This easy Salsa Verde Chicken Soup is warm, comforting, and the perfect easy weeknight dinner meal. Shredded chicken, flavorful salsa verde, and hearty white beans all come together to create a soup that the whole family will love.
Isn’t there something so warm and comforting about chicken soup? It’s the perfect little bit of cozy all year long and is everyone’s favorite when they’re feeling a bit under the weather.
While I’m a huge fan of traditional chicken soup, sometimes you just need to switch things up a bit. Adding new flavors and ingredients to an old stand-by, like chicken soup, keeps things interesting and a bit more fun.
Watch How to Make This Recipe
This flavorful Salsa Verde Chicken Soup is your new favorite chicken soup. It is packed with tangy flavor from salsa verde, spices, and plenty of fresh garlic. This soup isn’t just delicious, it’s also incredibly easy and comes together in just around 30-45 minutes on the stove top.
What is Authentic Salsa Verde?
If you have never had salsa verde, you are in for a treat. Unlike regular salsa, Mexican salsa verde uses tomatillos instead of red tomatoes along with roasted chiles, onion, and cilantro.
Tomatillos give salsa verde a tangy, zesty flavor. They are also known as a ‘Mexican husk tomato’ and give a bright vibrant color to dishes.
This recipe calls for an entire jar of salsa verde which works as the base of this soup. It gives the soup a delicious flavor that I know you will absolutely love.
Let’s Talk About the Ingredients You Need to Make This Recipe
Chicken thighs: you could use chicken breasts for this recipe but in my opinion, it tastes much better with chicken thighs. Chicken thighs tend to have more flavor and are more tender than breasts in soup.
Salsa verde: this wouldn’t be salsa verde chicken soup without the salsa verde. This is my favorite brand of salsa verde and the one I use for this recipe every time.
Green chiles: these add such a delicious flavor to this soup. This recipe calls for hot green chiles, however, if you aren’t a fan of spice feel free to use mild chiles instead.
Bay leaves, herbs, and spices: because the salsa verde is so flavorful, you don’t need a ton of extra spices and herbs in this recipe but there are a few that really add to this dish. Bay leaves are a must, as well as dried oregano and cumin.
White beans: to make sure this soup is hearty and filling, the recipe calls for two cans of white beans.
How to Make This Salsa Verde Chicken Soup in the Slow Cooker
This salsa verde chicken soup is a great option for the slow cooker as well as the stove top.
There are two ways you can go about making this soup in the slow cooker:
Just throw everything in: this is the easiest method. Just add all of your ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until the chicken thighs are tender and ready to be shredded.
Start things on the stovetop: this my preferred method for making this soup in the slow cooker. I start by searing my chicken thighs on the stovetop and then add them to the slow cooker. Next, I like to cook my garlic and onions for a bit on the stove top before adding to the slow cooker as well, along with all of the other ingredients. Cook the soup until the chicken is tender and then enjoy!
I hope you give this Salsa Verde Chicken Soupa try! This recipe is so good and even more comforting.
If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.
While the pot is heating, season the chicken thighs on both sides with 1 tablespoon of salt.
When the pot is hot, add the coconut oil and then the chicken thighs. Sear the chicken thighs on both sides for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and then remove them from the pot.
Next, add the diced onion and garlic to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to become tender.
Next, add the cumin, oregano, bay leaves, green chilis, salsa verde, white beans, chicken broth, and lime juice. Stir until well combined and then add the chicken thighs back to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the soup simmer for 30-45 more minutes until the chicken is tender.
Once tender, remove the chicken thighs from the pot and use two forks to shred the meat. Once shredded, remove the chicken to the soup and stir until well combined. Serve the soup with an extra squeeze of fresh lime juice, cilantro, and avocado. Enjoy!
Hi, McKinsey! you can drain the beans or not the drain the beans – both versions will come out great. I typically drain mine! and we’re using dried oregano in this recipe. hope that helps!
