chicken stock

September 7, 2021 Dairy-Free

Chili’s Southwest Chicken Soup

This Chili’s southwest chicken soup is easy to make at home with just one pot! Loaded with flavor and fresh ingredients, this soup will quickly become one of your favorites.

What Makes This Chili’s Southwest Chicken Soup So Good

It tastes just like the restaurant version! However, it’s super quick and easy to make in the comfort of your own home.
It all comes together in just one pot! This Chili’s southwest chicken soup couldn’t possibly be easier to cook and cleanup. With just one pot you’ll have a complete, hearty, and tasty meal.
It’s healthy but super satisfying! Loaded with lean chicken breast, fresh veggies, and a handful of flavorful spices. This dinner or lunch recipe is everything we stand for – easy, healthy, and delicious!

Key Ingredients for Chili’s Southwest Chicken Soup

Diced Green Chiles – One small can of diced green chiles give this soup a subtle spice and incredible flavor. These canned peppers make this recipe standout. You can find diced green chiles in either the ethnic or canned goods aisle of most grocery stores.

White Hominy or Navy Beans – White hominy is used in the famous Chili’s recipe. However, this unique ingredient can sometimes be hard to come by. Therefore, if you can’t find white hominy at your local grocery store, you can easily use a can of white navy beans instead.

Chef’s Tips

Wait until the very end of this recipe to adjust any seasonings as desired. This Chili’s southwest chicken soup needs time to cook and simmer to allow the flavors to fully develop. Therefore, wait until the last step of this recipe to give things a taste and add anything you’d like.
Play around with the spices in this recipe. Feel free to make any adjustments to the amount of chili powder based on your spice tolerance. Though I find one tablespoon of chili powder adds a subtle spice without overpowering the soup.
Serve this soup however you’d like! To keep it low-carb, then simply top it with some shredded cheese and enjoy. Though I love enjoying mine with a big bowl of tortilla chips for dipping and topping – yum!

chili's southwest chicken soup in a bowl with a spoon

Other Easy Soup Recipes

We hope you loved this recipe as much as we did! We’d love for you to give us a star ★ rating below, and follow us on Instagram! For more delicious, healthy recipes, be sure to check out 40 Aprons.

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Chili’s Southwest Chicken Soup

This Chili's southwest chicken soup is easy to make at home with just one pot! Loaded with flavor and fresh ingredients, this soup will quickly become one of your favorites.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chili’s copycat recipe, one pot meal, restaurant-style

Servings: servings

Calories: 394kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Large pot

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 quart chicken stock see Notes
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup white hominy or navy beans, drained
2 teaspoons lime juice
¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
corn tortilla chips for serving
shredded cheese or crumbled queso fresco for serving

Instructions

Heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper, then transfer to pot and cook for about 5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove from pot and leave to rest for a few minutes on the counter.
Add the remaining two tablespoons of vegetable oil to pot along with the chopped onion, green bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until onion is soft.
Add in the cumin, chili powder, and paprika cooking for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
Stir in the chicken stock, diced green chiles, diced tomatoes, and Hominy or navy beans. Chop the cooked chicken breast into small bite-sized pieces and place that into the pot as well.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 5-8 minutes. Then remove from heat before adding in the lime juice and fresh cilantro.

Notes

Make it Paleo: Leave out the white hominy to make this a paleo meal.
Chicken Stock: Feel free to use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock in this recipe.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using white hominy and not including tortilla strips or cheese. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

August 5, 2021 Dairy-Free

Chicken Pomodoro

This chicken pomodoro is light, easy, and delicious! With just one skillet, you’ll have a healthy meal in under 20 minutes.

What Makes This Chicken Pomodoro So Good

From start to finish this dish takes less than 20 minutes to make! Lightly sear the chicken, make the sauce, then add everything back into the skillet. You’ll have a healthy and delicious meal on the table in no time!
It requires a few simple ingredients that you probably already have on-hand. Salt, black pepper, garlic, and lemon juice are the main seasonings for this easy recipe. This is the perfect dish to throw together when you’re low on ingredients but still want something tasty and satisfying!
The entire meal gets cooked in the same skillet! That’s right, this one skillet meal makes for easy cooking and even easier cleanup.

Key Ingredients for Chicken Pomodoro

Chicken Breast Cutlets – You can either purchase pre-sliced chicken cutlets from the store, or buy chicken breasts and slice them yourself. If starting with whole breasts, place them on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice horizontally through each breast. This will leave you with two thin chicken breasts which you can either go straight into using for this recipe, or continue to make them even thinner. To do that, place each breast between two slices of parchment paper and use either a meat mallet or heavy object to pound the chicken to your desired thinness.

Cherry Tomatoes – Fresh cherry tomatoes add incredible vibrance to this chicken pomodoro recipe! Start by rinsing your tomatoes, then slicing them in half for this recipe. While the tomatoes cook, they release some of their natural sugars becoming almost caramelized and delicious.

