..it is delicious! I’d had it in restaurants and this is as good as what I’ve had out. Seriously. The only changes I made were adding a little more lime juice and cilantro because I love those flavors and I added 1/2 cup long grain rice. Very good soup. Thank you.
I saw this on Pinterest and made it the next day! I love lime & cilantro, and I like that this recipe is low on processed ingredients. My only changes were to use regular diced tomatoes (since that’s what I had) and to add 1/2 cup orzo at the end (to add bulk & appeal to my 3 kids). I loved it and will certainly be making this again- thank you!!
Just made this tonight. It’s SO good. My husband really loved it too.
I made this yesterday for a baby shower. The mom to be is diabetic, so I went looking for low card soups. So glad I found this. It was wonderful & extremely easy to make. I took some shortcuts (pre-chopped veggies) that weren’t budget friendly but I was under a time constraint. The soup came together quickly and was delicious; it is even better today! Thanks!
I was wondering if you had a calorie count for this yummy soup…. I tried calculating it my self but I gave up lol. Very yummy!
This is so flavorful and delicious. I lost my jalapeno but I had some habanero hot sauce that I substituted which was good. Who knew such a simple to make meal could be so delicious! Oh I also added some white rice while everything was simmering to add some extra substance and it worked out very well.
This was amazing! The broth I used was really salty, but it did bring out the flavors of everything. Another awesome recipe!
Can you add pasta like a rotini to the soup to make it a bit heartier? I’ve made it several times as is and it’s awesome! I’m wondering if adding pasta might throw off the flavors.
Personally I don’t think a thick pasta like rotini would “match” this soup. Maybe a thin, short pasta like what I used for this Sopa de Fideo?
Try white or brown rice!
What is a serving size? Thanks.
About 1.25-1.5 cups each.
I made a double batch, since I need to make lunch of a week in advance. Only thing is, don’t use twice the Cilantro. I did and it looked weird. I know, it’s only an aesthetic thing, but still. Other than that, it turned out great.
Oh, also smashed a piece of avocado and added it to my bowl to see what it’d be like. IT WAS AWESOME!! The zesty lime. The tomatoey tomato. The buttery avocado. MMM.
I made this for dinner tonight and it is delicious! I only had regular diced tomatoes on hand so I doubled the jalapenos. It was really good, and now I have leftovers for the rest of the week.
This is a fantastic soup! well done.
I really love roasting a chicken for dinner the day before then using the bones and left over old root veggies in a crock pot ($15 from value village) over night to make chicken broth then make soup the next day. Nothing like a super low sodium home made chicken or beef broth :) Healthy, makes your house smell delicious and a great way to use up those wilting old onions, celery, potatos, garlic etc. :)
So this looked absolutely delicious and I had to try it…, but I am currently testing FODMAP sensitivities and can’t have garlic, onion, or celery. I changed a few things around though (extra chiles, double spices, smoked turkey, kale, double cilantro, and extra lime zest), and the result is delicious. Thanks for this! Makes eating on a small budget so much easier.
I noticed on a few posts you liking challenges. If you ever run out of them, try a low FODMAP challenge like the SNAP challenge. Maybe not as difficult, but garlic and onions are so delicious they’re hard to avoid.
(I feel like I can’t rate since I changed it so much… =/ )
This soup! So good and a snap to put together. Very nutritious and flavorful, it has a lot of personality and on an unpleasantly cold night like we had tonight, it was warming in every way and made us happy! We sat around the kitchen table feeling grateful for this delicious hot soup and had a fun time! Thank you Beth for another outstanding budget byte.
I randomly google searched for a chicken cilantro type soup and I found this one a year ago. I have not stopped loving it and making it! Thank you! It’s my favorite soup recipe.
I stumbled across some of your recipes on imgur which led me to your site and I’ve got to say that I’m so glad I found it! I love cooking but I often struggle to find exciting weekday meals that don’t need a thousand ingredients or twelve hours to prepare. All of your meals look exciting and tasty yet they’re simple and also cheap!
I’ve bookmarked a load of your recipes and I can’t wait for the week ahead to try a load of them out!
Anyway, this recipe was the first one I tried and it was amazing! I kinda made it into a Mexican chicken noodle soup by adding some nests of fine egg noodles for the last few minutes whilst I was shredding the chicken. I also added some cayenne pepper for a little more heat and I added some Soy too for seasoning.
