This Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup is healthy, creamy and so delicious!
It’s nice to plan ahead for the day after you roast your turkey. You’re going to want some recipes for your turkey leftovers! This Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup is one recipe you’ll want to try using that leftover turkey. I make it every year after Thanksgiving, and it’s always a big hit in our house.
What makes this a “Mexican” soup? It can be described better as “Mexican-style.” Chiles, chili powder, cumin and fresh cilantro are included in this lightly spiced soup. It’s not spicy unless you use spicy chiles.
How to make Mexican Turkey Soup:
The first thing you’ll do is sauté your vegetables (carrots, celery, onion and garlic). Then you’ll add in the broth, bring it to boil and then turn down the heat and simmer. Canned chiles are added in too.
In a bowl, you’ll combine 1% milk (you can use 2%, whole or half and half as well), flour, salt and spices.
The milk mixture is added to the veggies and broth in the pot. The heat is turned up, and the soup is stirred until hot and bubbly and slightly thickened.
What kind of turkey should you use for this soup?
Turkey is then stirred into to the soup with corn cilantro and Monterey Jack cheese. Use shredded turkey breast for a lower calorie soup. Use dark meat, if you’d like. And you can certainly substitute chicken for the turkey to make a chicken soup instead.
TIP: If you do like things spicy, use pepper jack cheese instead of classic Monterey Jack.
And then you’ll end up with Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup!
Does this soup freeze well?
Yes, this soup freezes well. Make your soup as directed, and then you can ladle your soup into a freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before heating up to serve.
I think you will find that this Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup is going to be a favorite soup recipe to make with leftover turkey. It has so much flavor, and it makes for a nice, light meal the day after eating a heavy holiday dinner. Enjoy!
Here are a few more soup recipes you might like to try:
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Caramelized Onion Soup with Cider Syrup
- Split Pea Soup with Rosemary
- Roasted Red Pepper Soup
- German Potato Soup
- Hot and Sour Soup
- Italian Sausage Soup with Orzo
- Herbed Tomato Soup
If you happen to be following the Weight Watchers WW plan, you will find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card below.
Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups chicken or turkey broth
- One 4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained
- 2 cups 1% milk
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups shredded turkey
- 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
- ¾ cup corn (fresh or frozen)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the chiles.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, flour, salt, chili powder and cumin. Increase the heat to high and whisk the milk mixture into the soup. Stir until slightly thickened and bubbly, about five minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add the turkey, cheese, corn and cilantro; stir until the cheese is melted and the soup is hot, 5 to 10 minutes.
Notes
- If preparing this recipe as gluten-free, substitute another thickener in place of the all-purpose flour- cornstarch or tapioca flour work well.
- You could certainly substitute shredded chicken for the turkey to make Mexican Chicken Soup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This soup is delicious, simple, and fresh. I use my leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. It’s seriously one of my favorite reasons for Thanksgiving Turkey. Thanks!
I only have 2% milk, will that work too?
yes.
Made this today. Added a drained tin of mixed beans. Also used cheddar cheese. Came out very well according to quality control engineers in my house!
One of my favorites. And yes, it freezes well. I freeze it every year. Thanks for the great recipe!
Just made the soup – it had a great flavor and was very easy to make. Will definitely make again – thanks!
This soup is seriously tasty!! Thanks so much for sharing.
Hi, I’m going to make this over the weekend, can’t wait! How good is the soup at being reheated? Also, I’ve got to plan a somewhat bigger lunch including the soup… can you recommend anything else to serve with it? thanks!!
Should be fine for re-heating. I always serve bread and salad w/ soup!
Made it tonight, but I added diced peppers to the sauté mix, and homine when the turkey is added, a little coriander in the spice mix, and a dash of chipotle Tabasco at serving!
The red pepper makes the initial sauté more like sofrito, which is the traditional Spanish “trinity!” Used in spanish cooking. The homine gives it a tortilla taste, coriander speaks for itself, and the chipotle Tabasco at serving( you could add one adobo chipotle during the simmer) adds the last needed punch!
Use these additions and you’ll have the absolute best soup you’ve ever had!
I’ve made this three times since Thanksgiving, and we love it!
Can you tell me the calories in this please?
Thank you!
We have made this for three years now – it is a post Turkey Day tradition in our house! I love your website!!