Chef’s Tips

Be sure to pat each chicken cutlet dry with a paper towel in the first step of this recipe. The dryer you can get the chicken before cooking, the crispier it will become! There’s not much better than a juicy cutlet that’s golden brown on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside.
Chicken is cooked through once it has reached an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit. However, if you don’t have a meat thermometer and are concerned about undercooking the chicken – simply slice one in half to give it a check. If the chicken is opaque through the center, then it’s fully cooked and ready to enjoy!
Avoid crowding the skillet while lightly browning the chicken. An overcrowded pan will yield less-crispy cutlets. Therefore, you may need to work in batches to evenly cook each cutlet until perfectly golden brown!

overhead image of chicken pomodoro in a skillet with white wine on the side

Other Quick and Easy One-Skillet Recipes

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Chicken Pomodoro

This chicken pomodoro is light, easy, and delicious! With just one skillet, you'll have a healthy meal in under 20 minutes.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: healthy dinner, low carb, one pan recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 310kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Large skillet

Ingredients

For the chicken:

2 pounds chicken breast cutlets
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the sauce:

½ onion chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Additional salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pat chicken cutlets dry with a paper towel then sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft.
Add in the tomatoes, broth, and lemon juice then stir and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Place chicken back into the skillet and cook, cover with a lid, and cook for about 8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Notes

Store leftover chicken pomodoro in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days!

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 out of 4 servings using the ingredients listed. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

April 13, 2021 Asian

Japanese Curry in the Instant Pot

Japanese curry in the Instant Pot is a fast-but-delicious dinner option for busy evenings when you don’t really feel like cooking. With juicy chicken thighs and lots of veggies, you can serve it on its own or with a side of rice for a total meal.

What Makes This Instant Pot Japanese Curry So Good

There’s not a lot of hands-on, active cooking with pressure cooker Japanese curry, which makes it a perfect dinner idea when you don’t feel like cooking or just don’t have a ton of time on your hands.
The overall flavor of this recipe is a little spicy but also a little sweet. Serve it with a side of rice (like our Instant Pot Sushi Rice) to balance out the flavors even more.
If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container. They’ll be good for 2 to 3 days. You could freeze them in an airtight container, too!

Key Ingredients for Japanese Curry in the Instant Pot

Japanese Curry Roux – Definitely don’t skip this ingredient! The roux thickens up the liquid so it’s not as soup-like. You can use store-bought curry roux (or curry sauce mix) in this recipe if you want, but I actually recommend making your own! My favorite homemade Japanese curry roux is this easy 5-ingredient recipe from Just One Cookbook.

Chicken Thighs – We’re making a Japanese chicken curry here, so we’re using chicken thighs! Chicken thighs are a little fattier than chicken breasts, which means they’re also juicier and more flavorful. They’re typically less expensive, too. If you’d rather use another protein (beef, pork, etc.) or even just chicken breasts instead of thighs, you totally can, but you may need to adjust your cook time.

Japanese Curry in the Instant Pot

Chef’s Tips

The curry will thicken as it stands, so don’t worry if it seems a little thin or liquidy at first.
If you’re used to making Indian curry, pay attention to the instruction card below. With Indian curry, the spices are added at the beginning. For Japanese curry, though, you’ll add the curry roux at the end!
Adding a little milk gives your mixture an extra creaminess, but it’s totally optional. If you’re dairy free or just don’t want to use it, don’t! You can skip it altogether or try a little coconut milk or coconut cream.

What Do We Mean By Healthy?

Our recipes focus on real ingredients and homemade elements. We try to avoid processed flour and sugar, like white flour or white sugar. Our recipes often swap less healthy options (like a commercial, deep-fried tostada) for an easy homemade version.

Our recipes are not necessarily low fat or low calorie, and we aren’t afraid of fat or carbs! Some of our recipes will be “skinny,” low carb, keto, paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free, Whole30, or vegan, and they will be labeled when they qualify for any of these diets. All our recipes are easy and family friendly!

An angled view of a bowl of Instant Pot Japanese curry

Other Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love

A bowl of Instant Pot Japanese curry with a spoon

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Japanese Curry in the Instant Pot

Japanese curry in the Instant Pot is a fast-but-delicious dinner option for busy evenings when you don't really feel like cooking. With juicy chicken thighs and lots of veggies, you can serve it on its own or with a side of rice for a total meal.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Japanese

Keyword: easy dinner, one pot meal, pressure cooker

Servings:

Calories: 410kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, etc.
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized chunks
1 1-inch piece ginger grated
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 carrots sliced
1 onion sliced
2 Yukon gold potatoes cubed
2 cups water
2 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
⅓ cup Japanese curry roux see Notes
3 tablespoons milk optional, see Notes
salt and pepper to taste
vinegar optional, to taste
tamari or soy sauce optional, to taste

Instructions

Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Once hot, add oil then chicken thighs. Brown chicken thighs on each side, then remove from Instant Pot.
Add ginger and garlic to Instant Pot. Sauté until fragrant, then add tomato paste and mix until combined.
Add chicken thighs, carrots, onions, potatoes, water, chicken stock, and bay leaves to Instant Pot. Cover with lid and cook 10 minutes on Manual High Pressure.
When timer is up, Quick Release pressure. Remove bay leaves. Stir in curry roux and milk (optional) until liquid has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, stir in vinegar and tamari or soy sauce to taste.
Divide into portions and serve hot.