I’m planning on doing another version of this but with left over pulled pork as well as the noodles, I can’t wait!
Just made this tonight..Big hit with everyone! It has great flavor, is filling and easy to make:)
I love this recipe and always come back to it for a quick healthy soup. I was just thinking and thought I would share, how great would this be over top shredded cabbage, or cabbage on top? I love the crispness of cabbage with tacos and beef soup and I think cabbage would give a nice crunch that chips on top would give (which I love) without the calories. mmm…mmm
So excited about trying this recipe. If I go the crock pot route, would I still need to add the olive oil when throwing everything in the crock pot? I’m not big on cooking, so maybe the answer is obvious, but I’m clueless. Thanks!
Nope, that’s really just to keep the vegetables from sticking in the pot, which won’t happen in the slow cooker because of all the liquid. :)
Found your blog through Pinterest and love it! I’m going to try this recipe tonight. Thank you!
My absolute FAVORITE soup. It tastes so fresh with lime and cilantro. I’ve made this a bunch since I found your site and my whole family loves it. I always serve it with tortilla chips and we sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on it. Delicious. And easy. I love your whole blog. Thanks for great, easy, affordable recipes. :)
I made this last night and it was delicious! My husband loved it so much that he’s requesting that I make it at least 2 to 3 times a month! Awesome recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Made this last night for the second time! My husband and I had my mom, dad, brother and sister in law over for dinner. Everyone loved the soup!! I used two chicken breasts, 8 cups of broth and two cans of diced tomatoes and chiles. Also two limes instead of one.. There was plenty for everyone and for everyone to take home leftovers. Absolutely LOVE this soup it is one of my favorites from your site!
What’s the total calories for this meal?
Thank you
Would this freeze well? I only cook for one or two usually!
Yes, this does freeze well. :)
Hi can i use fresh tomatoes/green chilies instead?
Yes, that would be fantastic. :)
Wow! Eating this now. So yummy. Boyfriend is on his second bowl already. Definitely a keeper :)
I made this last night and took some over to a friends house. They loved it and said “let us know whenever you make this again, because we’re coming over.” It was so simple to make and so flavorful. I will definitely be adding it to my regular rotation.
I made this tonight and LOVE it. Pretty simple to make and delicious. Like Em, this is the first of your recipes I’ve tried and I’ll definitely be checking out your others. Already pinned a few of them I’m eager to make.
Just made this recipe for the umpteenth time, love it so much! I do add corn to bulk it up as I need my fibre :-) I’ve told so many people about your site and especially this recipe.
I was a little wary to try this recipe because I’m not a huge tomato fan….but I love lime, so I went for it and I can’t even begin to explain how happy I am that I did! Very easy to make, and the flavor can not be beat!
I did add a pinch of cayenne pepper, and will add a bit more next time (we just love spicy food…this is great without the heat as well). Also, I would love to try this next time with some rice and also add some black beans to bulk it up a bit.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! Delicious!
Yuuum. This was very easy to make and so delicious. I didn’t have any celery and I used skinless thighs instead of breasts. I skimmed off some oil from the top before serving. The soup came out really tasty and was also an awesome hangover food.
I just found this site last week and have already made several of your recipes. Thanks for your hard work, Beth!!
I just went back for seconds. Amazing. Very easy.
Just made this tonight…it was great (especially since my sinuses are messed up)…I served this with some cheesy corn bread (next time I’m adding jalapenos to the corn bread). The only thing I changed about this recipe was that I added some frozen corn at the end as well as some black beans, then I just heated the soup through a little bit more after shredding the chicken as well as the extra veg and it was PERFECT…:) Love your recipes girl!
I love love love this recipe! I always add a can of black beans to help bulk it up. A dab of sour cream makes it so creamy/delicious!
Just made this soup and it’s amazing. Think I’ll add black beans and corn next time to make it a little more hearty
This was my first recipe I’ve made from your website and holy schmoly was it good! I’m sick with a cold or allergies, I’m really not sure which one it is, so I’m congested. I figured I might as well find something with some kick to see if it helped.
Well this did! I followed the recipe exactly other than adding 3 chicken breasts total as I needed to use them up but this was delicious and I’m going to make it over and over!
So good! Just made this and OMG !! Thank you for the recipe. I added corn and more lime. Delicious!
This was a hit. I didn’t add the jalapeno, though– plenty of heat without it!
