Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup
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A bowl of this Mexican chicken and rice soup will bring you so much comfort. It’s savory, and rich but not too heavy. Just what you’re craving on a cold day! Each bite is full of crushed tomatoes, rice, bell pepper, and a homemade fajita seasoning that adds the best flavor.
I have always loved Mexican food, even as a young girl. Growing up, my mom would make all kinds of tacos and enchiladas for supper. We didn’t really ever go out to eat at Mexican restaurants, so even to this day when I think Mexican food, it’s home cooked.
During college, I got the chance to travel with my husband to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where I had the best Mexican food of my life out of food trucks.
Both experiences have trained my taste buds to crave Mexican food now more than ever. Haha! So when I was deciding on what soup recipe I wanted to develop next, I knew I wanted it to be something to satisfy those cravings.
I hope you enjoy this Mexican chicken and rice soup just as much as we do in our home!
Tips to make Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup
- Yellow bell peppers have the best flavor for this soup, but you can use any color.
- Mince fresh garlic cloves at home rather than using the store-bought paste.
- Brown rice adds a heartier flavor to this soup rather than white rice.
- Read the recipe first before you get started so you know what you’re doing.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- boneless, skinless chicken breast
- yellow bell pepper (about 1/2 cup, chunks)
- yellow onion (about 1/2 cup, diced)
- salt
- ground black pepper
- garlic cloves (minced)
- chili powder (salt-free)
- ground cumin
- ground cinnamon
- honey
- can 14-15 oz crushed tomatoes
- tomato paste
- low-sodium chicken broth
- rice, rinsed and drained (brown is our favorite)
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup
Dice onion and cut up the bell pepper into small chunks. Set aside.
Slice chicken into small bite sized chunks and set aside.
In a medium sized soup pot, add all ingredients, stir, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Once it begins to simmer, turn down heat to low-medium and cook with lid on for 30 minutes if using white rice or 40 minutes if using brown rice.
Check to ensure the rice is tender and chicken is cooked fully.
Serve with shredded cheese, a dollop of cream cheese, or some fresh cilantro.
Slow Cooker Version
If you want to make this soup in a slow cooker, simply:
- Dice the onion and bell pepper.
- Add all the ingredients into your slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.
Best Ways to Serve This Soup
You can serve this soup a few different ways, here’s a couple ideas:
- Top the soup with shredded cheese, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.
- Serve with sourdough Texas toast, garlic bread, or garlic knots as a side.
How to Store Leftovers
Once the soup has cooled down, store it in an airtight container. The best kind is glass and freezer-safe. You can either store it in the fridge for 2 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.
Ways to Make This Soup Ahead
You can simply make this soup and freeze it up to 3 months to make it well in advance. Or if you plan to make it within a few days, you can chop up the onion, bell pepper, and chicken ahead of time. Just store them in the fridge. It’ll cut down on time when you make this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a healthy recipe because it’s full of whole foods. You’re getting chicken, spices, rice (especially if you use brown), and veggies.
I recommend sticking with the ingredients I used to develop this recipe. The only exceptions are the color of bell pepper and the kind of rice you use.
Of course! You can add in a little diced jalapeno or cayenne pepper.
Definitely, if you prefer to use rotisserie chicken at the store, you can. Just shred the chicken before placing it into the soup.
More Soup Recipes To Try
- Easy Creamy Cajun Chicken Soup
- Easy Crockpot Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Creamy Vegetable Chowder
- Game Day Chili (no beans, pasta optional)
If you made this recipe, give it a 5-star rating below and share a photo of your muffins on social media stories! Be sure to tag @plumbranchhome
Recipe
Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper (about 1/2 cup, chunks)
- 1/2 yellow onion (about 1/2 cup, diced)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder (salt-free)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 can 14-15 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup rice, rinsed and drained (brown is our favorite)
Instructions
- Dice onion and cut up the bell pepper into small chunks. Set aside.
- Slice chicken into small bite sized chunks and set aside.
- In a medium sized soup pot, add all ingredients, stir, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Once it begins to simmer, turn down heat to low-medium and cook with lid on for 30 minutes if using white rice or 40 minutes if using brown rice.
- Check to ensure the rice is tender and chicken is cooked fully.
- Serve with shredded cheese, a dollop of cream cheese, or some fresh cilantro.
Notes
Slow Cooker Version
If you want to make this soup in a slow cooker, simply:- Dice the onion and bell pepper.
- Add all the ingredients into your slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.
This soup looks amazing! Something I’ll definitely have to try making!! 🙂
Thank you so much!! I hope you love it as much as we do!
Oh yum, I love soup recipes. And this one looks so delicious and warming! Going to try it this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
Yay! I hope you enjoy!
This looks so good! I am saving this recipe!
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!