I left a review several months ago and I have to say for the past year this has been one of the best recipes in my rotation. Everyone in the family loves it, young and old. I just passed the recipe onto my daughter to make for her newly wedded husband and he loved it. I find it so easy to make on the stove haven’t tried the crockpot version yet. It’s a great recipe I serve it with corn, sour cream (which is especially good if you find it a little too spicy) tortilla chips and avocados. If we have enough for leftovers at another meal we’ll serve it with quesadillas. love love love this recipe!
I’ve been making this recipe for almost a year now and I’m completely obsessed! Only thing I changed up was instead of beans, I use hominy!! It’s a quick and easy version of Verde Pozole. I’ve tried it both stove too and in the crock pot!
100% recommend this recipe as well as trying with hominy! 🙂
Made slow cooker version of this and it was delicious. I did use thighs as recommended and this breast loving girl really enjoyed the dark meat in this soup. I had some cream style navy beans in my pantry and used them up which made the soup base a little thicker which I loved.
Couldn’t be simpler to prep and was a big hit with the whole family. Everyone had second helpings even my notoriously picky 6 year old. This will be a fam favorite for sure
This soup is so simple to make and tastes delicious. It has just the right amount of spice. I’ve made it at least four times already and it’s a family favorite.
I just found out I have to avoid gluten and dairy so I was thrilled to find your delicious soup recipe! I loved the bold flavor and didn’t miss my typical sour cream and cheese toppings. Thanks so much for sharing!
This is probably the 10th time that I have made the soup in the past 3 months, it has become the family favorite even with my little grandkids. I no longer make traditional chicken soup they always want it with the salsa Verde style! It is a super easy great recipe. I like to serve it with corn on the side – it’s a great addition to the soup if you like corn. Thank you so much
Wanting to make this tonight! Looks good and has great reviews – was reading through and saw you said “this is my favorite salsa verde” but didn’t mention it.. maybe there was once a link that had since gone away… would love to know what it is. Thanks
Hi, Kathy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. The serving size is whatever you would like it to be. The nutrition information is simply an estimate. You are welcome to plug in the ingredients to a nutrition tracker with a specified serving size for specific information.
My kids love tacos and refried beans from our local authentic Mexican restaurants. Old family recipes keep us coming back, but they also have us eating more than we need! I tried this soup tonight in order to tap in to their love of Mexican food, but with a healthy bent. My kids aren’t super adventurous eaters…THEY LOVED THIS. This was easy and delicious. A true crowed pleaser. Thank you!
Ashlea, great recipe! I used Siete green enchilada sauce, chicken breasts, and cooked in slow cooker for 4 hours on low. I topped the kids’ servings with greek yogurt to turn down the spice. The fam loved it and will make it at least monthly!
Best spice profile from the green chilies! The chicken thighs are so tender. This recipe is everything you need to nourish during these cold months! My husband and I LOVE it. Would totally make again and again ❤
This was so easy and delicious! I used the instant pot and worked perfectly. I just sautéed the garlic and onions for a few minutes, quickly seared the chicken, and then pressure cooked on high for 20 min.
Loved this recipe! I was in a rush, so I dumped everything into the crockpot. This recipe makes a lot of soup and it smells so good and is so filling. Even my kid loved it. I topped with slices of fresh avocado and that so good with the soup. Thanks for this super easy and delicious recipe!
This is really easy to make and sooo delicious!! I’m doing a 30 day cleanse and it met all the requirements I’m trying to follow! Loved it so much and will definitely be keeping this recipe handy!
I loved this soup! So easy and tasty. It was easy to swap a few thing that I ran out of but I still kept the flavor profile! I love all of your recipes!
Hi, Susan! You could definitely make this in the crockpot. I would recommend searing the chicken thighs before adding them to the crockpot and then letting everything cook on high for 4-6 hours.
Can’t wait to make this! I may be missing it but what is your fav brand of salsa verde…I didn’t see that listed. I usually make my own to avoid the high sodium but I’d love to look into your suggestion if you found a good one!!!
This looks so good!!