I made this in the slow cooker today. Truly great. I added the lime juice about 30 minutes before eating it and added the cilantro at the very end. Before I added the lime juice and a bit of salt, the soup was REALLY hot…too hot. With the juice and salt, it had a milder heat. I had to have a bowl before I even made my flour tortillas to go with the soup (Rick Bayless’s recipe, and they are easy and good).
This soup is amazing. Made it yesterday for lunch, then the family and I finished it off for dinner. Now, I’m making another batch for lunch today! So good. Thanks for giving us such amazingly delicious and economical recipes!
Hi Beth, new to the site and loving it! It’s snowy and blustery out- too cold to trek to the store for one ingredient. Perfect soup weather ;)
So….do you think I can sub my home-made salsa for the can of diced tomato w. green chili’s?
(Granted it has gone thru the food-processor and isn’t chunky, but made with diced tomato & green chilis, among other things. It’s the pioneer woman’s restaurant salsa for any of you salsa lovers, stuff is ADDICTIVE)
Thanks for your advice, and keep up the great blog!
Probably! I think that sounds really good :)
I just wanted to let you know that this soup is amazing!!! Even my picky eaters ate their share and wanted more, next time I will either double the batch. Well, if I want left over I might have to triple it! (I have teenage boys that love to eat!)
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I’m glad I doubled the recipe. I added canned black beans to give it more bulk, but that was the only change I made. So easy. Healthy and low-calorie, too!
I just made this using the slow cooker. I used about 8 cups of broth and just threw all of the ingredients in (minus the avocado, cilantro, and lime, which I added at the end). I also added uncooked brown rice and carrots to the slow cooker. Didn’t use cumin. Left a few of the jalapeño seeds for spice. Came out great!
I only have vegetable broth on hand. Do you think this is ok to use or should I run out for chicken broth? Excited to try this!
Vegetable broth (to me) has a much stronger flavor. I think the chicken broth works much better here.
Made this last night and added rice. I wish i had not cause it soaked up too much of the broth, but next time would chose instead to put in corn. It was challenging, i dont cook with onions often and cried like a baby, then i cut up the jalapeno and accidentally scratched the inside of my nose and rubbed my eye even though i washed my hands. It still burned something fierce. most painful meal i have cooked but still tasty. I loved it.
I made this for my boyfriend over the weekend. He said I “knocked it out of the park” and if he had to chose one thing to eat for an entire year, this would be it. I knew he loved me before but now he REALLY loves me. Thank you Beth!
I’m with commenter meagan and am going to add hominy next time for a little more texture, otherwise fantastic.
I’ve made this recipe twice now in roughly a month. It’s fantastic! Bright flavors and lovely for pulling out of the freezer when you’re feeling under the weather. Thanks so much for posting. It’s a new favorite for the girlfriend and I, for sure!
This was delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
This was amazing and SO EASY! Definitely going to be a new regular in my repertoire.
I’m in France and there’s no tomatoes with chiles to be found- any ideas for substitutes? I can’t wait to make this otherwise, it looks delish :)
I would try to look for canned green chiles on their own (plus a can of diced tomatoes on their own) or perhaps you can find fresh mild green chiles.
Thanks for a great recipe! I didn’t have any cilantro, but oh well, this was an easy recipe that I will definitely be making it again.
I just made this tonight and it’s delicious! Got if off Pinterest too. I’m in Arizona so I was happy to pick a jalapeno in the back yard (a pretty zippy one it turns out). This is definitely going in my “make again” file!
I made this yesterday and I have to say, it is amazing! I was snowed in (ok, not exactly but there was a bit of snow on the ground and it was way too cold for me to want to go outside haha) so i did not want to go out and get diced tomatoes w/chiles, so i just used a can of regular diced tomatoes. It was still awesome! Even my boyfriend (who can be a little picky) thought it was the best soup ever. Then for dinner I made a taco bowl for myself and your Jambalaya for my boyfriend. I’m so happy I have found your website. I don’t even bother looking anywhere else for recipes. thank you!
YUMM! I found this on my pinterest feed and I am so glad I did! I had all the ingredients on hand and it was very easy to make! Thanks! Delicious!!
I just made this wonderful soup with my turkey leftovers and homemade turkey stock. I can’t stop eating it! I love it!
Thank you!
Beth, this looks delicious. I was searching for a meal to use at a freezer meal swap (need to make 13 meals) and this has been the best recipe by far on price and flavor. Have you frozen this soup before, and if so do I make it as directed but leave out the cilantro or is okay to add?
