Cheesy Southwest Chicken Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you cook chicken before adding to soup? ›

On average, chicken breasts take around 20-25 minutes to cook thoroughly, while smaller pieces or shredded chicken may require less time. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before adding it to the soup.

Cold-poaching the chicken breasts, then removing them until the end of the cooking process, guarantees a perfectly tender and juicy texture. Using stock reinforces the flavor of the broth, creating a more deeply flavorful soup.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

You can cook the chicken at a high-enough temperature to kill bacteria by turning up the heat on the broth, but for a much safer and tastier method, brown your chicken first. Browning or searing the chicken in a separate pan is not only far more foolproof, but adds richness and extra umami to your soup.

To guarantee that your chicken soup remains safe as well as healthy, Miss Vickie advises searing or browning the chicken in a separate pan first, then adding it to your broth. This not only improves safety, but also improves the taste and color of the soup, adding richness and an extra umami element to the flavor.

Pack in umami flavor.

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

Place the chicken in a 6- to 7-quart soup pot and add the water (it should cover chicken). Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce to a bare simmer and skim foam as it rises to the surface.

Yes, chicken breast can become softer the longer you cook it, especially if you cook it using moist heat methods such as braising or stewing. These methods allow the collagen in the meat to break down, resulting in a more tender texture.

Some of our favorites are Dried Shallots, Dehydrated Red Bell Pepper, Dehydrated Green Bell Pepper, Tomato Flakes, Minced Onion and Roasted Garlic Flakes. Or, add a bay leaf to your recipe. The bay leaf will give the soup a little something extra without overwhelming the dish.

Milk or Half-and-Half: This is the other magical ingredient that turns your homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever. Use 1 cup of whole milk or 1 cup of half-and-half.

What's the difference between chicken stock and chicken broth? ›

Stock is generally made from bones, and broth is generally made from flesh. In both cases, they are often supported with aromatic vegetables, but in the case of stock, left unseasoned for maximum flexibility in recipes, whereas broth will usually contain at least salt and pepper.

Cornstarch, or corn flour, can be used to thicken soup through its high starch content. Cornstarch is a great thickener for soup because only a little bit is needed to significantly thicken a soup, and it will not affect the flavor profile of the soup.

If you are adding meat to a soup, sear or brown it in a sauté pan before you add it to the soup. This adds a deeper savory flavor to the whole soup. This trick is especially useful for things like chicken and sausage, which can sometimes get bland and rubbery while floating in a brothy soup.

Step 1In a large pot over medium-high heat, add chicken. Pour broth over chicken to cover and season generously with salt and pepper. Step 2Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium. Let simmer until chicken is cooked through, 10 minutes.

Yes, if two raw foods touch that will be cooked to the recommended temperature, the foods will be safe.

To ensure tender chicken breasts in your soup, be careful not to overcook them. Overcooking can result in dry and tough meat. Once the chicken reaches the correct internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), remove it from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes, which will help the meat retain its juiciness.