Description
A comforting and flavorful Butternut Squash Green Chile Chicken Soup that combines tender chicken thighs, sweet butternut squash, and mild green chiles simmered with aromatic spices and fresh vegetables. This hearty soup is perfect for a wholesome meal, providing a balance of sweetness, spice, and zest with lime juice and cilantro.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, diced very small
- ¼ cup diced cilantro
- 4-6 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 small lime, juiced
Canned Goods
- 1 (4 ounce) can of mild green chiles (or 1/4 cup freshly roasted and seeded chopped hatch green chile)
- 4 cups (32 ounces) organic low sodium chicken broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can organic corn, drained (optional, leave out if paleo)
Meat
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
Spices & Oils
- ½ tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt + more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Place a large dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat and add the olive or avocado oil. Once hot, add minced garlic, chopped onion, diced green bell pepper, and diced cilantro. Cook for a few minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the vegetables are fragrant.
- Add Spices and Veggies: Immediately add the mild green chiles, cubed butternut squash, ground cumin, and oregano to the pot. Sauté for a few more minutes to allow the spices to bloom and coat the vegetables.
- Add Broth and Chicken: Pour in the chicken broth, add the boneless skinless chicken thighs, drained corn (if using), salt, pepper, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir gently to combine.
- Simmer Soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer gently for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink in the center.
- Shred Chicken: Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken thighs from the pot and place them on a cutting board. Shred the meat using two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the soup pot.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lime juice if needed. Serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
- For a heartier soup, add ½ cup of uncooked quinoa, rice, or pearl couscous when adding the broth to cook alongside the other ingredients.
- The soup can be made paleo by omitting the canned corn.
- Use mild or roasted green chiles for a gentle heat, or increase spice level by choosing hotter chile varieties if preferred.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days or can be frozen for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
