BBQ Chicken and Black Bean Soup

This easy chicken and black bean soup is the cozy weeknight dinner you need when life gets busy and everyone is feeling under the weather. It is packed with protein, rich flavor, simple ingredients, and the kind of nourishing comfort you crave on cold nights. As a nutritionist, I love how customizable and nutrient dense this recipe is, and it always hits the spot for the entire family. This soup checks all the boxes for busy families looking for a healthy dinner idea. It is high in protein, naturally gluten free, and can be adapted for Paleo or vegetarian diets. The combination of tender chicken, hearty black beans, and warming spices creates a comforting flavor that feels like a hug in a bowl. It is also a great recipe to support immune health when everyone is sick thanks to nutrient dense ingredients that are easy to digest.

How to Make This Cozy Chicken Black Bean Soup

This simple soup comes together quickly which makes it the perfect dinner when you are low on energy.

1. Sauté your onions, garlic, and spices to build flavor.
2. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, cooked chicken, black beans, and corn.
3. Simmer until everything is heated through and the flavors blend together.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Serve hot with your favorite toppings like cilantro, avocado, lime, or tortilla strips.

The best part is that this soup works with leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or meal prepped chicken. It is the kind of recipe that fits your real life.

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Tips to Make It Even Better

I love recipes that are easy to adapt for different dietary needs. This one is a perfect example.

• Make it vegetarian: Omit the chicken and add an extra can of beans like kidney beans or pinto beans. You can also add diced sweet potatoes for more fiber and natural sweetness.

• Make it Paleo: Skip the black beans and corn, and add cubed sweet potatoes or extra veggies. It becomes a filling, nutrient rich Paleo soup that still tastes amazing.
• Customize for picky eaters: My husband hates beans and refuses to eat them in any form. If you have a bean hater in the house, simply ladle out their portion first and stir in the black beans afterward. High maintenance, I know!! But he still said it was the perfect meal for his symptoms, so the extra step was worth it.

When your family needs a healthy, immune boosting dinner fast, this cozy chicken and black bean soup is always the answer. It is simple, nourishing, comforting, and perfect for cold nights or sick days. Bookmark this one because it is going to be a regular in your winter meal rotation.

If you love cozy soups with chicken and black beans, be sure to try my Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup with Corn and Black Beans for a creamy, slightly smoky twist that’s just as comforting.

5 from 1 vote

BBQ Chicken and Black Bean Soup

By Amy Rains

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 -6

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 2 tbsp. of olive oil or butter
• ▢ 1 red onion, chopped
• ▢ 14 oz. frozen organic corn
• ▢ 1 lb cooked chicken breast, shredded
• ▢ 1 14 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• ▢ 1 cup barbecue sauce
• ▢ 1 tbsp. liquid smoke
• ▢ Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

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Instructions 

• Heat olive oil or butter in a pan over medium heat.
• Add chopped red onion and corn. Saute for about 5-7 minutes until onion becomes clear.
• Add chicken, black beans, broth, barbecue sauce, and liquid smoke.
• Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
• Top with fresh cilantro for garnish

Tried this recipe?Mention @wholesomelicious or tag #wholesomelicious!

Funny that the original ugly photo is still appearing in the recipe box. Just a quick side note. I had seen a few friends share this recipe on Facebook describing how much they loved it. All I could think about was how horrific the picture was! I decided to re-make the soup and carve out a whopping 10 minutes of my day to cook it for a weekend lunch. Phew. The picture has been deleted. But just for fun, you can still see the original in the recipe box. What a difference right?! This was the second recipe I had ever created on my blog, so you know, it wasn’t my best. It’s a delicious soup though!!