Yummy recipe! I oversalted the chicken a wee bit so had to do a bit of correcting on it, but overall, it was a delicious recipe. Especially the case if you like salsa verde 🙂
This was excellent! I cooked it using dry beans and without chicken (since I had leftover cooked chicken from a previous meal) in a Food Ninja using the pressure cooker setting. Dry beans are fully cooked in a pressure cooker in 30 minutes making this an easy weeknight dinner. I also added a can of diced green tomatoes from my garden – just before the first hard frost, I harvest as many green tomatoes as possible and either can them or let them ripen slowly in the garage.I plan to make this again and again! Thanks!
This is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE recipe to make! I’ve made it countless times and it’s easy, flavorful, and everyone loves not only the delicious smell but the taste of it! In fact EVERY recipe I’ve made from All The Healthy Things have been a hit! Especially the one pan fajitas! Thank you, thank you for making delicious + healthy recipes that are also super easy!
Made this last night on the stove top as I forgot to start it in the slow cooker. Came together easily. My son even said, ‘mom, this is a re-do’! WINNER!
Another winning recipe! Perfect to prep on the weekend and heat up during the week. My husband, who is usually a little skeptical about trying new recipes he hasn’t heard of, ate two big bowls for supper!
Made this for the first time tonight and loved it! Super easy and perfect for a gloomy fall day. The spice is controllable by using mild vs hot green chiles and salsa verde. Pin it and make it if you haven’t yet!!
Made this tonight and it was so easy and flavorful! I added avocado and cilantro to my bowl and it really took it to the next level. Obsessed and can’t wait until I get to eat it for lunch tomorrow.
This was delicious! I used Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde and chicken breasts. This went over well with everyone (two elementary-aged kids, two adults), and we’ll make it again. We topped with sour cream and avocado and had tortilla chips on the side. It was great, and I’ll happily make it again. Thank you!
Excellent recipe- easy to follow your instructions and turned out delicious! I modified the recipe by using about 3/4 the amount of salsa called for (since the salsa I used is hot!) and also only used one can of chili’s. Still came out phenomenal. I topped my soup servings with shredded cheese, light sour cream and tortilla chips.
Everyone LOVED this soup! Too bad I had to pick out the beans since I’m breastfeeding and EVERYTHING gives her gas! I need to stock up on green chilis because several of your soups have them and they are often the 1 ingredient I don’t have on hand!
Holy Dinah! I made this the other night and it was amazing! I used my InstaPot with dried beans for 28 minutes and it was all perfectly cooked.
Loved the salsa verde base and my partner loved it, and he’s a bit finicky. Plus it was a perfect dish for a rainy June day. Thank you!
Wow. This is so good I had to write the review before actually eating it because I keep going back to taste it while it simmers. It is exactly what I wanted for dinner tonight and perfect in its simplicity. 100% willake again. If you have kids, you might want to sub a different salsa verde because the Frontera is a bit too spicy for my kids, but it does add a nice roasted flavor.
I made this recipe last night and it was the best Salsa Verde soups I’ve tried, even recipes that have you make the salsa verde from “scratch”. Despite being a hot summer day, the tangy, fresh flavors were perfect! My husband eats huge portions, so we nearly finished it all in one sitting- I will double it next time! Thank you for a great recipe!
You mention you have a favorite salsa verde but you don’t mention what brand it is or where to get it. Can you tell us? Sounds like an easy delicious soup!
Can’t wait to try this! But am I missing where you give the name of your favorite brand of salsa verde? I see you mention that you have a favorite but I don’t see a name or link anywhere?
Hey there, I tried this in my insta pot with dried beans on high for 28min and it was perfect. My chicken was a bit frozen in the middle still so might work with less time.
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This is amazing! So bright, fresh and delicious. Perfect for winter, spring, summer- literally any time of the year
★★★★★
It would be helpful if you specified if you should drain the beans or not and if you use dried or ground oregano.
Hi, McKinsey! you can drain the beans or not the drain the beans – both versions will come out great. I typically drain mine! and we’re using dried oregano in this recipe. hope that helps!
Hello! I forgot to rinse the beans before adding them to the recipe. Will it make a huge difference?
Hi, Stephanie! nope no worries – the soup may be slightly thicker but it’ll still turn out great!
