Growing up, my sister and I did competitive, club swim team year round. And though we obviously swam indoors during those cold Kansas City winters, we’d always race to the car after practice with frozen hair, dying to get home and into a warm shower. Luckily, my mom would always greet us with a cozy, nourishing meal, this Chili Lime Soup being one of my personal favorites.
Spicy, Mexican-inspired meals have always been right up my alley, and this simple soup is filled with warmth. You can certainly take up or down the heat to taste, but my mom and I have found that this combination of peppers, lime juice and spices is just how we love it.
Like most of my soups and stews, I can’t help but add all of the tomato goodness to this dish. Check out The Best Homemade Chili post for all of the incredible health benefits of these vegetables and why you shouldn’t hesitate to cook ’em up all year round. Plus, that chili recipe is another great, easy way to warm up this fall.
As for the peppers, pasillas or poblanos will both do the trick, depending on what you can find at your local grocery. They have very similar flavor and are low/medium heat peppers, so the spice factor shouldn’t be a concern. More than anything, they add depth and variety to this recipe.
Capsasin (the compound that makes peppers hot) is responsible for the amazing health benefits these ingredients bring to the table as well. Incorporating more peppers into your diet can boost metabolism, promote immune and heart health, ward off cancer and much more.
While you can certainly keep this soup vegan & vegetarian by omitting the chicken, it does add more protein and heartiness to this recipe! Picking a rotisserie chicken not only saves prep time but also brings more richness and delicious flavor.
My mom also just shared a tip to store the chicken separately and add to your bowl just before serving. If you throw it all into the larger batch initially, you might find that the chicken falls apart after sitting in the fridge.
Both now and back when I was a chilly, one piece wearing kiddo, I crave this simple soup whenever the temperature drops or I’m fighting off a cold. The heat and spice will truly heat you up from the inside out!
Plus, it scratches that itch for Mexican flavors on the lighter, more nutritious side. Hope y’all enjoy it as much as I have all of these years .
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado or olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 pasilla or poblano peppers, diced
- 1 large jalapeño (or 2 small), diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (14.5) diced tomatoes
- 2 cans Rotel (Lime & Cilantro version if available)
- 4 medium-sized limes, juiced
- 1 bunch of cilantro, stems discarded
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp coriander
- 2 x 32 oz boxes chicken broth
- 1 rotisserie chicken, picked and cut into bite sized chunks
- sliced avocado, more cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, and lime wedges to serve
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