Sopa Ranchera, a Southwestern Chicken Soup is hearty and healthy with potatoes, savory with chicken breast and brimming with Mexican spices. A flavorful bowl of Southwestern goodness for when you need a healthy clean-eating soup recipe.
We’ve been eating like lumberjacks. It started sometime in mid-September. The calorie and fat flood gates were opened and it’s been a steady river of deliciousness since.
Its come to a screeching hault as of yesterday. It’s time to take a break and eat clean and healthy over the next couple of weeks, so that the Holiday food gluteney be welcomed with confidence and cheer.
The easiest way for us to eat clean without skimping on flavor is a big bowl of soup. Lots of broth, lots of vegetables and lean meats make for a satisfying meal.
Here’s a recipe that I found in the January 1999 issue of Cooking Light Magazine and it’s been one of our favorites over the years.
This Sopa Pollo, or Sopa Ranchera recipe, hearty with potatoes, corn, zucchini and chicken breast and seasoned with cumin, Mexican oregano and cilantro, is a flavorful bowl of soup. In short, it’s a great little Southwestern Chicken Soup Recipe.
Don’t forget a squeeze of lime just before serving. You’ll love a kick of zesty citrus to finish the dish.
Recipe for Sopa Ranchera, A Ranch Style Chicken Soup
I hope you give this hearty ranch style chicken soup recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.
Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes. And if you have a favorite hearty chicken soup recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Southwestern Chicken Soup Recipes
- Chicken Poblano Soup with Hominy
- Rosa’s Mexican Rotisserie Chicken Soup
- Chicken Soup with Chipotle and Kidney Beans
- Southwest Cheesy Creamy Chicken Soup
- Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Fajita Soup
- Chickpea Chili with White Beans and Chicken
- White Bean Chili with Chicken (Award Winning)
And if you love soup as much as we do, don’t miss my Soup Category. You’ll find lots of warming recipes including the most popular on my site for Anthony Bourdain’s New Mexico Style Beef Chili.
Sopa Ranchera, Southwestern Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small sweet onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 6 Cups chicken stock
- 1 1/2 C potatoes cubed
- 1 15 ounce can Hominy drained
- 2 Cups chicken breasts cooked and shredded
- 1 15 1/2 ounce can yellow corn or 1 cup frozen
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 small zucchini quartered lengthwise and and cubed
- 1 15 /12 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1/3 Cup chopped fresh cilantro
- toppings:
- sour cream
- finely chopped onion
- chopped fresh cilantro
- shredded cheese
- limes wedges
- multi-colored tortilla strips
Instructions
- In a saucepan, cover the cubed potatoes with water. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 3 minutes.
- Add oregano, cumin, and garlic; sauté until fragrant.
- Add cooked potatoes, 2 cups of the starchy cooking water, 4 cups chicken stock, hominy, chicken, corn, salt, canned tomatoes and zucchini; cook 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro; and cook 2 minutes.
- Ladle soup into bowls, and top with a dollop of sour cream. Other great toppings are finely chopped raw onion, cilantro, shredded cheese and tortilla strips. Serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition
Sopa Ranchera Mexican Chicken Soup …It’s What’s for Dinner.
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
Good basic recipe but I make some adjustments to the original recipe to intensify the flavors. It is one of my favorites! I always get compliments on it!
Hi Judy. And thanks so much for your note. This soup recipe is one of our favorites also. What adjustments did you make? Always looking to switch up flavors.
We love this hearty soup.. I’ve made it several times, but without the zucchini, hubby won’t eat it. A while back Lea Ann did a post about hominy, which we love, and she suggested replacing the corn in this recipe with it. So I always add a can of hominy and we love the flavor and texture it brings. I also use Hunts Fire Roasted diced tomatoes instead of regular diced for a more smoky flavor. This soup is a big winner in our house, I just made it again yesterday, thanks Lea Ann!