I left a review several months ago and I have to say for the past year this has been one of the best recipes in my rotation. Everyone in the family loves it, young and old. I just passed the recipe onto my daughter to make for her newly wedded husband and he loved it. I find it so easy to make on the stove haven’t tried the crockpot version yet. It’s a great recipe I serve it with corn, sour cream (which is especially good if you find it a little too spicy) tortilla chips and avocados. If we have enough for leftovers at another meal we’ll serve it with quesadillas. love love love this recipe!
★★★★★
I’ve been making this recipe for almost a year now and I’m completely obsessed! Only thing I changed up was instead of beans, I use hominy!! It’s a quick and easy version of Verde Pozole. I’ve tried it both stove too and in the crock pot!
100% recommend this recipe as well as trying with hominy! 🙂
★★★★★
This sounds amazing!! I’m making it today! Do you drain the beans? TIA
Yes! Hope you love it, Jamie!
Very delicious. Great flavor and easy to prepare.
★★★★★
This recipe is delicious! Comes out perfect every time and great for leftovers.
★★★★★
Made slow cooker version of this and it was delicious. I did use thighs as recommended and this breast loving girl really enjoyed the dark meat in this soup. I had some cream style navy beans in my pantry and used them up which made the soup base a little thicker which I loved.
★★★★★
Delicious and very simple to make! Looking forward to eating it throughout the week
★★★★★
Couldn’t be simpler to prep and was a big hit with the whole family. Everyone had second helpings even my notoriously picky 6 year old. This will be a fam favorite for sure
★★★★★
This soup is so simple to make and tastes delicious. It has just the right amount of spice. I’ve made it at least four times already and it’s a family favorite.
★★★★★
I make this soup for my whole family and have recently dropped it off to two new mamas and their families also loved! It’s just the best.
★★★★★
Cannot go wrong with this recipe! Truly delicious and the lime adds such great brightness to the soup!!! Absolute staple in our house.
★★★★★
I just found out I have to avoid gluten and dairy so I was thrilled to find your delicious soup recipe! I loved the bold flavor and didn’t miss my typical sour cream and cheese toppings. Thanks so much for sharing!
★★★★★
This is a winner!! My Dad, Husband, and I loved this recipe! Flavor is fantastic. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
This is delicious! I used Trader Joe’s salsa verde and added corn at the end. Adding this to our regular rotation. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
★★★★★
So excited to make this tonight, but what kind of onion do you use?
Hi, Adriana! yellow onion will work. I hope you love the recipe!
Excellent!! Used 1 can of hot and 1 can of mild green chiles, a rotisserie chicken, and cooked on the stove. I’m sure it will be even better tomorrow.
★★★★★
This is probably the 10th time that I have made the soup in the past 3 months, it has become the family favorite even with my little grandkids. I no longer make traditional chicken soup they always want it with the salsa Verde style! It is a super easy great recipe. I like to serve it with corn on the side – it’s a great addition to the soup if you like corn. Thank you so much
★★★★★
Yay! I’m so glad that this has become a favorite for you all! You’re so welcome! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Carol!
Hi there,
Wanting to make this tonight! Looks good and has great reviews – was reading through and saw you said “this is my favorite salsa verde” but didn’t mention it.. maybe there was once a link that had since gone away… would love to know what it is. Thanks
Hi, Meghan! The brand I used for this recipe is Frontera’s Tomatillo Salsa. Thanks for your question!
Simple and delicious! Just wish cooks would specify the quantity of a “serving size”.
★★★★★
Hi, Kathy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. The serving size is whatever you would like it to be. The nutrition information is simply an estimate. You are welcome to plug in the ingredients to a nutrition tracker with a specified serving size for specific information.
My kids love tacos and refried beans from our local authentic Mexican restaurants. Old family recipes keep us coming back, but they also have us eating more than we need! I tried this soup tonight in order to tap in to their love of Mexican food, but with a healthy bent. My kids aren’t super adventurous eaters…THEY LOVED THIS. This was easy and delicious. A true crowed pleaser. Thank you!
★★★★★
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed the recipe, Katie! Thank you for sharing!!
Ashlea, great recipe! I used Siete green enchilada sauce, chicken breasts, and cooked in slow cooker for 4 hours on low. I topped the kids’ servings with greek yogurt to turn down the spice. The fam loved it and will make it at least monthly!
