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BBQ Chicken Soup Recipe

4.8 from 65 reviews

This flavorful BBQ Chicken Soup combines tender chicken breast pieces seasoned with smoky spices and simmered with vegetables, pinto beans, sweetcorn, and tangy BBQ sauce in a hearty chicken stock base. Perfect for a comforting meal, this soup offers a delightful blend of smoky, savory, and slightly sweet flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Seasoning

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
  • 1 1/2 lb chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Vegetables & Aromatics

  • 1 medium onion (diced)
  • 1 medium carrot (diced)
  • 1 medium red bell pepper (diced)
  • 2 large garlic cloves (roughly chopped)

Other Ingredients

  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1 can (14 oz / 400g) pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 can (7 oz / 200g) sweetcorn (drained and rinsed)
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley (roughly chopped)

Instructions

  1. Season the Chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken pieces with garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Toss thoroughly to coat the chicken evenly with the seasoning.
  2. Brown the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Remove the browned chicken from the pot and set aside to keep warm.
  3. Sauté the Vegetables: Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Add diced onion, carrot, and red bell pepper, cooking for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
  4. Add Garlic: Stir in the roughly chopped garlic cloves and cook for an additional minute until aromatic.
  5. Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot. Pour in the BBQ sauce and stir well to coat the chicken and vegetables evenly.
  6. Add Beans, Corn, and Stock: Add the drained pinto beans, sweetcorn, and chicken stock to the pot. Stir to combine all ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
  7. Simmer the Soup: Once boiling, reduce heat to low and let the soup simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and chicken to cook through completely.
  8. Finish and Serve: Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed, and serve the soup hot. Optionally, garnish with extra chopped red onion and fresh parsley for added freshness and crunch.

Notes

  • For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper along with the other spices.
  • Use low-sodium chicken stock to better control sodium content.
  • Leftover soup stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes nicely for up to 3 months.
  • Feel free to substitute pinto beans with black beans or kidney beans for variation.
  • If preferred, shredded cooked rotisserie chicken can be used instead of cooking fresh chicken breast.

Keywords: BBQ chicken soup, chicken soup with BBQ sauce, smoky chicken soup, easy chicken soup recipe, hearty chicken soup