Chicken Sausage Green Chile Lentil Soup

Chicken Sausage Green Chile Lentil Soup soups This delicious and simple to make Green Chicken Chile Lentil Soup or Salsa Verde Lentil Soup uses mild peppers, a mild salsa verde, mild green chilies, lentils and chicken sausage for a quick, pantry lentil soup. chicken sausage, salsa verde Chicken Sausage Green Chile Lentil Soup lentils

This delicious and simple to make Green Chicken Chile Lentil Soup or Salsa Verde Lentil Soup uses mild peppers, a mild salsa verde, mild green chilies, lentils and chicken sausage for a quick, pantry lentil soup. We love serving it with crispy tortilla chips and loaded with all the fresh fixings, a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro, pickled red onions and with an extra squeeze of lime juice.

Chicken Sausage Green Chile Lentil Soup

Green Chile Chicken Sausage Lentil Soup Recipe Ingredients:

  • CHICKEN SAUSAGE: Precooked chicken sausages are convenient and lower in fat than pork sausage, and they come in an array of flavors. They’re meaty and savory, have a lean protein base, with a juicy, lightly springy texture that never fails to please all eaters even the picky ones. If you don’t have pre-cooked chicken sausage or can’t get your hands on any, you can buy raw sausage links in casings either chicken, turkey sausage or pork sausage / italian sausage. Remove the casing and cook it with a wooden spoon, breaking it up as you go.
  • GARLIC & ONION: Feel free to adjust amounts to taste - I use a large onion (yellow) but a red one would work too or shallots
  • POBLANO PEPPERS: I use poblano peppers or cubanelle peppers that are really flavourful but you could also just use any sweet bell peppers. They freeze well, so if you find them on sale dice them and flash freeze them for recipes like this.
  • JALAPENO: This adds a mild pop of heat to the soup.
  • HERBS & SPICES: We use ground coriander, ground cumin, dried oregano and of course salt and back pepper to taste. We like to serve this with fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley.
  • LENTILS: I use green lentils for this recipe. The best green lentil substitutes are brown lentils or French (Puy) lentils, as they share a similar firm texture and earthy flavor, making them directly interchangeable in soups, stews, and salads.
  • SALSA VERDE: This wouldn’t be a green chicken chili lentil soup without the salsa verde. Use any brand you like or use your own homemade salsa verde
  • CANNED DICED GREEN CHILES: You can find inexpensive (4.5 oz) cans of green chiles in almost every grocery store. You will need 1 can for this recipe.
  • BROTH: Feel free to use vegetable broth or chicken broth / chicken stock for more flavour - make sure to chose a LOW SODIUM one so you can control amount of salt in dish, as the salsa verde and often the chicken sausages are salty enough without adding too much extra.
  • OPTIONAL ADD INS: Add in some sweet corn (Fresh or Frozen) can be added. Up to 1 cup. Feel free to toss in some chopped greens like spinach or kale when you add the sausage for extra veggies. Add in more vegetables when you saute the peppers and onions like chopped celery and carrots or even some chopped zucchini.

Chicken Sausage Green Chile Lentil Soup

How to Make Chicken Sausage Green Chile Lentil Soup (full details in recipe card below):

  1. BROWN sausage in olive oil then set aside
  2. SAUTE veggies with the onion and garlic
  3. STIR in spices and lentils and stir to coat
  4. STIR in the broth, salsa verde and green chiles.
  5. SIMMER until veggies and lentils are tender.
  6. STIR in reserved sausage
  7. SERVE warm with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro or parsley, sour cream, pickled red onions,

Chicken Sausage Green Chile Lentil Soup

Salsa Verde Lentil Soup Recipe Storage & Freezing

  • STORAGE: Store soup leftovers in a sealed airtight container for up to 3-5 days in the fridge. Reheat leftover lentil soup on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a gentle, bubbly simmer. Add a splash of water or broth to restore its original consistency, as lentils thicken significantly when stored.
  • FREEZING: Store soup in a freezer-safe container or bag or freezer safe container for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave or stove top.

Chicken Sausage Green Chile Lentil Soup

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Recipe

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb chicken sausage sliced (¼ inch rounds/ bite-size pieces)
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 poblano peppers, seeds and stems removed, diced (or 2 sweet green bell peppers)
  • 1 Jalapeño pepper, seeds removed, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 cup green lentils
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (small 4.5 oz) can of chopped green chillis
  • 4-5 cups chicken broth, low sodium

For Serving (optional)

  • Freshly squeezed lime juice to taste and slices for serving
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Pickled red onions
  • Sliced avocado
  • Sour cream or yogurt

Directions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium to medium high heat, then add the chicken sausage slices and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4-6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from soup pot and set aside.
  2. Add the peppers, garlic, onion, sauté for 3-5minutes until soft.
  3. Stir in the lentils and all the spices, and cook stirring until the spices are fragrant, 1 minute.
  4. Stir in the salsa verde, green chilies, and pour in the broth. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to a simmer (medium-low heat), cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally until lentils are cooked through, 30-40 mins. Make sure to add in a little extra broth if needed - see notes below about this.
  5. Once cooked through return the cooked sausage to pot and stir to warm through. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Ladle into bowls and serve with a drizzle of olive oil if you would liek along with a dollop of sour cream chopped cilantro and whatever other toppings you prefer.

Recipe Notes

  • There is a range of broth quantities in the recipe (4-5 cups) because each batch of lentils is different or absorbs water/ liquid differently. I usually start with 4 cups and add more broth as needed.
  • If you don’t have pre-cooked chicken sausage or can’t get your hands on any, you can buy raw sausage in casings either chicken or pork sausage. Remove the casing and cook it with a wooden spoon, breaking it up as you go.
  • Make it creamier by stirring in ¼-½ cup heavy cream Or 4 ounces cream cheese (½ block of Philly) for a richer more savory creaminess
  • Serve with ½ cup cooked brown or white rice for a hearty meal.
  • Feel free to blend or use and immersion stick blender to blend half the soup for creamy texture . consistency or to your personal preference.

Chicken Sausage Green Chile Lentil Soup