Shutdown Soup

This smoky, slightly spicy chipotle chicken soup is full of flavor and is easy to throw together in the Instant Pot or slow cooker.

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Shutdown Soup

The government has been shutdown this past week so Greg and I headed to the cabin. (He works for the federal government). We made this delicious soup and loved it! This chipotle chicken soup was easy, full of flavor, and left my kitchen smelling amazing. It was a cozy soup on the first real chilly day we’ve had (still refusing to turn on the heat in my house though!). The chipotle adds just the right amount of smoky heat (cut the chipotle amount in half if you’re afraid of spice), and the combo of beans, corn, and Rotel keeps it hearty and colorful. I love that it only takes a handful of pantry ingredients and the Instant Pot (or slow cooker!) does all the work. It reheats beautifully for lunches the next day.

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

• Olive oil–or vegetable, canola
• Onion–yellow or white
• Garlic cloves
• Chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon chicken base
• Dried oregano
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• Kosher salt
• Chipotle in adobo sauce
• Boneless skinless chicken thighs–or breasts
• Rotel–Rotel is a brand of canned diced tomatoes mixed with green chilies, find next to canned tomatoes. I used mild.
• Black beans–or pinto beans
• Corn–canned or frozen
• Toppings: tortilla strips, sour cream, shredded cheese

Steps

Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says HOT add in the oil and swirl around. Add in the onion and sauté for 4 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. 

Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.

Add in the oregano, cumin, garlic powder, pepper, salt, chipotle, chicken, Rotel, beans and corn.

Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set SOUP button to 5 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 10-20 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.

Stir. Ladle into bowls and serve with tortilla strips, a dollop of sour cream and a couple tablespoons of shredded cheese.

Notes/Tips

• Serve it with warm flour tortillas, cornbread, or a simple green salad. It’s also perfect with chips and guacamole on the side.
• Chipotle in adobo sauce is smoked jalapeños packed in a spicy, smoky tomato sauce that adds bold flavor to soups, tacos, and chili. You’ll usually find chipotle in adobo sauce in the Mexican or international foods aisle, near the canned green chiles, enchilada sauce, and salsa. I store the leftovers in a ziploc bag in my freezer and then just cut off what I need for a recipe.
• Wondering how spicy it is? One tablespoon of chipotle gives it a gentle heat. Add more if you like it fiery, or start with a teaspoon if you’re heat-sensitive.
• Make a creamy version! Stir in a couple tablespoons of cream cheese or a splash of heavy cream after cooking.
• You can swap chicken breasts for the thighs, just know thighs stay more tender.
• This recipe is gluten free.
• I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Other recipes you can make with chipotles are Copycat Chipotle Chicken and Instant Pot Dr. Pepper Chili.

Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for. 

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*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.