★★★★★
I’m so glad everyone loved it, Laura!
Best spice profile from the green chilies! The chicken thighs are so tender. This recipe is everything you need to nourish during these cold months! My husband and I LOVE it. Would totally make again and again ❤
★★★★★
I’m so happy you loved it, Riley! Thanks for sharing!
This was so easy and delicious! I used the instant pot and worked perfectly. I just sautéed the garlic and onions for a few minutes, quickly seared the chicken, and then pressure cooked on high for 20 min.
★★★★★
Thank you for sharing, Becca! So glad you loved it!
Loved this recipe! I was in a rush, so I dumped everything into the crockpot. This recipe makes a lot of soup and it smells so good and is so filling. Even my kid loved it. I topped with slices of fresh avocado and that so good with the soup. Thanks for this super easy and delicious recipe!
★★★★★
You’re so welcome, Elisa! I’m glad you loved it!
Holy cow this was delicious, thank you! New fan here!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Katie!
Another fabulous recipe, especially with the extra lime, cilantro and avocado!
★★★★★
Love those additions, Anne! Thank you for sharing!
This is really easy to make and sooo delicious!! I’m doing a 30 day cleanse and it met all the requirements I’m trying to follow! Loved it so much and will definitely be keeping this recipe handy!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Emily!
Loved it! Such great flavour. Haven’t made one of your recipes that we didn’t love immensely!! Thank you 🙂
★★★★★
You’re so welcome, Erin! Thank you for sharing!
Amazing recipe! Tons of flavor even though I added two additional cups of broth.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Allison!
I loved this soup! So easy and tasty. It was easy to swap a few thing that I ran out of but I still kept the flavor profile! I love all of your recipes!
★★★★★
Thank you for sharing, Nyera!
Quick question before I try this
Can I make in a crock pot abd if so are there amended instructions ?
Thank you !
Hi, Susan! You could definitely make this in the crockpot. I would recommend searing the chicken thighs before adding them to the crockpot and then letting everything cook on high for 4-6 hours.
Can’t wait to make this! I may be missing it but what is your fav brand of salsa verde…I didn’t see that listed. I usually make my own to avoid the high sodium but I’d love to look into your suggestion if you found a good one!!!
This looks so good!!
I hope you love it, Suzanne! I really love the Frontera Tomatillo salsa or Siete Foods Salsa Verde. I hope that helps!
Yummy recipe! I oversalted the chicken a wee bit so had to do a bit of correcting on it, but overall, it was a delicious recipe. Especially the case if you like salsa verde 🙂
★★★★★
I’m so glad you loved it, Sophia! Thank you for taking the time to leave a reply!
Made this over the weekend in the crockpot and it is UNBELIEVABLE!! So tasty and a breeze to put together. Thanks, Ashlea for another FAB recipe!
★★★★★
You’re so welcome, Jill. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. I’m so happy you loved the recipe!
This was excellent! I cooked it using dry beans and without chicken (since I had leftover cooked chicken from a previous meal) in a Food Ninja using the pressure cooker setting. Dry beans are fully cooked in a pressure cooker in 30 minutes making this an easy weeknight dinner. I also added a can of diced green tomatoes from my garden – just before the first hard frost, I harvest as many green tomatoes as possible and either can them or let them ripen slowly in the garage.I plan to make this again and again! Thanks!
★★★★★
Thank you so much for sharing all your helpful tips and tricks, Susan. I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
This is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE recipe to make! I’ve made it countless times and it’s easy, flavorful, and everyone loves not only the delicious smell but the taste of it! In fact EVERY recipe I’ve made from All The Healthy Things have been a hit! Especially the one pan fajitas! Thank you, thank you for making delicious + healthy recipes that are also super easy!
★★★★★
Aww, you’re so welcome, Laurette! I’m so glad you love this recipe. It’s one of my personal favorites that I make all of the time!
Absolutely delicious. this is probably the 5th recipe I’ve tried of Ashlea’s and its quite possibly my favorite.
