Spicy Chicken Soup with Salsa Verde (Slow Cooker)

A bowl of Mexican spicy chicken soup on the table topped with crispy tortilla strips.

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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Chicken Soup with Salsa Verde (Slow Cooker)

This bright and green spicy chicken tortilla soup cooks up in the slow cooker for an easy meal with lots of flavor.

Course Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 5 5

Servings

Calories 306kcal

Author Caitlin Self, MS, CNS, LDN

Ingredients

Spicy Chicken Soup

½ medium onion 1 cup minced
2-3 jalapeños minced
2 cloves fresh garlic minced
½ pound 250g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Pinch of salt
3 cups white beans cooked (canned & drained, or from 1 cup dry)
12 ounces salsa verde about 1 cup
2 cups chicken bone broth or vegetable broth (homemade bone broth adds more protein!)
2 cups water
juice from 2 limes + 1 lime for garnish
10-12 ounces frozen chopped spinach
More salt to taste
Optional: cilantro for garnish

Crispy Tortilla Strips

4-6 corn tortillas
2 teaspoons oil for brushing avocado, coconut, ghee, olive, etc.

Instructions

Make the Soup

Mince the onion, jalapeño, and garlic.
Add the chicken thighs to the bottom of the slow cooker, sprinkle with a little salt.
Add remaining ingredients - white beans, veggies, salsa verde, chicken broth, water, and juice from 2 limes.
Cook on LOW for 5-8 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours, or until the chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF.
About 30 minutes before serving time, remove the chicken and add the frozen spinach (if using). You want the spinach to warm through completely.
Shred the chicken with two forks (you can also easily shred this in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), and then return to the slow cooker.
Season soup to taste with any additional salt.

For Crispy Tortilla Strips

Slice tortillas into small, thin strips, about ¼ inch wide by 1 inch long. Toss with 1-2 teaspoons of oil and a sprinkle of salt. Spread out onto a baking tray.
Bake on 400ºF for about 8-10 minutes or until crispy.

Notes

Salsa verde can refer to any number of green sauces - I recommend a tomatillo-based salsa verde such as Trader Joe's Salsa Verde or FODY Foods Salsa Verde.
Store in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months.
Freeze leftovers in portions. I like to divide up the soup into portions so I can grab exactly what I need to heat up for one meal.
Place the chicken on the bottom. The order of the rest of the ingredients isn't as important but the chicken will cook better on the bottom, closer to the heating element.
Adjust the seasoning and spiciness of the soup to your own tastes!
Use the low heat setting when you have time for the most tender easy-to-shred chicken.
To prevent mushy beans, use salted cooked beans or canned beans.

Update 2025: I updated the cost analysis with Jan 2025 prices. Additionally, I've updated this recipe to be 5 servings instead of 6 as I think that is more accurate. If you use chicken bone broth (8g protein per cup), that will increase the protein to about 26g per serving.

Nutrition