Quick and Easy One-Pot Tex Mex Chicken Noodle Soup

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Cooking With Anadi

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Here is such a fun twist to a traditional chicken noodle soup recipe!

This is so perfect to make on a chilly winter afternoon or evening. Granted, however, I made this for the recipe pictures on sunny spring afternoon, but I don’t let the time of year stop me from making great food as I always say! It shouldn’t stop you either!

This Cajun-Spiced Chicken Noodle Soup is based off of the classic chicken noodle soup with some twists and turns. It’s also a one-pot recipe, so there’s minimal clean-up and it’s ideal for meal prep! Almost no dishes as well, so that’s an extra bonus!

In this soup recipe, we’ve got lots of healthy veggies tossed in here with some pan-seared chicken breast and chicken broth. The chicken is seasoned with some cayenne pepper which really is the kick here! We first sear the chicken, then set it aside. We’ll then add our veggies and broth, and return the chicken to the pot. Finally, we’ll add some macaroni and let the pasta cook.

What’s absolutely amazing is that this soup can be ready in under 30 minutes! You’ve got a nutritious meal made in one pot in minimal time. What more can you ask for? I love the heat from this dish, but of course you can adjust the amount of Cajun seasoning and even cayenne pepper on the chicken to your liking!

Tools Needed

• Large bowl
• Nonstick pan
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring spoons
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Garlic press
• Lid

Hot Tex Mex Chicken Soup Ingredients

Check out the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD by scrolling to the bottom of this post or by pressing the “Jump to Recipe” button to see all ingredients and their quantities. You can also use the recipe card to scale the recipe based on how many portions of soup you want to make! By default, this recipe will make 6 portions.

• Chicken breast: You could use thighs as well if you’d like.
• Olive oil: Or any type of oil you like to cook the chicken and sauté the veggies.
• Veggies: For this recipe, I used onions, carrots, garlic, corn (frozen, fresh or canned is fine) and green peas (fresh, frozen or canned). You could use any other veggies such as peppers, or fresh tomatoes.
• Tomato paste: Adds the color to the soup, some sweetness, and more body and flavor to the base.
• Garlic cloves: Adds lots of flavor and a bit of spice and heat. You just need garlic to make things tasty!
• Macaroni: You could use any small pasta shape but here I’m using macaroni.
• Chicken broth: I used no salt added chicken broth so that I can control the amount of salt myself as I cook.
• Cajun seasoning: Our source of heat in the soup! For more details on how to make the Cajun seasoning, check out the full recipe here. It’s made with cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, black pepper and salt.
• Fresh parsley: Used for an optional garnish on top! You could use some fiesta blend cheese, sour cream, jalapeño slices, or cilantro as a garnish as well!

How to Make Hot Cajun-Spiced Chicken Noodle Soup

Making this chicken noodle soup is quite simple, which makes it an awesome lunch to meal prep or make when you need something quick!

Prepare the cajun seasoning in case you don't have any on hand. Simply mix all the ingredients for it.

Pat the chicken dry and season it on both sides with a teaspoon of Tex Mex or cajun seasoning. Add salt and pepper as desired.

Heat a pan on medium-high heat and add 2 tsp of olive oil. Once the pan is hot, sear the chicken on each side until it is golden brown about 3-4 minutes each side. When the chicken is seared on both sides, remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest.

In the same pan add the remaining olive oil, followed by onions, carrots and cajun seasoning. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until the veggies soften. Add minced garlic, sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add green peas and corn and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and mix well. Cook until the tartness of the tomatoes has cooked out. Add the chicken broth, followed by the macaroni. Mix well and adjust for salt.

Nestle the chicken in the broth and bring the broth up to a simmer. Cover the pan with a lid, cook for 6-8 minutes or until the pasta is cooked and the chicken is cooked through. If required, add extra chicken broth or water, 1/2 Cup at a time to adjust the consistency of the dish.

Remove the chicken and shred it well. Return the shredded chicken back to the pan, garnish with parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve topped with cheese and enjoy!

