Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup
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Published Feb 15, 2021, Updated Jan 08, 2025
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This slow cooker chicken fajita soup makes for a comforting and healthy meal that’s packed with flavor and a hint of spice. It can be made in your slow cooker or Instant Pot!
Do you know what makes me incredibly happy? Getting done with work for the day only to realize that dinner has finished cooking and is ready to serve. That’s why I LOVE slow cooker meals!
Overall, this recipe is pretty straight-forward. It’s basically all the ingredients you typically use for fajitas, just a bit more liquid to make it into a soup. After slow cooking for several hours the chicken gets tender, the peppers soften and the broth develops a robust, spicy flavor.
We ended up eating this soup for dinner two nights in row and like most soups it was even better the second night. Isaac mentioned how good it was several times so I have a feeling I’ll be making it again soon!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Packed with flavor – The classic fajita spices, fresh salsa, and lime juice make this soup bold, zesty, and downright delicious.
- Customizable – You can adjust the spice level, switch up the toppings, or add your favorite grains for a soup that’s totally your own.
- Healthy and satisfying – Loaded with veggies, lean protein, and warming spices, this soup is a wholesome meal that leaves you feeling full and happy.
- Great for meal prep – The leftovers taste amazing and reheat beautifully, making it perfect for lunches or quick dinners all week long.
Healthy Fajita Soup Ingredients
- vegetables – yellow, green and orange bell peppers, yellow onion, jalapeño pepper and garlic.
- salsa – if you don’t have salsa on hand, you can make your own or just add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, 2 additional cloves of garlic to the soup.
- chicken – I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs to add a bit of fat and flavor. If you prefer white meat, feel free to use chicken breasts. You may just want to add an extra teaspoon of olive oil.
- chicken broth – I recommend low-sodium broth so you can control the salt level. Vegetable broth works too!
- seasonings and spices – chili powder, cumin, paprika, sea salt and ground pepper
- toppings of choice – chopped avocado, jalapeño slices, cilantro, more lime juice, tortilla chips or crackers
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Fajita Soup Variations
- Less spice – If you’re not a fan of spice (or serving kiddos) simply leave the jalapeño pepper out. The soup has plenty of other spices to make it flavorful.
- Vegan – Make this soup vegan by using vegetable broth and 1-2 cans of rinsed and drained chickpeas in place of the chicken.
- Add grains – Make this soup heartier by adding in cauliflower rice or cooked brown/white rice. You can stir frozen or fresh cauliflower rice or cooked white/brown rice directly to the soup once it’s done cooking and warming in the slow cooker. Stir and let warm until soup is warm throughout.
How to Make This Soup in the Instant Pot
This soup originated as a slow cooker recipe, but we recently got an Instant Pot (air fryer combo!!) and we’re obsessed! Here’s how to make this soup in the Instant Pot:
Sauté onion and garlic – Start by adding olive oil to the Instant Pot and put it on sauté setting. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Pressure cook – Add the remaining ingredients (besides the rice and toppings) to the Instant Pot. Place the lid on the pressure cooker, lock lid and make sure the pressure release valve is closed. Press cancel to stop sautéing and then press the soup/stew button and set the time to 30 minutes.
Quick release – Once the timer reaches 0, the cooker will switch to “keep warm”. Carefully switch the pressure release valve to open to quick release the pressure. Be super careful during this! I recommend using a towel over the valve or use tongs so you don’t burn yourself with the steam.
Shred chicken – Once the steam is released, remove the lid and use a fork to shred the chicken.
Add rice and serve – If you’re adding rice to the soup, add it to the Instant Pot while it’s still set to warm. Once warmed through, portion the soup into bowls, top with toppings of choice and enjoy!
What to Serve with Fajita Soup
This chicken fajita soup is flavorful and filling on its own, but pairing it with the right sides and toppings makes it even better. Here’s what I’d recommend:
- Tortilla chips or crackers: Serve with crunchy tortilla chips for dipping or crumbling on top. My almond flour crackers would also work as a grain-free option.
