Heart Healthy Santa Fe Chicken Soup

(5.0)
By Judy Capodanno
Updated 10/23/2025
Dietitian Reviewed: Jane Schwartz, RDN, CLT
Approved for These Diets:
Heart Healthy | Gluten Free | Diabetic
Healthy Santa Fe Chicken Soup
Photo Credit: Baldwin Publishing Staff Photographer

This Santa Fe Chicken Soup is a vibrant one-pot meal, brimming with lean chicken, hearty black beans, and colorful vegetables. Every spoonful is packed with wholesome ingredients and zesty Southwestern taste, making it a healthy choice the whole family will love. Best of all, this satisfying soup comes together in under an hour for a simple weeknight dinner.  Discover more chicken recipes for soup in our collection of Heart Healthy Soup Recipes.

Total Time
60 minutes
Servings
10
Calories
185

What Makes This Heart Healthy Santa Fe Chicken Soup Healthy

  • High in Lean Protein: Features chicken breast and black beans to help you feel full and support muscle health.
  • Heart-Conscious: Made with low-sodium ingredients to align with a heart-healthy diet.
  • Rich in Fiber: Packed with vegetables, beans, and brown rice for digestive wellness and lasting satiety.

Key Health Highlights

  • Excellent Source of Lean Protein: Skinless chicken breast provides high-quality protein with minimal saturated fat, essential for building and repairing tissues.
  • Supports Heart Health: This recipe uses low-sodium chicken broth and no-salt-added beans to help manage blood pressure. The fiber from beans can also help lower cholesterol.
  • Rich in Fiber: A combination of black beans, brown rice, corn, and bell peppers delivers soluble and insoluble fiber, which aids digestion and helps you feel full longer.
  • Complex Carbohydrates for Energy: Brown rice offers a slow-releasing source of energy, preventing blood sugar spikes compared to white rice.
  • Packed with Vitamins & Minerals: Colorful vegetables like bell peppers and tomatoes provide antioxidants like Vitamin C and lycopene.

FAQs About Heart Healthy Santa Fe Chicken Soup

Santa Fe soup is typically made with a flavorful combination of chicken, black beans, corn, and tomatoes in a seasoned broth. This recipe also includes onion, garlic, bell pepper, and brown rice for a complete and hearty meal.

While both have Southwestern flavors, tortilla soup often has a thinner, brothier base and is traditionally garnished with fried tortilla strips. Santa Fe soup, like this one, tends to be thicker and more stew-like, often including ingredients like corn and beans.

This recipe has a mild, zesty flavor from chili powder. It is not overly spicy, but you can easily adjust the heat by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or a chopped jalapeño with the other vegetables.

This soup was designed to be heart-healthy. It is low in sodium and saturated fat and contains beneficial fiber from beans and vegetables, making it a great choice for a heart-conscious diet.

More Heart-Healthy Soups

These heart-healthy soups are comforting classics. Each is perfect for a heart-conscious, nourishing and cozy meal.

Heart Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup
Heart Healthy Minestrone Soup
Green Lentil Soup

Healthy Southwestern-Inspired Meals

Bring more classic Southwestern taste to your table with these delicious and simple heart-healthy recipes.

Heart Healthy Chicken Fajitas
Heart Healthy Black Bean Burritos
Healthy Chicken Nachos

Ingredients

Recipe yields 10 servings

Helpful How-To Video

Directions

  1. Step 1

    In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken and brown on all sides. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic, and sauté about 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.

  2. Step 2

    Add remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, about 45 minutes, or until rice is cooked. Remove chicken breasts. Shred chicken and return to pot. Stir to combine, and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:
1 cup

185
Calories
4
g
Fat
26
mg
Cholesterol
312
mg
Sodium
22
g
Carbs
1
g
Sat. Fat
4
g
Fiber
16
g
Protein

Alternative Cooking Methods

  • Slow Cooker Method: For best flavor, brown the chicken and sauté the vegetables in a skillet as directed. Transfer to a slow cooker and add the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the rice is tender.
  • Instant Pot Method: Use the "Sauté" function to brown the chicken and soften the vegetables in the pot. Add the remaining ingredients, secure the lid, and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before serving.

Serving & Storage Tips

  • Toppings: Serve hot, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, a dollop of Greek yogurt, or sliced avocado.
  • Storage: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Freezing: This soup freezes well. Let it cool completely, then store it in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. The rice may soften slightly upon reheating.

Ingredient Substitutions

Quinoa can be used as a gluten-free, high-protein alternative. You can also use white rice, but you may need to reduce the cooking time slightly.

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or leftover shredded rotisserie chicken will also work well.

Pinto beans or kidney beans can be substituted for black beans.

Try More Heart Healthy Soup Recipes