Chicken (Fajita) Soup for the Soul

I love food that isn’t just nourishing for the body, but also the soul, and this soup does both. Not only is this an easy, fool-proof recipe, but it leaves you feeling both full and soul satisfied. Plus with my weeknight hacks, it can be ready in 15 minutes! This is my go to for quick and easy comfort food, and one of my family’s favorites!

Chicken Fajita Soup

Prep Time: 5-15 min Cook Time: 10-20 min

21-Day Fix Guide: 1-red, 1-2 Green per serving, 1 teaspoon (1- yellow (nix the red)if making vegetarian version)

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon EVOO

2-3 Chicken Breasts or tenders*, cut into bite-sized pieces (sub black and pinto beans or rice for vegetarian)

2-14.5oz cans of Fire Roasted Tomatoes

1 Medium onion, diced

2-3 peppers (green, orange, red, poblano, your choice), diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced

1/2 Tablespoon coriander

1 Tablespoon cumin

1 Quart low-sodium chicken broth

Handful fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Add-ons:

¼ cup Shredded cheddar (add a blue)

Greek yogurt (add a yellow)

Tortilla chips (baked yellow, fried yellow swap)

Sliced avocado (add a blue)

*weeknight hack: use chicken breast you already cooked for meal prep (or left over from a meal) or buy a rotisserie chicken at the store (only use or ask for breast meat), this saves you the time of prepping and cooking chicken.

Pro Tip: control the spicy factor of your soup by how you cut the jalapeno. If you like it spicy, toss in the ribs and seeds (that’s where all the heat lives). If you’re like me and like it mild, make sure you remove them and give a fine dice.

In a pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat and add the chicken. When it begins to brown, about 4 minutes, add the onions, peppers, garlic, jalapeno, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add tomatoes, cumin, and coriander, when the tomatoes just start to bubble, add the broth and heat through, about 5 more minutes. Garnish with cilantro or parsley and any add-ons.

This quick and easy meal is so versatile, you can eat it as is, or add crushed chips, shredded cheddar, a dollop of Greek yogurt. My fiance's favorite is sharp cheddar, corn, crushed tortilla chips, and avocado. I’ll usually add fixings for dinner, then bring the soup as-is for lunch the next day. And the soup supports so many variations, I’ve made it Vegetarian buy using black and pinto beans; I’ve added corn, rice, and used varying pepper verities for different flavors (right now I’m using 2 poblanos and 1 green or orange pepper, I love the smokiness of the poblano). I like my veggies cut chunky, but if you prefer them thinly sliced that works too. This soup will leave you full and satisfied, and without any guilt!