I am SO excited to share this recipe with you I can hardly stand it. My family has laughed at me all week because I can’t stop exclaiming how much I loved this soup. I served this to several friends and family members and it was so fun to see their reactions as to how great this was too. Now I know the title of this soup sounds a little strange, and this picture (taken 5 days later with the last cup of soup) is not the world’s best blog picture. With that being said however, you MUST make this soup recipe, I promise! It is definitely in my top 2 or 3 favorite soups I have ever had. It is chuck full of flavor, has a kick of spice, and has 6 different vegetables to make this soup a healthy, delicious option for dinner. The funny thing about this recipe is although there is pumpkin in it, no one could pick out that flavor. It just adds a creamy, smooth, hearty texture that turns this soup into something extra special.


- 1 cup carrots
- 3 stalks celery
- 1 onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 Tbs. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 stick butter
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 4-5 cups chicken broth
- 1 quart half and half
- 1 large (29 oz.) can pumpkin
- 3 cans (15 oz.) black beans, drained
- 16 oz. jar green salsa verde
- 4 cups boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (raw or cooked)
- 2 Tbs. cumin
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- Dash cayenne pepper to taste
- 2 Tbs. lime juice (fresh or bottled is fine)
- Salt as needed
- Dice the carrots, celery and onions into small pieces (or place in a food processor). Place these vegetables in a large soup pot and then add the butter to the vegetables. Saute the vegetables until the butter melts and the vegetables are tender. Chop the chipotle pepper and then add to the soup. Dice the red bell pepper, yellow pepper and add to the soup pot. Saute these peppers for 3-5 minutes and then add the chicken stock to the pot. If you are using raw chicken, add the chicken to the pot and let boil for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and tender. When the chicken is cooked through, remove from the pot and shred into pieces. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot. Add the half and half, canned pumpkin, black beans and salsa verde to the soup and stir. Add the cumin powder, cayenne pepper, lime juice and salt (as needed). Let all of the ingredients simmer on low heat until you are ready to serve the soup. Garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and cilantro.
Looks delicious! Will try!
Oh good! I ate the last of this soup for lunch yesterday and it was still amazing several days later. The flavor is awesome!! Let me know how you like it 😉 A favorite for me for sure!
Can you tell me the size of the can of pumpkin?
Thanks!
Sorry, a 29 oz. can. Infact, I had a 29 oz. can and a half of a smaller (15 oz.) can and I threw that in two. You will be shocked at how mello the pumpkin flavor is–even with the two cans. It makes the soup so creamy and thick. I love it! (If you couldn't tell. Ha!)
how much soup does this make? I have a large family and this seams like a ton of soup even to me.
I was in the middle of making chicken broth when I cam across this recipe. I had already added in carrots and celery to my chicken and broth so I had to make some changes based on necessity. I blended half the veggies and liquid with the chipolte, half and half, garlic, and pumpkin. I could not justify the added fat of the butter regardless of how yummy butter is, so I just left it out. I tossed the peppers right into the soup. I also had left over black beans from a meal earlier in the week so no can needed there.
This soup is so good, are eating it up as we speak. I only had 1 problem….My pot was barely large enough it hold it all. I have one of those cast iron stock pots (8 quart I do believe)and it was at the very top. That being said I didn't really measure just plopped in my beans, the jar of salsa, and as I stated the broth was already in the pot.
Thank you for sharing with us!
What are "chiptole peppers in adobo sauce"? Where would I find them in the grocery store?
They are a warm pepper that is packed full of flavor and a tad bit of heat. I find them in the ethnic section(Mexican)in a small can. A little goes a long way so I usually blend them all up in one of those cup blenders and leave it in my fridge for when I like to use it. My favorite is to mix it in mayo for wonderful sandwiches (TURKEY..hint hint)While there you can find green chilies these are great to have on hand too and really pack a flavor punch in rice and other Mexican type dishes.
Sorry! I need to remember to cut my recipes down. I fed this to a large group and we still had leftovers. Most of my recipes are for a family of 6-7 since that is what I have but I always like to have extra for leftovers 🙂 Yes, you could easily half this recipe for most 'normal' sized families who don't eat like horses like us. Ha!
Thanks Amity for explaining chipotle peppers. They freeze and stay well in your fridge for a long time. Just find them in the Mexican aisle. They are great to have on hand. And yes, super good in mayo on sandwiches. Yum!