Yes, this freezes great, minus the cilantro. You’ll definitely want to add that fresh, after reheating. :) (but even if you don’t, it will still taste amazing!)
Thank you SOO Much for this recipe <3 This was my first time attempting to make soup and it came out fantastic.
Made this for lunch today. It was super tasty! (Bonus: inexpensive, too!) This will definitely be on regular rotation from here forward. Thanks for the recipe!
I just made this last night and it was SO GOOD! I want to eat it for the rest of my life. Forever. Thanks for the recipe. Love your site!
I have made this once a week since 8/31/2013. So good. And its not expensive. Its just the two of us but the leftovers are even better the second time around. :-)
Excellent combination! Just prepared it for dinner, a pity I didn`t have advocado. Next time I will add it, and some more chicken too!
From Madrid, Spain
This smells fabulous in the kitchen right now! I must confess, I had to sample it before it was done. Delicious! I was thinking of adding some orzo… about how much (dry) orzo would you add to this amount of soup? Thank you for your fabulous recipes :)
I think I’d add about a half cup so that it doesn’t overwhelm the soup. There will just be some floating around in there. If you want it heartier, go for a cup.
Thank you Beth for this fantastic webpage full of good ideas!! People like you makes life easier.
I’ll try to do this soup tonight!!
making this now…smells amazing! Did add some corn in there as I have 2 healthy men here who like food! LOL. May also slice & bake some flour tortillas for a little crunch ; )
Is the cooking time the same if your chicken is already cooked? I want to make this tonight using leftovers from beer can chicken last night and don’t want the chicken to be mushy. Ok to leave it in for the whole hour or add it in later? thanks!
Nope, if your chicken is already cooked, you’ll only need to cook for 30 minutes or so – enough time for everything to heat through and blend.
You were right about the lime juice. I added three limes and it was so good. Although, I’m sad to say I used canned chicken broth. I had no time, but I will make some in the future.
I found your blog tonight and went on a crazy pinning spree!! Thank you for all of your hard work here! It’s super apparent. Yum! I can’t wait to get cooking!!
This is my go-to soup when I’m not feeling well, so I always have some in the freezer. Thanks for the great recipe.
If U like el pollo loco’s soup, this is as close as U can get to making it. this is really food, I left out the jalapeno, but it was spicey enough for me with the can of rotel I used. I added a can of corn as well. I will make this a lot this winter. thanks for sharing.
If I can’t find the diced tomatoes with green Chilis, would a can of rotel work?
Absolutely! :)
I just made this soup and it is soooo delicious. I mad a big batch and going to freeze the rest.
I can see this being a really good crock pot recipe too on busy days. I’m not a soup eater but I’m starting to venture into the “soup world” more. This looks delicious!
The best chicken & lime soup!! Even my husband, who doesnt like soup asked to keep it on the dinner list. :)
Thank you so much!!!
This soup is amazing! It has just enough kick for me!
I followed this recipe except I didn’t put celery because I was out and didn’t want to run to the store for one ingredient. I added hominy to the soup for added texture and boy oh boy it was so delicious!!!
Your pumpkin bread in the oven and your soup on the stove! Thank you….and I picked the hottest day of the year to think fall. Oh we’ll, sounded good.
I made this and it was DELICIOUS but my chicken was rubbery/chewy. Has anyone else had this problem when boiling chicken breast?
I would try simmering the chicken in the soup longer before shredding it. It sounds like it just needed a little more time for the connective tissues to break down and become tender.
thank you!
Absolutely loved this. So flavorful and not too heavy. Love the cilantro and lime. I sprinkled some shredded cheddar on each serving and served with tortilla chips. My husband said it was like ‘fresh salsa soul’s (a compliment).
Made it with vegi broth and tofu and instead of dead animal and it was delish !
Beginner here and have been loving your site. When using the better than bouillon for a recipe like this, do I need to boil the water and make the broth before adding to the pot of veggies?
Or can I just add the water and paste together and let it boil after softening the veggies?
Thanks a bunch!
I usually use the second technique – just throw everything in together and the Better Than Bouillon will dissolve in as you stir and cook. No need to do it separately. :)
I made this recipe with my left over oven roasted fajita chicken and veggies. It was spectacular and even more affordable!
