Chili's Southwest Chicken Soup (Copycat Recipe!)

Chili's Southwest Chicken Soup is a brothy, smoky Tex-Mex soup packed with tender chicken, corn, tomatoes and green chiles, and this easy copycat recipe tastes just like the bowl you order at the restaurant. It all comes together in one pot in about 45 minutes, so you can make your favorite Chili's soup at home any night of the week.

This Mexican-style chicken soup is crazy simple to make, and it's one of the best ways to use up leftover chicken. Enjoy all the flavors in each bite, then top it with tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream or even avocado. Grab a spoon and dive in! Also, make sure to try this chicken poblano soup or my other copycat recipes from all of your favorite restaurants.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. These smoky, canned chiles (like La Morena chipotles in adobo) are the backbone of the soup's flavor. Seed them for a milder pot, or add an extra spoonful of the adobo sauce if you like it hot. No chipotles? Use ½ teaspoon of chipotle chili powder plus a pinch of smoked paprika.
• Cooked chicken breast. Shredded or chopped, about 3 cups. Rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken or a batch of meal-prepped chicken all work, and boneless thighs are a great swap if you prefer dark meat.
• Chicken stock. Low-sodium or unsalted stock lets you control the salt, since the canned tomatoes and chiles already bring plenty. Chicken broth or bouillon mixed with water work in a pinch.
• Diced tomatoes and green chiles. Add the 28-ounce can of tomatoes with its juices; fire-roasted tomatoes give the soup an even smokier edge. A 4-ounce can of mild diced green chiles, like Ortega fire-roasted green chiles, adds flavor without much heat.
• Corn. Frozen corn needs no thawing, canned corn should be drained, and hominy gives the soup a chewier, posole-style bite.
• Onion, celery and garlic. These aromatics build the savory base. A diced carrot can stand in for the celery if that's what you have.
• Chili powder and cumin. Warm, earthy spices that give the soup its Southwest flavor. Taco seasoning can replace them both (see Variations below).

Helpful Tips

Use a heavy-duty pot. A heavy pot, like an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, holds heat evenly so the vegetables soften without scorching and the soup simmers gently. With a thin pot you can find your soup cooks unevenly, with hot spots that catch on the bottom.

Finely dice the vegetables. Small pieces of onion and celery melt into the broth and add tons of flavor, and they give you smaller bites so the vegetables don't overpower the soup.

Bloom the spices. Cooking the garlic, chipotles, chili powder and cumin in the hot oil for a minute or two before adding the liquid wakes up their flavor. Keep stirring so the garlic doesn't burn.

Put leftover chicken to work. This recipe is awesome for using leftover chicken from a rotisserie or from the grill. As long as your chicken isn't overly seasoned, it will soak up the flavor of the broth. And if you batch cook shredded chicken for the week, this is the perfect recipe to use it.

Give it time to simmer. Soups really do taste better the longer they simmer, because it helps all the spices blend together. Leaving the lid off evaporates the liquid faster and thickens the soup, while covering it (or leaving the lid slightly ajar) keeps it brothy and gives the flavors a chance to deepen. I also think this soup tastes even better the next day, after it sits in the fridge overnight.

Variations

• Taco seasoning shortcut. If you don't want to measure out the separate seasonings, go right ahead and reach for 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning, either store-bought McCormick Original Taco Seasoning or my DIY taco seasoning. It will alter the flavor of this southwest soup a bit, but it will work.
• Jalapeños instead of chipotles. Swap the chipotle peppers for a diced fresh jalapeño. If you don't want it too spicy, remove the seeds and white membrane first.
• Add beans. Stir in a drained can of black beans or pinto beans with the stock to make the soup heartier and stretch it to feed a crowd.
• Make it creamy. Melt in 4 ounces of cream cheese or a splash of heavy cream at the end for a richer bowl. If you love creamy soups, you'll also want to try my Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup.
• Slow cooker version. Sauté the onion, celery, garlic and spices first, then add everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

Serving Ideas

The toppings for this soup are endless. Set out lime wedges, crunchy tortilla strips, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese and chopped cilantro, then add a dollop of sour cream, salsa, pico de gallo or guacamole. Feel free to adjust the toppings to fit your preference, and let everyone build their own bowl.

To round out the meal, serve the soup with a wedge of Mexican cornbread, warm flour tortillas or a cheesy quesadilla for dipping. For a Chili's-style soup and salad combo, pair a cup of soup with a crisp side salad and a creamy ranch or chipotle dressing.

Storing & Freezing

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for 3 to 4 days easily. When you want to reheat it, warm it on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave until steaming. Keep the tortilla strips and other toppings separate so they stay crunchy and fresh.

This soup freezes beautifully for 3 to 4 months. Let it cool completely, then place it in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container, leaving a little room at the top for it to expand. When you are ready to eat, thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop, adding a splash of stock if it has thickened.

More Copycat Soups

If you loved this recipe, here are a few more restaurant-style soups you might enjoy:

• Copycat Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup
• 15 Copycat Soup Recipes
• Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
• Copycat Panera Tomato Soup
• Copycat Texas Roadhouse Chili

Recipe