Tomatillo Soup with Chicken (or turkey)

5 from 1 vote

Tomatillo Soup with Chicken (or turkey)

This hearty tomatillo soup with Mexican flavors is easy to make with leftover roast chicken or turkey and a few things from the pantry. It holds well in the refrigerator for a few days, so make it ahead. It works great with leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Another option, use a pound of ground and browned turkey. Serves 4 generously, 6 for a little smaller portions.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: Yield about 2 ½ qts

Calories: 344kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

A large soup pot like a 5 ½ quart dutch oven

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
½ cup finely chopped celery
1 Anaheim chili chopped fine
½ jalapeno chili pepper seeded and finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¾ teaspoon ancho chili powder
3-4 cups tomatillo salsa verde **notes below
2-3 cups low sodium chicken or turkey broth preferably homemade
12-16 ounces shredded roast chicken or turkey 2-3 cups
2 15 ounce cans pinto beans rinsed and drained
½ cup corn kernels optional
¾ teaspoon sea salt to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Optional Garnishes

1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley
4 ounces grated Jack cheese or Mexican blend
½ avocado quartered and diced

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large 4-5 quart pot or Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add onion, celery and both chilies. Cook, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add cumin, coriander and ancho chili pepper and cook another 3-5 minutes to allow spices to bloom.
Turn heat up to medium and add salsa, chicken broth, chicken and beans. Heat soup until hot, about 20 minutes. Serve with cilantro, cheese and avocado if desired. Leftovers keep 3 days in the refrigerator or freezes.

Notes

Use ground chicken or turkey – Brown it in a little olive oil before adding the aromatics. Perfect when you don’t have shredded chicken or turkey on hand.
Swap the pinto beans – Black beans, red kidney beans, or cannellini beans.
Make it vegetarian – Substitute vegetable broth. Add extra beans and zucchini.
Adjust the heat – For a spicier soup, keep some jalapeño seeds, add a serrano pepper. For a milder version, omit the jalapeño.
Add corn – A cup of frozen or canned corn kernels adds sweetness and color.

Tomatillo salsa verde – Use my easy to make homemade tomatillo salsa verde, or a jarred version such as Trader Joe’s or Herdez. Be sure to read labels. The first ingredient should be tomatillos. See the Chef's tip box in the post for more details on buying.

Nutritional calculation does not include optional garnishes or corn.

Nutrition