This soup is AMAZING! So easy and full of taste! It is my husband’s favorite, he requests it all the time! Well done!
I made this soup last week, and it was very good! Thanks for posting this one!
Joey – Since there’s nothing starchy in the soup, I think some corn bread or even grilled corn on the cob would be a nice side!
This recipe is great! i made it 3 time already and everyone loves it…but i was just wondering what would be a good side to have with it?
Made this soup over the weekend and it was delicious! I used lime juice instead of lime and it came out great, though I’m sure real lime would’ve been better. Thanks for another great recipe!
You’re right – this is a seriously awesome soup, and so easy to prepare. I’ve got it simmering on the stovetop as I write this :)
Ok, I love the original Caldo Xolichi (?) version and I was excited to try this one, and it’s basically amazing except…. the jalapeno, completely unnecessary and it makes the soup almost too hot to eat! I may have gotten a really hot one or something but man o man!!!! Oh and DEFINITELY add black beans to this soup!!!!!!!!!!
so this was the first thing I made from Budget Bytes and boy am I not surprised it made the top 20!
Here is a way to improve this delicious soup even further and make it even cheaper: if you buy a bone-in skin-on chicken brest and use it instead of the boneless skin-off, you don’t need to use boxed or canned chicken broth or soup base.
I’m with Eileen – make your own stock! Pick 2 roast chickens clean (I keep them in the freezer until i have two) throw them in a crock pot with a carrot, celery, ground pepper, any other veggie bits in your fridge that are looking a bit wilted, almost cover the chicken with water, let it cook on low for 8hrs. Freeze until you need it.
Price? Free! You are making stock that is WAY better than salty bouillion, and you’re making it from garbage. Once you try thus you’ll never go back.
I just pinned this! :-) It looks amazing!
Yummm! Gotta try this soon.
This is by far the most delicious soup I’ve gotten online!
Delicious! I just made it tonight. I subbed jarred jalapenos. Perfect for a cool night. :) I love the avocado in the mix! Thanks for being so awesome, Beth!
Yum! I made this tonight with leftover turkey and turkey stock. Spicy, warm, and delicious.
Another great recipe! I added some carrots and doubled the recipe. It came out great! Can’t wait for another bowl tonight!
Really enjoyed this last night as an alternative to the more labor intensive hot & sour soup that is one of our cold weather staples. Used less cumin, but instead added some paprika and a splash of rooster sauce for a different kind of added heat. Will definitely make it again.
this was great. the batch i made lasted us 3 separate meals (just my husband and i) he loved it!
Jennifer – Put everything into the slow cooker except the cilantro and lime juice. Cook on high for four hours or low for eight. After cooking, shred the chicken and then stir in the lime juice and cilantro. That should work! :)
how would you recommend doing this in a slow cooker? like on what setting/for how long/add what when? love your blog! everything i’ve made has turned out amazing.
Now that the weather is getting a lot colder soup seems like the perfect choice. Thanks for this chicken and lime soup recipe.
I used this recipe as a jumping-off point for some deeelicious burritos. I only added 2c of chicken broth and a good bit of thai seasoning, which gave it a different kick. I combined it with jasmine rice and stuffed our wraps full of the mixture. So good we ate it three days in a row!
Delicious!! Thank you so much!
I just wanted to stop by and say I made this soup tonight, and it is delicious! I added some black beans and a bell pepper that I had on hand. Other than that, followed the recipe. I have to admit, I thought it was going to be bland because it is a simple recipe, but it is not at all. SO flavorful. Thanks! And yum!
I’ve made this soup 3 times so far, it’s great! I keep adding stuff to mix it up a bit – my favorite so far has been a soft boiled egg. The yolk mixes in with the broth and adds some great depth. I also spice it up with Sambal Oelek. If I’m making it extra spicy I add avacado to balance it. Delicious!
Love this soup! I’m a college student so money is always tight, and this recipe allows for left-overs, which is always a plus! SO GOOD!!
I just made this last night, and it was INCREDIBLE, Beth. I added some red kidney beans and sweetcorn to give it some more substance. The chicken was perfect, juicy & tender, and I used freshly ground cumin. Posted my photo of it immediately on Facebook with a link to your recipe, and several of my friends have now bookmarked your blog!
Soup was amazing! I used green bell pepper instead of the jalapeno (wanted to feed it to my toddler too) and since I didn’t have cilantro handy, I used fresh parsley and it was divine!! Definitely a repeat recipe! Very easy too :) Served with tortilla strips and sour cream on the side, if desired! Yummm
What else is there to ask for? So flavorful and aromatic at the same time. I just love the smell celery on broth. Simple yet wonderful chicken dish.
Perfect as written, although I sometimes add a bit of corn and/or black beans,or even some diced carrot to get some veggies into my grandsons. When additionally garnished with tortilla strips and a bit of crumbled or grated cheese, this is what most folks in the Austin area call tortilla soup. Here in NC, our favorite local Mexican restaurant adds rice to the basic recipe for a heartier soup. We could eat this several times a week!
Just made this tonight and it is DELICIOUS! I like the idea of black beans that others mentioned. Also, this may have just been me, but my chicken turned out a little dry.
I made this earlier this week and it came out great! My store was out of green chiles so I used a can of jalapenos and omitted the ones at the start and it turned out quite hot. Luckily there was some sour cream in the fridge!
The avocado was the perfect touch.
Beth – this was AMAZING. I added in some extra veg I had in my fridge including a bag of spinach at the end so it just wilted (along w/ the cilantro and lime) and I really enjoyed the extra green in there. Also added a carrot that probably wasn’t necessary, but helped use it up =)
I’m making this tomorrow!!!
Anonymous, I like to throw regular parsley into soups at the end, it adds a bit of mild flavor, but also that taste of something a bit fresher than fully cooked soup.
Beth – just made this today in the crock pot and was AMAZING! I doubled the recipe for my giant crock pot and found when I added the second can of tomatoes I didn’t need most of the broth to fill it. Set it on high for 5 hours while deep cleaning the house and it is now probably my new fave crock pot meal. Looking forward to freezing for the rest of the winter
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This looks delicious! Can’t wait to make it :) I’d love to compair how much it costs to make some of your receipes here in Australia. Because chicken here (at some places and sometimes they’re the only ones with any chicken left) cost me $19.99/kg last night!
I made this but added a can of black beans to give it a little more substance. Delicious! Thanks so much!
I always add about 1/4 C of masa harina to 1/2 cup of the broth (I remove the broth to a small cup at end of cooking time) and whisk it in. Then put the mixture into the soup pot and whisk it. It thickens it up a bit and gives it that authentic flavor I love in this type of soup. I like to add a cup of corn kernels, too.
This soup sounds so good! I’ve been thinking about tortilla soup variations lately, and I think this just pushed me over the edge to actually making it. :)
To make it even cheaper get the chicken breast from a whole chicken you cut up yourself. That should be about .89 a pound. Also, make the chicken broth yourself from the carcass of that chicken.
Yum, perfect comfort food.
You are welcome to join in my monthly food blogger event THE SOUP KITCHEN, here for entry details and current theme. New theme each month. All bloggers are welcome, hope to see you participate soon.
I had half a deli roast chicken left over in my fridge, so this recipe came along at just the right time. I chucked the whole carcass in and let it boil away, then pulled it out and tossed the shredded meat back in. Delicious! The 2 tbsp. of lime juice give it a great acidic kick.
I’ve had cilantro sitting in my fridge waiting to be used. This recipe was perfect to use it up. I used two chicken breasts, no celery, and reduced the broth by two cups to make a thicker soup. Delicious! Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Anonymous – I would just add the cilantro to each bowl (except your husbands, of course!). The cilantro is there for flavor, so spinach wouldn’t do the job.
Currently making this and using the soup to poach frozen chicken breasts. I’m planning on adding a bit of frozen corn and black beans, too, to stretch it a bit. Looks like another hit, Beth!
My husband is allergic to cilantro :c What do you suggest to replace this (spinach?) or could i just add it like a garnish at the end? -Ashley
Soups like this are so pretty! Looks delicious!
I’m going to try this in the crock pot. It will be easy to double and freeze, I think.
Leanne – I was thinking about that the whole time I was making the soup :) I don’t think you’d even have to reduce the amount of broth, although you could if you wanted a slightly thicker soup. Just pop everything into the slow cooker (minus the lime and cilantro) and let it go for about 4 hours on high or 8 on low. Shred the chicken then stir in the lime juice and cilantro and you’re done!
Looks yummy! Do you think this could work in the crock pot if the amount of liquid was reduced?
Oh! I will be making this tomorrow! My grocery store has a very similar sale on chicken this week, so the timing is perfect!
My type of soup! I love it!