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The 25 Most Popular Recipes of 2022.
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This simple one pot spicy Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Tortilla Soup is the perfect bowl of wholesome, filling soup to warm up to on the coldest of days. Made with poblano peppers, shredded chicken, and a mix of chili powder, paprika, and oregano. Mix in rice and enjoy with salty chips on top. Itโs spicy, cozy and so delicious. Top each bowl of tortilla soup with plenty of cheddar cheese, fresh cilantro, and avocado. And of course, plenty of tortilla chips.
As we reach the end of December and those bitter cold January days are just ahead, I’m already looking forward to sharing wholesome, yet cozy recipes to start off the new year. We’ve been getting snow on and off all week, so everyone has been craving delicious soup recipes.
We love tortilla soup over here, but this tortilla soup is a little different. It’s more of a green salsa and rice soup with plenty of chips on top – and on the side.
It’s so easy to make, using just one pot or the slow cooker. I’ve been making this recipe for years, we just love it with the salsa verde and rice.
When I was first working on this salsa verde chicken soup, I knew I wanted it to be simple, but cozy, and full of flavor.
You can use a single pot on the stove, or use the crockpot, whatever is easiest for you.
I start with an onion, add poblano peppers, then chicken, and a mix of chili powder, smoked paprika, and dried oregano. If you’re making this on the stove, cook the spices with the chicken until you can really smell them in the air.
At this point, I just pour over the chicken broth. Actually, I’ve been using a mix of chicken broth and chicken bone broth. I love the Kettle and Fire Bone Broth if you’re looking for an easy-to-access store-bought broth.
Then the salsa verde. Cover the pot and simmer until the chicken is cooked and you can easily shred it. I usually pull the chicken out of the soup and then shred. But you can also easily shred the chicken directly in the soup.
The rest is really pretty darn simple. Simmer the soup for a few hours to really help the flavors meld and intensify. Or simply serve once the chicken is cooked.
If you have the time, I find the soup is best after a few hours of simmering.
To finish the soup, you can either add rice to bowls, then pour over the soup. Or you can stir the rice right into the soup.
If you know you want to enjoy leftovers, add the rice to bowls, then pour over the soup. If the rice sits too long in the soup, it’s going to end up soaking up most of the broth.
The toppings are the real secret here, they make this tortilla soup really good. You have to do them all!
I layer as follows: a thick layer of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, a dollop of Greek yogurt, and sliced avocado. Then sprinkle on lots of fresh cilantro, green onions, and cotija cheese.
Lightly crush tortilla chips on top, and use lots. Then lime zest and sea salt. Holy freaking YUM. It might be simple as can be, but every spoonful is so delicious. Think a little spicy, smoky, filled with chicken, peppers, rice, cheese, and all those toppings.
Perfect for wintery days.
Looking for other warming winter dinners? Here are a few ideas:
Better For You Chicken and Spinach Ramen
Creamy Butternut Squash Butter Chicken
30 Minute Spicy Indian Butter Chicken
Coconut Milk Braised Black Pepper Chicken
Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Soup with Rice
Lastly, if you make this Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Tortilla Soup be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donโt forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
We made it exactly as described and with all the toppings and it was delicious! I already shared the recipe with my sisters.
Hey Brittany,
Happy Sunday! Thank you so much for making this recipe and your feedback, I’m so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
I made the slow cooker version as described, and my husband and I generally enjoyed it. I accidentally bought serrano salsa instead of salsa verde (not paying attention at the grocery store), so it was a lot spicier than anticipated but still good. (My Mexican husband thought it a happy accident.) I’d make again and add more beans.
Hey Kate,
Awesome! Love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it and your comment! xT
Tasty soup, thank you! I added two chopped zucchini when adding the chicken. I also cut a large chicken breast into four pieces so that when the chicken was shredded the pieces wouldnโt be so large. Also added a bit of cumin with the spices. Yummy!
Hi Nancy,
Amazing!! Iโm so glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend! xT
Love this recipe, but the original posting (sear chicken coated in further spices before adding other ingredients, no poblano or black beans, homemade tortilla chips) was AMAZING. I had to go pull the historical info so I could keep making the original!
Hi Amy,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! xT
This was so good!
Hey Andrea,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
Awesome!!!
Love to hear this Shelley! Thanks for making the recipe:) xT
Nice flavor!
Thanks so much Melissa! xT
Amazing! My husband is super picky and loved it too. It gives gumbo vibes but in a good way haha. Added tumeric and black pepper just cause it has some health benefits and wouldnโt have even known it was added in.
Hi! Thank you SO much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! xT
Soup was amazing and very easy to make!
Loveee to hear that! Thank you so much! xT
I love your recipes but Iโm confused on this one – cooked on the stove and my chicken breast wasnโt even close to done at the designated time for shredding. Anyone else have this issue?
I just made this and used chicken thighs and they were done in 15.