WW Recipe of the Day: Chicken, White Bean & Salsa Soup
I got the idea for this simple chicken white bean salsa soup from a Weight Watchers friend. While chatting one day, I mentioned that I needed an idea for how to use up the remains of a recently purchased rotisserie chicken.
She explained that she always made an easy soup with white beans and salsa from her leftover chicken. I jotted down the ingredients and immediately came home and stirred up a pot of her quick and easy chicken white bean salsa soup.
If you need more ideas for using cooked rotisserie chicken, my best-selling bundle of WW Friendly eCookbooks includes a book full of recipes!
You won't believe how deliciously satisfying this super simple chicken white bean salsa soup is. It's become a staple at our house, especially at this time of year, when quick and easy is the name of the game.
I decided it would be perfect this week as the recipe for our little group of bloggers working its way through Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients (affiliate link) by Martha Stewart and the editors of Whole Living Magazine, where the featured ingredient is dried beans.
With so many more expensive, exotic super foods taking up most of the limelight these days, it's easy to forget that beans, one of the most basic, affordable, and widely available of foods, also provide myriad health benefits.
Health Benefits of Beans
Beans are high in antioxidants, fiber, protein, B vitamins, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and zinc. Research suggests that eating beans regularly may decrease your risk of diabetes, heart disease, colorectal cancer, and help with weight management, because they're so filling you can eat less but still feel satisfied.
A half-cup of beans has only about 100 calories.
Dry Beans Stored in Glass Jars
Common varieties of beans include black beans, kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans, white beans, soybeans (edamame), and garbanzo beans (chickpeas).
You can soak and simmer dried varieties in a slow cooker all day, or use canned beans when time is short, which is what I tend to do most often.
Quick & Easy Chicken White Bean Salsa Soup
This quick and easy chicken white bean salsa soup is the kind of dish that barely qualifies as a recipe. Just stir together some chopped cooked chicken, chicken broth, salsa and a couple of cans of drained white beans and add chili powder and cumin to taste.
I call this maximum reward for minimal effort. No peeling, chopping or dicing vegetables. And no sauteeing so calories are reduced.
You can make it on the stove top or let it simmer in the slow cooker, whatever works best for you. And this soup can be modified in lots of ways too: Use black beans instead of white. Or green salsa instead of red. Add a can of corn. Stir in some cilantro. For spicier soup, use hot salsa. Or keep it family-friendly with mild. The choice is yours. Feel free to have fun and experiment.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Chicken White Bean Soup?
According to my calculations, each serving has 159 calories and:
3 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
0 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
0 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
4 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
Are You Ready To Slim Down With Soup?
If you've made this low fat Chicken & White Bean Salsa Soup, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Chicken White Bean Salsa Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 12 ounces salsa (I used red, but green would be good too)
- 2 cans (about 15 ounces each) white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups chopped cooked lean chicken
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon cumin, optional
- Garnish with cilantro, cheese, corn chips, etc., if desired
Instructions
- Empty the salsa into a large saucepan. Cook for 2 minutes over medium-high heat, then add the chicken, beans, broth, chili powder and cumin (if desired).
- Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Alternatively, to make in a slow cooker, add all ingredient into your slow cooker and cook covered on low until hot, about 4 to 6 hours.
- Use a masher or immersion blender (affiliate link) to mash up some of the soup and make it a little thicker if desired.
- Top each bowl with a sprinkling of green onions or cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, and or some low-fat baked tortilla chips (if desired).
- Makes about 8 cups of soup.
Recipe Notes
Recipe sources:
- Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients (affiliate link) by the Editors of Whole Living Magazine
- The Health Benefits of Beans (Dr Oz)
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
More Easy Healthy Recipes with Beans for Weight Watchers
- Favorite Skinny & Delicious Black Bean Soup Recipes
- Easy Baked Bean Soup
- WW Friendly Tuna & White Bean Salad
- Healthy Tuscan Vegetable & White Bean Soup
- Skinny Black Bean Brownies
- Jamie Oliver Vegetable Soup with Beans
- Skinny Cheese and Black Bean Nachos
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
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Mireya Merritt
Martha, this looks so tasty and easy to put together too!
tina
Tried this tonight and we loved it! So simple and easy to make and yummy too!
April
How would I make this in a crock pot?
Martha McKinnon
Hi April, to make this in a slow cooker, just place all ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low until hot. This should take about 4 to 6 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high depending on how full your slow cooker is. Hope this helps. - Martha
Beth Winnett
I love this soup. We make it about 3 times a month. I put a big spoonful of plain fat free greek yogurt on the top. A few tortilla chips on the bottom of the bowl and I am ready to go. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. We use green salsa.
Diane
Made this tonight with some chicken I had in the freezer. Really good and so easy! Zero points too! Thanks for this one!!!!
Cindy
Great recipe. If you make it in the slow cooker, do you do it with cooked chicken or raw? Thank you!
Martha McKinnon
Hi Cindy, either will work. The first time I used leftover rotisserie chicken. If you prefer, raw chicken will work too. Just cook until it's tender. ~Martha
Sandy
This simple soup is delicious!! I had salsa and chicken in the fridge and found this recipe. I added cilantro and small soup noodles. Very good!! And made in less than a half an hour!Sa
Cindy
Thank you Martha!
Dawn Perez
Excellent soup, much like tortilla soup! Quick to prepare with pantry ingredients and low points too. We topped with fat free cheddar cheese, corn and a few crushed tortilla chips. This will become one of my standbys from now on. Thanks for the great recipe!
Ms. Nikki C.
Sooooo yummy! Honestly I looked at the ingredients and thought to myself I have all of those on hand. I had no idea it would be so good and filling. While cooking it seemed almost watered down even though no water was added thx so much for the little tidbit to use an immersion blender. It thickened it up significantly and everything was perfect.
AJ
I use this soup as a snack in between meals or to curb my appetite late at night. Depending on how many points I have remaining, I can add tortilla strips, fat free cheese and low fat sour cream.
I did add the broth to a tablespoon of corn starch and mixed. I then added it to soup to thicken a little. In the winter I plan to a little fat free cream of chicken for a creamier texture. I would mash and blend some extra beans per your suggestion,, but to many beans upset my stomach.
Thanks for recipe. Delicious.
Fern
Fantastic recipe! Made as directed.
Sharon
This was so easy and my whole family loved it! Your recipes have made the difference in my weight loss success!!!
Martha McKinnon
Thanks Sharon!!!