Variations to This Easy Tex Mex Chicken Soup

• Vegetarian: Omit the chicken and use tofu for the protein, in addition to vegetable broth for the base.
• Spicier: Add more of the Cajun seasoning and perhaps even add in some jalapeños or Thai green chilies for more heat.
• Milder: Want less heat? Reduce the amount of Cajun seasoning in this case.
• Gluten-free: The only gluten we have in this recipe is the macaroni. All you need to do is find some gluten-free macaroni, which can be corn-based or lentil-based.
• Shortcut: If you’ve got rotisserie chicken already in your home, then feel free to use it! That’s easy to shred and it’s full of flavor, plus you’ll cut down all the cook time of the chicken! As I mention in my free motivational guide to explore your potential in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!!, if there’s a suitable substitute you already have on hand, then go ahead and use it!
• Noodle: If you want to replicate the Lipton chicken noodle soup, you can use thin egg noodles instead of the macaroni. I just wanted to switch things up with the macaroni! You could also just break some spaghetti or spaghettini if you don’t have egg noodles.
• Taco-style: You can garnish with crushed tortilla chips for an extra crunch and a taco flair to your soup!

Storing Leftovers

Add any leftovers to an airtight container. When the soup has stopped steaming, place in the fridge uncovered until completely cooled. The chicken noodle soup is best served within 3 days of cooking. To reheat your soup, microwave for 4-6 minutes, stirring every 1 1/2 minute. Preferably, you can add the soup to a pot/pan with a cup of water and bring to a simmer.

Note: As the dish stays in the fridge and reheats, the pasta will naturally absorb more water. The reheated dish may not have the same doneness in the pasta once reheated.

Pair it with a grilled cheese for a comforting soup-and-sandwich night.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Not in This Tex Mex Chicken Soup

The heat here comes from a Cajun blend, not a Tex-Mex one, and the difference shows up the moment you read the spice list: 3 tbsp cayenne pepper, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 1/2 tbsp each of onion powder and garlic powder, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp thyme, 2 tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp salt. There is no cumin in it and no chili powder either, which are the two spices almost every Tex-Mex recipe leans on. That is why this tastes sharp and peppery rather than earthy and smoky.

There are also no black beans in the pot, no salsa stirred through it, and no lime wedges on the side. The body of the soup comes from 2 tbsp of tomato paste cooked out until the tartness goes, 4 cups of chicken broth, and 8 oz of macaroni that releases its starch as it cooks. Peas and sweet corn kernels go in at 1/4 cup each, which is seasoning-level rather than filling.

If you want to push it further toward a tortilla soup, all of those are fair additions: a drained can of black beans, a spoonful of salsa in place of some of the tomato paste, and lime wedges to squeeze at the table. Just add them knowing they are your changes, not the recipe as written.

Heat, Timing and Why This Stays a One-Pot Stovetop Soup

The chicken is seared first on medium-high heat, 3 to 4 minutes a side until golden, then rested while the vegetables cook in the same pan. Drop to medium heat for the onion and carrots so the browned bits left by the chicken loosen into the oil instead of burning, and give them 4 to 5 minutes before the garlic goes in.

Once the chicken broth is in, the soup never gets a hard boil. Bring it up to a simmer, nestle the chicken back in, put the lid on and give it 6 to 8 minutes. A rolling boil would turn 8 oz of macaroni to mush well before the chicken breasts were cooked through. Chicken stock works in place of the broth, and if the pot tightens up, add more broth or water half a cup at a time.

When the chicken is done, lift it out and pull it apart with two forks before returning it to the pan. Boneless skinless chicken thighs can stand in for the chicken breasts and shred just as cleanly, though they want an extra minute or two. And despite the name, this is not an Instant Pot recipe. Total time is 35 minutes on the stove, so a pressure cooker saves you nothing, and pasta cooked under pressure comes out soft.

Nutrition in a Bowl of Tex Mex Chicken Soup

The recipe makes 6 bowls. Each one works out at 259 calories, 15 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 3 g fiber, 5 g sugar and 903 mg sodium. The carbohydrates are almost entirely the macaroni, which is what makes this filling on very little fat.

Sodium is the number worth watching. At 903 mg a bowl it is the highest figure on the card, and it is coming from two places: 4 cups of chicken broth and the full tablespoon of salt in the Cajun seasoning. Swapping to a low-sodium broth and holding back the salt in the blend until you taste at the end brings it down a long way without touching the flavor from the cayenne and paprika.