Martha Stewart Chipotle Chicken And White Bean Soup Recipe

You probably have a can of chipotle peppers in your pantry that you bought for one recipe and never touched again. This is the recipe that makes that can worth having. Martha Stewart’s Chipotle Chicken and White Bean Soup simmers boneless chicken thighs with tomato sauce, chipotle in adobo, carrots, and celery for 10 minutes, shreds the chicken, adds two cans of white beans, and simmers everything for 15 more minutes until the broth is thick and smoky.

I make this Martha Stewart chicken soup recipe every fall when I want something filling and warm that does not take all night. This chicken and white bean soup is one of Martha Stewart’s best chicken recipes for a cold weeknight because the whole thing is done in 35 minutes in one pot. Seven ingredients, no fancy technique, and you top it with tortilla chips, avocado, and radishes so it feels like a real meal. One of those Martha Stewart chicken dishes that gets better the longer you let it sit.

Try More Soup Recipes:

• Turkey Chili
• Chicken Soup
• Minestrone Soup

Why You Will Love This Chipotle Chicken And White Bean Soup:

• 35 minutes in one pot: You put everything in the pot, simmer it, shred the chicken, add the beans, and you are done. I do not even dirty a cutting board for the chicken because it goes in whole and gets shredded after cooking. The only things to chop are carrots and celery.
• Chipotle in adobo does all the seasoning: One to two tablespoons of chipotle sauce gives the soup a smoky, slightly spicy depth that would normally take hours of simmering to build. You do not need to add a dozen spices. The chipotle does the work. I start with 1 tablespoon and add more at the end if I want more heat.
• Mashing the beans thickens the broth: Martha has you use the back of a spoon to mash some of the beans into the broth during the simmer. This is what turns a thin soup into a thick, hearty one without adding cream or flour. It is a trick I now use in every bean soup I make.

Chipotle Chicken And White Bean Soup Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6)
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chipotle-in-adobo sauce without chiles (from a 7-ounce can)
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
• Kosher salt
• 2 cans (each 15.5 ounces) white beans, rinsed and drained
• Sliced radishes, tortilla chips, and diced avocado, for serving

How To Make Martha Stewart Chipotle Chicken And White Bean Soup

1. Cook the chicken and vegetables: In a large pot, combine the chicken thighs, tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon of chipotle sauce, carrots, celery, 6 cups of water, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, skimming the surface if needed, until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
2. Shred the chicken: Transfer the chicken to a plate and let cool slightly. Shred into bite-size pieces.
3. Add the beans and simmer: Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the white beans. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, using the back of a spoon to mash some of the beans into the broth.
4. Season and serve: Stir in more chipotle sauce to taste if desired. Serve the soup topped with sliced radishes, tortilla chips, and diced avocado.

Recipe Tips

• Use the adobo sauce, not the peppers: Martha says to use the chipotle-in-adobo sauce without the chiles. The sauce has all the smoky flavor without the intense heat of the whole peppers. If you add a whole chipotle pepper, this soup will be very spicy. I scoop just the sauce off the top of the can with a spoon.
• Mash about a third of the beans: You do not want to mash all of them. Leave most whole so you have texture. Just press a few against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon as the soup simmers. This gives you a thick broth with whole beans in it. I always mash more than I think I should and it always turns out right.
• Start with 1 tablespoon of chipotle: You can always add more at the end but you cannot take it away. The heat builds as the soup simmers. I add 1 tablespoon at the start and taste before serving. If you want more smoke and heat, stir in the second tablespoon then.
• Do not skip the toppings: The radishes, tortilla chips, and avocado turn this from soup into a full meal. The crunch from the chips, the cool avocado, and the sharp radish make every bowl different. I put them out in bowls and let everyone add their own.

What Goes Well With This Chipotle Chicken Soup

The toppings are built into the recipe, so the soup is already a complete meal. But if you want something on the side, a batch of cornbread is perfect. The sweetness of the cornbread and the smokiness of the chipotle is a combination I come back to every time.

A bowl of guacamole with extra chips on the side works too if you want to lean into the Tex-Mex feel.

How To Store Leftovers

Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. This soup gets better overnight because the chipotle flavor deepens and the mashed beans thicken the broth even more. I actually prefer it on day two.

I reheat in a saucepan over medium heat. Add a splash of water if it has thickened too much. Do not add the toppings until you are ready to serve because the tortilla chips get soggy and the avocado browns. Freezes well for up to 3 months without the toppings.

FAQs

• What is chipotle in adobo? It is smoked jalapeno peppers packed in a tangy tomato-based sauce. You can find it in small cans in the Mexican food aisle. Martha uses just the sauce for this recipe, not the whole peppers. If you have never bought it, grab a can. You will use it in everything once you try it.
• Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs? You can, but thighs have more flavor and stay juicier after simmering and shredding. Breasts tend to dry out and get stringy. Martha calls for thighs on purpose and I agree with her on this one.
• How spicy is this soup? With 1 tablespoon of chipotle sauce, it is mildly smoky with just a hint of heat. Not spicy enough to bother most people, including kids. If you want real heat, go with the full 2 tablespoons or add a minced chipotle pepper. I keep it at 1 tablespoon for my family.
• What kind of white beans should I use? Any canned white bean works: cannellini, great northern, or navy beans. I usually grab whatever is cheapest. Rinse and drain them well so the starchy canning liquid does not cloud the broth.

More Soup Recipes:

• Tomato Soup
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Lentil Soup

Nutrition Facts

(1 serving, serves 4)

• Calories: 480
• Total Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Cholesterol: 190mg
• Sodium: 720mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 42g
• Protein: 54g