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The Best Recipe for Southwest Seven Can Soup with Chicken

This super simple Seven Can Soup recipe is just the right dish to serve on one of those busy weeknights when you don’t have time to focus on a gourmet dinner.  And the very best news is the list of Southwest ingredients is so simple that you can keep every one of them in your pantry, so you’re ready to whip up a pot of this classic southern recipe on short notice.  It also works for a crowd.  When we talk about toppings, we’ll talk about upping the level of sophistication for this hearty meal.

This Seven Can Soup Recipe Is One of My Favorites

My first impression of this soup was not great when I saw it written down.  I mean – It comes with a simple list of ingredients, but cans of ingredients aren’t usually where I begin cooking.  The ladies in my Weight Watchers meetings were raving about this easy recipe, but I wasn’t sold.  I mean, a bunch of cans of processed stuff thrown together to make a bowl of soup sounded suspicious.  But eventually, after hearing so many women rave about how easy and delicious it is, I decided to give it a go!

My family was immediately hooked on this easy meal with its mix of tex-mex flavors.  It is now one of my family’s most requested favorite meals, and I almost always have canned chicken and the rest of the ingredients on hand. 

The original recipe called for the ingredients to be placed in a crock pot and cooked all day.  That works if you plan ahead.  Since I tend only to plan ahead about 50% of the time, I have learned that the soup works just as well if you throw everything into a big pot on the stove and simmer it on medium to low heat until everything is warm and well-mixed.  If you are in a hurry, you can start the cooking process with a few minutes on high heat to bring everything to a gentle boil.  Then lower the heat and let it simmer until you’re ready to serve.

Versatility is the Word with This Delicious Recipe

One of the things that I love the most about using this recipe is how versatile it is.  The canned ingredient list is excellent, or you can mix it up with some of your favorite ingredients.

For starters, substitute the black or red kidney beans for Pinto beans, chili beans, or a can of ranch-style beans.  If canned chicken isn’t your thing, try using fresh chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, or ground beef instead.  If you switch to ground beef, consider exchanging the chicken broth for beef broth.  No Rotel tomatoes in the house?  My family prefers a jar of salsa instead.

Is spicy food your thing?  No problem.  Add a can of green chilies or a packet of taco seasoning to give your soup a bit of zing!   We’ve also tried adding chili powder.  Fresh cilantro is delicious if you like a more complex flavor profile.  The sky’s the limit with this great recipe! 

Favorite Toppings

I like to serve this soup when we have all our adult kids over for dinner because it works so well when served with various toppings.  It is one of the best soups for a crowd because it can be dressed up as much as your guests desire.

I serve the soup in a large stock pot and then put out small bowls of extra toppings.  Consider toppings like Velveeta cheese cubes, sour cream, shredded cheddar, green chile enchilada sauce, red enchilada sauce, garlic powder and onion powder, smoked paprika, freshly chopped onions, peppers, and avocado slices, to name a few.  Your guests can use as many of these toppings as they’d like.  Or they can go bare with no toppings at all!

When I serve it at home with just my husband and kiddo, I top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream and a pile of Fritos (corn chips) or tortilla chips along with a few green onions, sliced.  My husband and 14-year-old son love this soup and are happy when they arrive home to the smell of it cooking.  I love it because it is so easy and so versatile.  Everyone who has tried it has given rave reviews.  Seriously.

The Hardest Part?

The hardest part of making this soup isn’t the making or the eating but the stopping.  We seldom have leftovers, but when we do, I place the soup in an airtight container and store it in the fridge.  It makes an easy meal for lunch the next day, either here at home or for my husband to take to work.  It heats up nicely in the microwave and is as good reheated as it is the first time.

7 Can Soup Recipe

• 1 Can Nonfat Refried Beans
• 1 large can of chicken breast
• 1 can of whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can of black beans, drained
• 1 can of red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can of chicken broth
• 1 can of Rotel Tomatoes or 1 jar of your favorite salsa

Open all the cans.  Plop the ingredients into the crock pot or your large stockpot.  Let them cook, occasionally stirring to blend everything.  The refried beans will take a bit of smashing to get mixed throughout, but they help make the soup thick.  When everything is warm and well-mixed, serve your soup in hearty bowls!

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