This easy Mexican chicken soup is made from scratch using chicken breast, crushed tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and warming spices. It's a cozy and nourishing dish your whole family will love!
In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 chopped onion, 1 cup shredded carrots, and cup chopped celery. Saute, often stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
Mix in 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and sauté until garlic is just fragrant, for about 30 seconds.
Place chicken breast on top of vegetables and season with 1 teaspoon chili powder and 1 teaspoon cumin; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and pour in the can of crushed tomatoes, 2 cups chicken broth, and 1 cup water to the pot. Cover the pan and let cook on medium-low for 30-40 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pot and using two forks, or your preferred method, break the chicken apart and into shreds.
Place the meat back into the pot and taste for seasoning, adjusting as necessary. To serve, sprinkle with lime or lemon juice, chopped cilantro, and top with fresh avocado slices.
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Notes
Cut the chicken up before adding it to the vegetables for faster cooking. You can also dice it small and skip shredding to save even more time.
If the soup turns out too spicy, add more lime or lemon juice. It reduces the level of spiciness.
Use chicken thighs instead of breast, just remove the skin, bones, and extra fat before or after cooking.
For the best results, read additional tips in the post above.