Friend, Let Me Tell You About This Soup

Okay, so you know when it’s cold outside, you desperately want soup, but also you’ve, like, completely run out of steam? That’s usually when I pull out my battered slow cooker (seriously, it has a dent form when I dropped it, long story) and make this chicken fajita soup. The first time I cooked it, I had a pile of random veggies in the fridge—plus leftover tortilla chips from last night’s, ahem, ‘movie dinner’—and needed something that wouldn’t make my kitchen look like a tornado hit. This soup pretty much rescued me, and now I make it way more often than I’d care to admit. And, bonus: the smell when you walk in after work? Ridiculous. Almost like you have your life together.

Why You’ll Love This (Or, Why I Keep Making It…)

I make this when the week gets bonkers, or as my mum says, “you’re running on fumes.” My family goes crazy for it because it hits all those cozy notes (especially with toppings). Actually, maybe too crazy—there’s squabbling over leftovers. But also, I love that you dump everything in and can forget about it (I once legit forgot about it for an extra hour and it still turned out fine). And honestly, you can be a bit lazy with the chopping; no one’s judging.

What You’ll Need (But I Improvise All the Time)

2 medium chicken breasts (or thighs if that’s what you’ve got; I swap in cooked rotisserie chicken sometimes—no judgment)
1 can chopped tomatoes (400g) (brand is whatever was on sale)
1 yellow onion, sliced (red works too, just a bit sweeter)
3 bell peppers, sliced (I grab a colorful mix, but green is totally fine—my gran always claimed they’re healthier? Not sure that’s true)
1 can black beans, rinsed
3 cloves garlic, minced (I sometimes use the jarred stuff; shhh)
1 tablespoon chili powder (this can swing spicy—use less if you’re feeding sensitive eaters)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (if I can’t find it, sweet paprika is okay)
4 cups chicken broth (store bought or homemade; boxed, tbh, is just easier)
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or a few cracks of the grinder)
Juice of 1 lime (don’t panic if you only have bottled)
Handful of chopped cilantro (optional—my brother says cilantro tastes like soap, but I love it)

How To Make It (Even When You’re Distracted)

Toss the chicken, tomatoes, onion, peppers, beans, and garlic into your slow cooker. I don’t usually bother layering, just get it all in there. Sprinkle over the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika—don’t stress about getting it precise. Pour in the broth. Give it a quick stir (ish). It may look like a veggie pile, but it all sorts itself out.
Season with salt and pepper. I go with a bit less salt if the broth is pretty salty. Put the lid on and set the slow cooker to low (7-8 hours) or high (3-4 hours). Go live your life for a bit.
About halfway through, sometimes I peek and give things a gentle mix. But honestly, it works just fine left alone.
About 20 minutes before serving, fish out the chicken—carefully!—shred it with a fork or two, and plop it back in. Stir well. (This is where I usually sneak a little taste. For ‘quality control.’)
Squeeze in that lime juice and stir again. Add cilantro if you’re using. Taste for salt. If it seems ‘meh,’ add another pinch. Or a splash more lime. Or not—it’s soup, not quantum physics.

A Few Notes That Might Keep You Sane

The soup thickens up if you use less broth. I’ve tried both—probably prefer it a bit more stew-y but my partner likes it soupier.
Once I forgot the beans until the very end. Actually, it was still fine; just dumped them in and heated for another 10 minutes.
I think this actually tastes better the next day. Makes lunch at work a lot less sad (unless someone nicks it from the fridge…again).

Variations That (Mostly) Worked

Trader Joe’s corn salsa instead of tomatoes—surprisingly good.
Sweet potatoes added early on: perfect for fall, but makes it less fajita-ish. Still, not bad.
Once tried brown rice in it. Regretted it—the rice went kind of gunky. Wouldn’t recommend unless you pre-cook it.
If you want it creamier, stir in a glug of heavy cream or a scoop of Greek yogurt at the end. Totally changes the vibe though!

What If You Don’t Have a Slow Cooker?

No slow cooker? No sweat. I’ve simmered this on the hob (stove) in a big pot on low for, like, 90 minutes—just make sure to stir occasionally so nothing goes nuclear on the bottom.

How Long Does It Keep?

Fridge, tightly covered—it’s good for 3 days. Freezes well, too (freeze in single portions for future lazy days). But honestly, I can’t remember the last time we had leftovers.

This Is How I Serve It

You have to do toppings. Crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado if you have it, shredded cheese, more cilantro (for those who aren’t anti-cilantro). Sour cream, sometimes. In my house there’s a battle for the biggest chip pile—so, fair warning.

Pro Tips (AKA Things I Messed Up So You Don’t Have To)

I once tried to rush the chicken by cranking it to high the whole time. It turned out kinda tough. Be gentle and stick to low if you’ve got the time.
Check your salt after adding toppings—cheese and chips can up the salty factor fast.
Don’t try to slice the bell peppers too thin; they disappear. Chunky is better (and faster!).

FAQs People Actually Ask Me—No, Seriously

Can I use frozen chicken? Yeah, I’ve done this when I forgot to defrost (story of my life). Just add an extra hour on low. But, uh, check it’s cooked all the way through—I learned that the hard way.

Can I make it vegetarian? Ditch the chicken, double the beans, and you might want to add some smoked paprika for oomph. Mushroom chunks are great here, actually.

What can I use instead of black beans? Kidney beans or even chickpeas if that’s what you’ve got. I tried pinto beans once; totally worked.

Is this spicy? It’s got some zing but nothing wild. Add a jalapeño if you want the heat dialed up. Or serve with hot sauce on the side—you know your crowd best.

Does it really freeze well? Yup! Just don’t add the toppings before freezing. It’s never quite as fab as fresh, but it’ll save your bacon on a busy night.

So, there’s my not-so-fancy-but-always-comforting slow cooker chicken fajita soup. If you end up with your own tweaks (weird, wonderful, or even disastrous), I kinda want to hear about it—makes me feel less alone in my soup adventures. Cheers!

Lina

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup