Why We Love This Southwest Chicken Detox Soup
Over a year ago I shared a Chicken Detox Soup recipe that our family uses as a dietary reset after vacations or long seasons of unhealthy eating. It’s a lean, healthy chicken and vegetable soup with several detoxifying ingredients to help flush toxins from your body and boost your metabolism. This soup is meant to be eaten for several days in a row to get your system back on track. Chicken Detox Soup is low-fat, low-carb, paleo, gluten-free, and it works like a charm when using the soup as a cleanse! We have come up with another variation of our detox soup recipe that is just as healthy, just as tasty, and offers just as many cleansing ingredients, but with a bold Southwest flavor! If you’ve tried our original detox soup cleanse, this Southwest Chicken Detox Soup is a zesty way to mix things up. Combining the Old El Paso green chiles and the spices, enhances the natural flavor of the chicken and veggies for a bold tantalizing flavor.
What is a detox soup?
The idea behind a detox soup is to cleanse the body by eating nutrient-rich vegetables and broths that are easy for the body to digest. Generally, detox soups are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals to help the body get as many nutrients as possible! Eating a meal like this Southwest chicken detox soup will help to release toxins and is especially good for you after a lot of indulgences, like after the holidays! Plus, the release of toxins from this detox soup helps your body work more efficiently, meaning:
Purging water retention A metabolic boost More energy And better sleep!
Ingredients For Southwest Chicken Soup
To make this Southwest Chicken Soup, I used green chiles to give the broth a smoky undertone, then loaded it with veggies and spices! Here’s what you’ll need:
Chicken Breast – great for a lean protein source Onion – diced Garlic – freshly minced Olive Oil – a bit of olive oil to sauté the veggies Chopped Green Chiles – for a smoky, Southwest flavor! Crushed Tomatoes – I used fire-roasted crushed tomatoes to add an extra smoky flavor. You can also use diced tomatoes. Chicken Stock – if using low-sodium chicken stock, taste for salt at the end. Ground Cumin – for added flavor Crushed Red Pepper – for a kick of spice Turmeric – adds flavor and kick starts the metabolism Carrots – sliced Cabbage – sliced thin Broccoli – chopped into small florets Avocados – to serve Salt and Pepper – to taste
How to Make Southwest Chicken Soup
Set a large 6-8 quart pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, chopped onions, and garlic. Sauté for 5-6 minutes to soften. Then add whole raw chicken breasts, Old El Paso Chopped Green Chiles, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, all the spices, carrots, and 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20+ minutes, until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Then remove the chicken with tongs and set them on a cutting board to cool. Add the chopped cabbage and broccoli to the pot. Continue to simmer to soften the broccoli. Meanwhile, shred the chicken breasts with two forks, and stir them back into the soup. Once the broccoli is tender, taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm with a generous amount of diced avocado on top! If the soup base boils down too much, add 2-3 cups of water to the broth. Then taste for seasoning. You can store this recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips & Tricks
For added flavor, serve with freshly chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice! If you have leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken on hand, add that chicken in towards the end of the cooking process for ease! You can substitute the chicken breast for chicken thighs if you prefer, but keep in mind that chicken thighs have more fat so the soup will not be as lean!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Old El Paso. All opinions are my own.
Looking for More Detox Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
Chicken Detox Soup Roasted Salmon Detox Salad Detox Water Lemon Ginger Detox Tea
Check out the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and calcium percentages. Make sure to share this recipe on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Share This Recipe With Friends!