Just found this recipe. Looks to have all our favorite ingredients. Am sure it’s a 5 *****.
Is 103 in Ft. Worth, TX, today. But may make the soup later in the week when it’s in the 90’s 🙂
Oh, and being an OKIE from Stillwater, Oklahoma – Pottery Company? FRANKHOMA.
Always look forward to your Sunday Morning greetings.
Hi Mary Jo! Thanks so much for your note. And I hear-ya about those temps. We’ve been above 90’s even here in Denver. I’m one of those odd people who can eat soup anytime of year. But I agree, 90’s would be would make more sense. 🙂 This is one of our favorite soup recipes. Let me know what you think once you make it. Thanks for the compliment about my Sunday Emails. I enjoy creating them as well. My mom collected that Frankhoma pottery. I was so thrilled to inherit it when she passed. Love that pottery. Make it a delicious week.
This looks amazing Lea Ann! I will definitely have to try!
So nice to hear from you Robyn. Let me know what you think.
What a beautiful soup, Lea Ann! Hearty, flavorful, and super comforting! Knowing that you found the recipe in Cooking Light, I know it is guaranteed delicious!
This is one of our favorites Roz. Lean protein and lots of veggies.
Okay, this whole post is ruined because I JUST IMMEDIATELY came from Nan’s blog where she wrote about lumberjack pancakes and now I can only think about what the odds are that two random blogs in a row would mention lumberjacks……..http://www.potsandpins.com/blog/2013/11/lumberjack-pancakes.html
It’s a lumberjack conspiracy I tells ya~!
You are so right about soup, Lea Ann. It is easy to cut back when dinner is hearty and flavorful. I just have to steer away from the cream based soups and then I do OK. I love all the flavors you have combined here.
Thanks Cathy. The more soup I eat, the more pounds I loose and the healthier I feel.
The soup looks great.. and although cleaner and healthier, it still looks mighty filling!!!
That’s what’s great about lean protein and lots of veggies. Satisfying yet healthy.
I HAVE to try this! I’m always trying to spice up my soup-game, and I think this is where I should start! Thanks for sharing, great recipe.
Thanks so much for stopping by and the comment. Let me know how you like it.
This looks like a delicious way to eat clean! Soup is a perfect solution for eating lighter without skipping big flavor.
That’s what I think too Lisa. Big chunks of veggies and chicken and you’re not feeling a bit deprived. And it’s healthy.
I love this way of eating through the winter– soups with added proteins if you need to make a heftier meal. What a pretty bowl and plate and lovely photo!
Me too Holly. yay for soup season.
Well you can’t go wrong with those seasonings – my favorite combo. This looks delicious and what a great photo! (don’t think I’m not noticing that pottery) 🙂
That Pottery was my mom’s. I always loved those little soup bowls and plates. I can’t think of the company right now, it’s from Oklahoma.
What Sam said – it looks amazingly good and would go great with a slice of Mexican cornbread 🙂
Where’s that Mexican cornbread?????? 🙂 Gotta make it this weekend.
I’ve been eating soup for a few days now. Helps take away the chill and like you imply-the holidays are not far away! Great sounding soup that will surely hit the spot!
Thanks Abbe. I think I could eat soup every day
I love soup and this looks satisfying. I love Mexican type soups especially. Thanks for sharing. Will try.
Thanks Jaime. Sure do miss you blogging. Hope you’re back soon.
If this is eating light, bring it on. Beautiful soup Lea Ann and so colorful too. It’s smart to eat healthy before Thanskgiving. Then you can really enjoy without feeling (too) guilty 🙂
Sam
I do call this eating light, in a hearty sort of way. At least it’s healthy.
Nothing satisfies like soup and this looks like one that ticks all the boxes for a a great meal. I will definitely give this one a try this winter.
Let me know what you think Karen.
Looks wonderful. Love all the veggies and flavors.
We like this recipe Karen. As always, thanks for stopping by and the comment.