Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

It’s quickly changing into the winter season, at least here in the NYC area. Goodbye 65...

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

It’s quickly changing into the winter season, at least here in the NYC area. Goodbye 65 degree lazy Sundays and hello morning flurries! On that same note, adios rooftop tacos and margs and hola tortilla soup! Alas, not even a blistering cold winter day can discourage me from eating some sort of Mexican food.

However, soups and I have a rocky relationship. I can’t ever decide if soups are enough to satiate me. It’s hard for me to conceptualizedrinking” my meals. As you can probably guess, I’ve never done a juice cleanse. BUT, add in some lean proteins, hearty veggies and zucchini noodles and we’ve got ourselves a Mexican feast… in a soup! I can dig that.

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good miso soup as an appetizer or a bowl of tomato basil with a sandwich. But soups as the main event? Eh, maybe for lunch. There are a few exceptions of course, like a solid chicken noodle or an egg drop. Another exception? This tortilla soup with zucchini noodles. Oh my, it’s so filling and flavorful!

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

What’s the secret? Adding in the zucchini noodles at the end. The noodles offer more fiber and nutrients to fill you up and keep you satisfied. The noodles pair well with the texture of the warmed avocado and take on the flavors of the cumin, paprika, oregano and chili powder.

Honestly, my kitchen smelt so amazing that I kept the pot of soup out on the stove for a while to enjoy the aroma!

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

The best part about this soup is that it can easily be prepared in advance and enjoyed as lunch or dinner later. When you prepare it, leave out the zucchini noodles. Then, when you reheat the soup on the stovetop, just add in the zucchini noodles once it boils up and cook for two minutes at a simmer. Top with the crunchy and salty tortilla strips and dinner is served!

Don’t get me wrong, I love this soup to death, but….. I’m already looking forward to outdoor tacos and margs at La Esquina next summer. Too soon? Or too late?

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken breast
  • olive oil to drizzle
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup diced red onion
  • 1/2 pepper seeds removed, diced
  • 2 tsp freshly squeeze lime juice
  • 1 14oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup black beans
  • 3 cups chicken broth low-sodium
  • 1 tsp Mediterranean oregano or regular oregano will work
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 1 avocado insides cubed
  • 2 medium zucchinis Blade C

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place the chicken breast on a baking tray lightly coated with cooking spray. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and massage into skin. Season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, chili powder and paprika. Dust both sides of the chicken with about half of the mixture. Save remaining spices and set aside.
  • Bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes, turning once. Since we’ll be shredding the chicken later, test after 20 minutes to see if the chicken is cooked through. If not, cook another 2-5 minutes. Once done, set aside to cool.
  • While the chicken is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan/pot. Once the oil heats, add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add in the onion and cook until the onions begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
  • Add in the jalapeno pepper and lime juice and cook for about 1 minute. Add in the tomatoes, remaining spice mixture, black beans and cook for about 2 minutes.
  • Add in the chicken broth, oregano and cover. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Half way through, add in the cilantro.
  • While the soup is simmering, take your cooked chicken and shred it with your hands and a fork.
  • When soup is done simmering, add in the shredded chicken, zucchini noodles and avocado and stir for about 2 minutes to let the avocado and zucchini soften.
  • Pour the soup into two bowls, add salt and pepper to taste and top with tortilla strips. Enjoy!

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

Jalapeno-Lime Chicken, Bean & Avocado Zucchini Noodle Soup

 

with love, Ali

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  • This came out perfect! This was my very firs recipe using my new spiralizer and my bf who rolled his eyes at veggie pasta was licking the bowl. I'm excited to try more recipes !
  • I'd love to try the chocolate hazelnut flavor from Justins!
  • Made this this weekend! It was easy, delicious and insanely filling!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
  • Thank you for another great recipe. I like when you add the nutritional information. The last few recipes have not had them. I like to know the calories and the carbohydrates for the recipes. I have diabetes and am having a problem with my numbers right now. So, I need the nutritional information to help me get my glucose numbers under control. Thank you, Donna
    • While it is a super nice treat to have the nutritional information included, Donna, it is simple to figure out yourself and only takes a few minutes. There are lots of sites where you can pull the nutritional information, divide the numbers by the amount you will be using in the recipe, and divide that by the number of servings the recipe makes. :)