- Homemade guacamole or salsa: Pair with my healthy guacamole or a fresh batch of pico de gallo for dipping chips or adding to the soup.
- Rice: Serve with a scoop of cilantro rice or mix in some cauliflower rice for a lighter option. https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/cauliflower-rice/
- Side salad: Balance the bold flavors of the soup with a light, refreshing spinach salad or this Mexican street corn kale salad would be an excellent pairing.
- Roasted veggies: Add a side of air fryer zucchini or roasted bell peppers for extra veggies to complement the soup.
Finish your bowl with plenty of avocado, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice, and you’ve got a meal that’s bursting with flavor and texture! Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to tweak!
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerator: Let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: For longer storage, place the cooled soup in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Warm the soup on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If it’s thickened too much, add a splash of water or broth. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Chicken breasts work just as well and are a great leaner option. Just be careful not to overcook them, as they can dry out more easily than thighs.
Yes! Swap the chicken for black beans or chickpeas and use vegetable broth. You’ll still have a hearty and flavorful soup.
You can shred the cooked chicken easily with two forks, or for an even quicker method, use a hand mixer to shred it in seconds.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
- Taco Soup
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
More Healthy Chicken Recipes
- Detox Soup
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Healthy Brunswick Stew with Shredded Chicken
- Grilled Curry Chicken
- Healthy White Bean Chicken Chili
Be sure to check out all of my soup recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Chicken Fajita Soup
Ingredients
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- ½ jalapeño pepper, sliced
- 1 cup fresh salsa*
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- juice of 1 lime
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, chicken breasts work too
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- cauliflower rice or cooked white/brown rice, optional
- toppings of choice: chopped avocado, jalapeño slices, cilantro, more lime juice, tortilla chips or crackers
Instructions
Slow Cooker:
- Put all ingredients (besides rice and toppings) into a slow cooker.
- Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. The chicken should be cooked through and will just fall apart. Once this happens turn the slow cooker to warm and enjoy whenever you’re ready. If adding rice, add it to the slow cooker while set to warm.
- To serve, top each bowl with avocado, jalapeño slices, cilantro and serve with tortilla chips and a slice of lime.
Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker:
- Add olive oil to Instant Pot and put on sauté setting. Add onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add remaining ingredients (besides rice and toppings). Place the lid on the pressure cooker, lock lid and make sure the pressure release valve is closed.
- Press cancel on the pressure cooker and then press the soup/stew button and set time to 30 minutes.
- Once the timer reaches 0, the cooker will switch to keep warm. Carefully switch the pressure release valve to open to manually release the pressure. (I use tongs for this). Once the steam is released, remove the lid and use a fork to shredded chicken. The chicken should be cooked through and will just fall apart.
- If adding rice, add it to the Instant Pot while set to warm. Once warm throughout, portion soup into bowls.
- To serve, top each bowl with avocado, jalapeño slices, cilantro and serve with tortilla chips and a slice of lime.
Video
Notes
- If you don’t have salsa on hand, you can make your own or just add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, 2 additional cloves of garlic to the soup.
- To add more bulk to the soup, I like adding cauliflower rice or cooked brown/white rice. You can stir frozen or fresh cauliflower rice or cooked white/brown rice directly to the soup once it’s done cooking and warming in the slow cooker. Stir and let warm until soup is warm throughout.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very nice recipe, if a little time consuming to put together. But, the flavor was delicious. We served with crushed tortilla chips. Great comfort food!
Amazing! I am so glad you enjoying this cozy soup and it turned out great for you, Heather. Thanks for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
I just made this recipe on the stove top. I didn’t change a thing, which is unusual for me. Delicious!
YUM! I am excited to hear that you are loving this recipe and that it turned out great. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I truly appreciate it!
We could eat this soup every week. I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change anything. It made enough for a couple of days of meals. Dolloped sour cream and sprinkled some cheddar cheese on top.
Yay! So glad you loved this recipe, Laurie! Thanks so much for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it.