★★★★★
Made this last night on the stove top as I forgot to start it in the slow cooker. Came together easily. My son even said, ‘mom, this is a re-do’! WINNER!
★★★★★
Another winning recipe! Perfect to prep on the weekend and heat up during the week. My husband, who is usually a little skeptical about trying new recipes he hasn’t heard of, ate two big bowls for supper!
★★★★★
Made this for the first time tonight and loved it! Super easy and perfect for a gloomy fall day. The spice is controllable by using mild vs hot green chiles and salsa verde. Pin it and make it if you haven’t yet!!
★★★★★
Made this 3x already cause it’s so bomb.
★★★★★
Made this tonight and it was so easy and flavorful! I added avocado and cilantro to my bowl and it really took it to the next level. Obsessed and can’t wait until I get to eat it for lunch tomorrow.
★★★★★
This was delicious! I used Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde and chicken breasts. This went over well with everyone (two elementary-aged kids, two adults), and we’ll make it again. We topped with sour cream and avocado and had tortilla chips on the side. It was great, and I’ll happily make it again. Thank you!
What brand of salsa verde do you use. I did not see a link to it. I apologize if I missed it 😊
Excellent recipe- easy to follow your instructions and turned out delicious! I modified the recipe by using about 3/4 the amount of salsa called for (since the salsa I used is hot!) and also only used one can of chili’s. Still came out phenomenal. I topped my soup servings with shredded cheese, light sour cream and tortilla chips.
★★★★★
Wow- delicious! Favorite soup I’ve had in a long time, even in the summer! It was super easy to make and the flavors were amazing
Everyone LOVED this soup! Too bad I had to pick out the beans since I’m breastfeeding and EVERYTHING gives her gas! I need to stock up on green chilis because several of your soups have them and they are often the 1 ingredient I don’t have on hand!
Holy Dinah! I made this the other night and it was amazing! I used my InstaPot with dried beans for 28 minutes and it was all perfectly cooked.
Loved the salsa verde base and my partner loved it, and he’s a bit finicky. Plus it was a perfect dish for a rainy June day. Thank you!
This soup was amazing! Really comforting but light at the same time. I used a yellow onion and it worked great.
Made this tonight! So GOOD!
Wow. This is so good I had to write the review before actually eating it because I keep going back to taste it while it simmers. It is exactly what I wanted for dinner tonight and perfect in its simplicity. 100% willake again. If you have kids, you might want to sub a different salsa verde because the Frontera is a bit too spicy for my kids, but it does add a nice roasted flavor.
I made this recipe last night and it was the best Salsa Verde soups I’ve tried, even recipes that have you make the salsa verde from “scratch”. Despite being a hot summer day, the tangy, fresh flavors were perfect! My husband eats huge portions, so we nearly finished it all in one sitting- I will double it next time! Thank you for a great recipe!
Just made this and it was absolutely fantastic! 10/10 wouldn’t change a thing! So. Much. Flavor! The whole jar of salsa verde…don’t not do it y’all!
You mention you have a favorite salsa verde but you don’t mention what brand it is or where to get it. Can you tell us? Sounds like an easy delicious soup!
Frontera brand salsa verde.
I’m so excited to try this! I actually have all the ingredients to make this for tomorrow. Looks like a yummy, quick weeknight meal.
Can’t wait to try this! But am I missing where you give the name of your favorite brand of salsa verde? I see you mention that you have a favorite but I don’t see a name or link anywhere?
Hi Ashlea, can’t wait to try this! Have you made this in an Instant Pot? Just wondering how I could alter it for that?
Hey there, I tried this in my insta pot with dried beans on high for 28min and it was perfect. My chicken was a bit frozen in the middle still so might work with less time.
Made this last night – it was delicious!! Every recipe I try from you has amazing flavor!!
So happy you loved it, Rachel!
Are the beans drained in this recipe?
Hi, Brittney! I don’t drain them for this recipe, but if you prefer to drain them, please do! I hope you love the recipe!
What is the actual serving size for this? I know it says six servings, but what does that equal out to?
★★★★★
Hi, Jackie! It’s usually around 1 1/2 – 2 cups!