Mexican bean soup with shredded chicken & lime

Use leftover chicken breast in this substantial healthy soup. Alternatively, make the recipe vegetarian by topping with chunky, fresh guacamole

  • Prep:10 mins
    Cook:20 mins
  • Serves 2
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 378
  • fat 8g
  • saturates 1g
  • carbs 36g
  • sugars 17g
  • fibre 12g
  • protein 32g
  • salt 0.5g

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red pepper, cut into chunks
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tsp mild chilli powder
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 400g can black beans
  • 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
  • 1 cooked skinless chicken breast, about 125g, shredded
  • handful chopped coriander
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • ½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)

Tip

Antioxidants

We don’t always think of beans and pulses as being rich in protective antioxidants, but black beans rival blueberries for their flavonoid content. These plant compounds form one of the most important classes of antioxidants, helping protect the skin and body from the damaging effects of poor lifestyle choices as well as ageing.

Make it veggie

Instead of chicken, mash a small avocado with lime and fresh chilli, then stir in a chopped tomato, a tablespoon of finely chopped onion and fresh coriander.

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a medium pan, add the onion and pepper, and fry, stirring frequently, for 10 mins. Stir in the garlic and spices, then tip in the tomatoes and beans with their liquid, half a can of water and the bouillon powder. Simmer, covered, for 15 mins.

  2. Meanwhile, tip the chicken into a bowl, add the coriander and lime juice with a little chilli (if using, or see tip below for guacamole alternative) and toss well. Ladle the soup into two bowls, top with the chicken and serve.

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