Notes

The milk adds an extra creaminess to the mixture, but it’s totally optional, so feel free to skip it if you want or need to.
Highly recommend using the Japanese Curry Roux recipe from Just One Cookbook for this recipe! It’s super easy to make, with only 5 ingredients.
Make it Dairy Free: Skip the milk completely, or use a little coconut milk or coconut cream.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for one serving out of 4, not including any optional ingredients or additional sides. Macros may vary slightly based on specific brands or types of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire recipe when finished. Divide the total weight (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

February 25, 2021 Appetizer

Irish Potato Soup

Our Irish potato soup recipe takes a few simple ingredients and turns them a dreamy, creamy bowl of classic comfort food. This hearty soup is easy to make and absolutely perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any day you just need something warm and comforting.

What Makes This Irish Potato Soup Recipe So Good

It’s so quick and easy. Sure, it’s a delicious St. Patrick’s Day dish, but you can’t go wrong with this soup on a busy weeknight, especially in the winter!
Thanks to the potatoes and milk, it’s naturally thick and creamy. No added thickeners needed! And, since there’s no flour, this recipe is naturally gluten-free!
It’s hearty and nutritious! Potatoes, celery, and an onion make up most of this Irish potato soup, with a little broth, salt, pepper, and butter to boost the flavor!

Key Ingredients for Irish Potato Soup

Potatoes – I mean, obviously! You can’t have potato soup without them! Not only are they tasty, but they’re also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6. Because we’re eventually pureeing the veggies, starchy potatoes like russets work best.

Milk – This gives your Irish potato soup that iconic creamy texture and flavor. If you prefer a richer soup, you can use heavy cream instead of milk.

Irish Potato Soup

Chef’s Tips

Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days. Reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave.
In the recipe, I mention cooking the potatoes until “fork-tender”. Fork-tender refers to that perfect potato moment when you can easily pierce them with the tines of a fork with very little effort!
This method uses an immersion blender or traditional blender to get that perfect soup consistency. If you’re using a traditional blender, BE SURE to read the “Notes” section of the recipe card to avoid disaster!
If you want a slow cooker Irish potato soup, you can definitely use this recipe! Toss everything in your Crockpot and let it cook for approximately one hour on high. Once the potatoes are soft, pick up with Step 3 of the instructions below.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Irish potato soup topped with bacon, chives, and shredded cheddar cheese in a white bowl on a table

More Incredible Soup Recipes

Print Recipe

Irish Potato Soup

Our Irish potato soup recipe takes a few simple ingredients and turns them a dreamy, creamy bowl of classic comfort food. This hearty soup is easy to make and absolutely perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any day you just need something warm and comforting.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: comfort food, st. patrick’s day, winter

Servings: servings

Calories: 338kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Medium pot
Immersion blender or traditional blender

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter unsalted
1 medium onion chopped
2 stalks celery sliced
4 russet potatoes peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes
salt to taste
pepper to taste
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth
½ cup milk or heavy cream
fresh parsley for garnish
bacon optional, crumbled, for topping
chives optional, chopped, for topping
shredded cheddar cheese optional, for topping

Instructions

In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter, then add onion and celery. Cook approximately 2 minutes.
Add potatoes, salt, pepper, and stock. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender.
Using an immersion blender, blend soup in pot until thick and creamy. Feel free to make the texture completely smooth or leave chunks of potatoes remaining – your choice.
If using a traditional blender, pour liquid into blender. See Notes for tips regarding hot liquids. Blend until mixture achieves desired consistency, then return liquid to pot.
Stir in milk or heavy cream.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with parsley, bacon, chives, and cheddar cheese. Serve hot.

Notes

Tips for Blending Hot Soup

Hot liquids will expand quickly in a blender, which can push the lid off and create a huge mess (not to mention it could burn you!). Fill the blender no more than halfway. You may have to blend your ingredients in 2 batches.
After pouring the liquid into the blender, let it sit a few minutes to cool slightly before blending.
Remove the center cap from the blender lid and cover the hole with a dish towel instead.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect the information for 1 serving out of 4. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire finished recipe. Divide the total weight of the recipe (not including the weight of the bowl, pot, or plate the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition