I bought a package of these green, wrinkly Shishito chiles at Aldi and grilled them with a bit of avocado oil and rock salt as a side one night. We only ate half the bag, so I used the rest in a soup. Wow, what an amazingly delicious meal. This was so easy and had no dairy, gluten, or nuts. You can even make it vegan by using veggie broth, leaving out the chicken, and adding more veggies. For the sauce, you can use coconut yogurt and vegan sour cream.
I bought a rotisserie chicken, which made it even easier, and slapped this soup together in minutes. So, before you start, here are a few suggestions:
- If you’re using fresh chicken, dice it and fry it in a pan with a teaspoon of Mexican seasoning. Then set it aside.
- If you can’t find Shishito chilis, use a batch of mild chilis like poblano chilis. You don’t want to make this hot, just spicy.
- Be sure to make the toppings as listed in the recipe. They give it such a complex, delicious texture and a big bang!
- I used my broiler to grill the broth veggies. You can also grill them on the grill.
Let’s get cook’n!
Creamy Chicken Chili Soup
October 27, 2026
: 4
: 30 min
: 30 min
: 1 hr
: Easy
Ingredients
- Grilled Veggies:
- 1/2 bag of Shishito chilies (about 20 chilies)
- 1 big white onion
- 1 bulb of garlic
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1/2 cauliflower
- 3 Tbps of avocado oil
- 1-2 tsp Mexican seasoning
- Salt & Pepper
- Broth Puree:
- 3 cups of veggie or chicken broth
- Add all grilled veggies
- 1/2 cup diced cilantro
- Ingredients:
- Diced chicken
- 1 Carrot
- 1 400 g can of refried beans
- Toppings:
- Diced jalapeños
- Shredded cabbage
- Sliced radishes
- Dice cilantro
- Diced white onions
- 1 lime sliced
- Queso or shredded mozzarella
- Sauce:
- 1/4 cup Mayo
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/2 tsp Mexican seasoning
- 1 Tsp of fresh lime juice
- Splash of your choice of milk
- 1 Tsp of Chili crunch or hot sauce
Directions
- Step 1 Grilled Veggies:
- Step 2 Place the following in a large bowl: Peel and slice the onion into rings. Cut the garlic clove in half. Dice the celery. Cut the cauliflower into 2-inch pieces. Mix with 3 tablespoons of avocado oil and 1-2 teaspoons of Mexican seasoning. Toss well and spread the veggies on a cookie sheet—broil for 10 minutes, watching carefully. Toss them halfway through cooking. Be careful not to burn them. The tips of the veggies should have some grilled spots. Once done, remove the stems from the chilis. You will only need half of the garlic, so reserve the other half in the fridge for future cooking. Squeeze the garlic out of their shells and place the grilled cloves on the cookie sheet with the grilled veggies.
- Step 3 Broth Puree:
- Step 4 In a medium-to-large soup pot, bring 3 cups veggie or chicken broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add the grilled veggies and garlic to the broth and simmer for 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.
- Step 5 Once the veggies are tender, blend them in a blender on high or use an immersion blender to cream until smooth. Pour the broth back into the pot and simmer on low.
- Step 6 Ingredients:
- Step 7 Add the chicken, diced carrot, and the Can of pinto beans (with the liquid) to the pot. Simmer until fully heated through.
- Step 8 Toppings:
- Step 9 In small bowls, place your chosen assortment of toppings. Set on the table.
- Step 10 Sauce:
- Step 11 Put all the ingredients in a jar and shake until well combined. Enjoy!
I'm Melinda Stevens and living the life of a beach bum was inevitable since my father was a lifeguard for the city of Los Angeles. My memories of growing up on John Street in Manhattan Beach, California were filled with joy, excitement and adventures; until my world, as I knew it, fell apart when we moved to Del Mar, California. My father was offered the position as Captain of the lifeguards and we started the slow migration to the small deserted stretch of beach in 1963. At twelve years old, this seemed like the end of my life. Remember, I’m writing with clear hindsight now, ok somewhat clearer… Little did I know this would be the beginning of a new journey and give a bit more clarity to many of the events that led me to this new cooking adventure.