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Mexican Corn Chicken Soup

Name: Mexican Corn Chicken Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 onion, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced; 3 cups corn kernels, raw (from about 4 ears of corn); 1 teaspoon chilli powder; 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 1/2 cups chicken broth; 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless; 1/2 cup heavy cream; Cotija cheese; Cilantro; Red pepper flakes

Published on September 14, 2023 by Stephanie Kay

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Filled with sweet corn and loaded with chicken, this Mexican-inspired creamy corn chicken soup is a protein-packed and fiber-filled meal that is equal parts nutritious and delicious.

Corn chicken soup in a grey bowl on a wood plate with cilantro and cotija cheese on top.

If you’re looking for a recipe to help you transition from summer to fall, look no further than this chicken and sweet corn soup! This hearty soup has all the flavors of sweet summer corn along with the comfort food feelings of fall.

I opted to give this soup a little Mexican flair by adding some spices and serving it with cotija cheese, cilantro, and chili flakes. However, if you wanted to keep the soup on the milder side, you could omit the spices and really let the simplicity of this chicken corn soup shine.

Two bowls of chicken corn soup in grey bowls with a spoon on a dark grey background.

Why You’ll Love It

Seasonal – This chicken and corn soup is a great way to use fresh corn.
Made in One Pot – This soup is made in one pot to ensure clean-up is a breeze.
Gluten-Free – It’s naturally gluten-free so everyone can enjoy it.
Freezes Well – This sweet corn and chicken soup recipe freezes well so it’s perfect for meal prep.

Ingredients for Mexican corn chicken soup; chicken breasts, fresh sweet corn, tomatoes, onion, garlic, green bell pepper, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt, and heavy cream.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Fresh Corn – In-season sweet corn will give you the best results, you can use yellow corn or bi-color corn on the cob. If needed, you can use frozen corn, canned corn, or creamed corn – see the notes section of the recipe card.
Chicken Breasts – Be sure to use boneless and skinless chicken breasts. You can also use cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken – see the note in the recipe card for instructions.
Onion – To build the base of the soup.
Garlic – To flavor the soup.
Green Bell Pepper – To add some color and veggies.
Tomatoes – To add more color and veggies.
Spices – A mixture of chili powder, ground cumin, and salt to season the soup and give it a bit of heat.
Chicken Broth – You can use homemade or store-bought chicken broth. You can also use vegetable stock.
Heavy Cream – To make the soup extra rich and creamy. You can also use table cream or half-and-half if needed.

In addition to the above, I recommend a bit of cotija cheese, cilantro, and red pepper flakes to serve with the soup.

Dietary Adaptions

To Make it Gluten-Free: Be sure to use gluten-free chicken broth.

To Make it Dairy-Free: Swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk.

To Make it Low-Sodium: Use low-sodium chicken broth.

Vegetables for sweet corn chicken soup in a large pot.

Vegetables for corn chicken soup in a pot with chicken stock and raw chicken breasts.

How to Make Corn Chicken Soup

Cut the sweet corn. Using a sharp knife, remove the corn kernels from the raw ears of corn.
Cook the veggies. In a large pot, cook the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil and butter until tender.
Add the tomatoes, corn, and spices. Add the diced tomatoes, corn kernels, chili powder, cumin, and salt, and cook until fragrant.
Add the broth and chicken. Cover the vegetables with broth and submerge chicken breasts in the broth.
Simmer the soup. Bring to a boil, then cover, and reduce to a simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
Shred the chicken. Remove the cooked chicken from the pot, place it on a cutting board, and shred it into bite-size pieces.
Puree the soup. Using a blender, puree a portion of the soup until creamy, then return it to the pot along with the shredded chicken.
Add the cream. Add the heavy cream, stir to combine, and season to taste.
Serve and enjoy!

The detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Corn soup with shredded chicken in a pot.

Red’s Nutrition Tip

This sweet corn chicken soup is a well-balanced meal complete with protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and healthy fats. If you want to make it a little more filling, I suggest serving the soup with some crusty bread and/or a side salad.

Mexican sweet corn soup with chicken in a large pot with a ladle and chopped cilantro on top.

Tips for the Best Sweet Corn & Chicken Soup

Use homemade chicken stock. While any chicken broth or chicken stock will work in this recipe, homemade chicken broth will provide the best flavor.

Use fresh sweet corn. Although you can use frozen corn, canned corn, or creamed corn in this soup, using fresh sweet corn will give you the best flavor. If possible, look for local, in-season bi-color corn, also known as peaches and cream corn.

Use leftover chicken. While the recipe calls for chicken breasts, this recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken. Whether you have cooked chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or whole roasted chicken, this corn and chicken soup is a great way to use last night’s dinner leftovers.

Sweet corn chicken soup in a bowl with cilantro, chilies, and Mexican cheese on top.

Storage + Reheating

To Refrigerate: Allow the soup to cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To Freeze: Transfer the cooled soup to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To make grab-and-go meals and reheating easier, you can freeze the soup in individual portion-sized containers.

To Reheat: To reheat from the fridge, place the soup in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat from frozen, thaw the soup overnight in the fridge and then place the soup in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat the soup in the microwave, place thawed soup in a microwave-safe bowl and warm for 1-2 minutes, with 30 additional 30-second increments as needed depending on the strength of your microwave.

More Chicken Soup Recipes:

Mexican Corn Chicken Soup

Author: Stephanie Kay

This Mexican-inspired corn chicken corn soup recipe is a great way to use up all that end-of-summer corn. Plus, it freezes well so you can make a big batch and have meals ready for weeks to come.

Author: Stephanie Kay
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
3 cups corn kernels, raw (from about 4 ears of corn)
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1/2 cup heavy cream

To Serve (optional):

Cotija cheese
Cilantro
Red pepper flakes

Instructions

Using a sharp knife, on a cutting board, remove the corn kernels from the uncooked ears of corn. (If using frozen, canned, or creamed corn, see the notes section below.)
In a large pot on medium-high heat, warm the olive oil and butter. Add diced onion and green bell pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add diced tomatoes, corn kernels, chili powder, cumin, and salt, and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in broth and give it a good stir to ensure everything is well combined. Then add chicken breasts into the pot, ensuring they are submerged in the broth, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. (If using leftover chicken see the notes section below.)
After 20 minutes, remove the chicken breasts from the pot and place them on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken into fine strips or bite-size pieces, and set it aside.
Using a measuring cup, remove 3 cups of the soup from the pot, add it to a blender, blend until smooth, and then return it to the pot. (If you have an immersion blender, you can do this directly in the pot, but only partially blend the soup.)
Return the shredded chicken to the pot, pour in heavy cream, stir to combine, and allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes. As it does, taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a sprinkle of cotija cheese, cilantro, and/or red pepper flakes on top.
Any leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

To Use Frozen Corn: Use 3 cups of frozen corn kernels. Instead of adding the corn in step #3, add frozen corn to the pot along with the shredded chicken in step #7.

To Use Canned Corn: Use two 14-ounce cans of canned corn, strain the corn the remove excess liquid. Instead of adding the corn in step #3, add the strained corn to the pot along with the shredded chicken in step #7.

To Use Creamed Corn: Use two 14-ounce cans of creamed corn. Skip step #6, and instead of adding the corn in step #3, add the creamed corn to the pot along with the shredded chicken in step #7.

To Use Leftover Chicken or Rotisserie Chicken: Instead of adding the chicken breasts in step #4 and removing them in step #5, simply shred the leftover chicken into bite-size pieces and add it to the pot as outlined in step #7.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 351 calories
Sugar: 12 grams
Fat: 16 grams
Carbohydrates: 30 grams
Fiber: 5 grams
Protein: 26 grams

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