This comforting chicken poblano soup recipe is creamy, speckled with cilantro (if you're into it), and full of tender chunks of chicken. This amazing soup comes together quickly in the most perfect way for those cold nights during soup season.
This simple soup can come together in minutes, but don't let that fool you into thinking it isn't intensely flavorful. We're not roasting peppers in this recipe. Nope, not needed. That 1 step will add half hour to your cook time without much of a difference in flavor. Not ideal for busy weeknights.
Are poblano peppers spicy?
Poblano peppers are hardly spicy at all. In fact, they are one of the mildest peppers on the Scoville scale. While a bell pepper has zero spice on the scale, poblanos are 1000-2000 Scoville units. This is less than half to ¼th as spicy as a jalapeño. Combined with this hearty soup, you will not even notice.
You still may want to wear gloves while deseeding the peppers, though. Just in case!
How to make creamy chicken poblano pepper soup
- Use a large soup pot to cook your vegetables in a little oil until they are soft. I like to use shredded carrots because they cook much more quickly.
- Add in the garlic and spices, followed by 5 cups of chicken broth. I then like to poach the chicken in the broth to give it more flavor and for more tender chicken. Now you can chop or shred the cooked chicken and add it back to the soup. Leftover chicken works as well.
- Finish the soup off with the cilantro and heavy cream for a creamy broth. For a thicker creamy soup, you can thicken it per the instructions in the recipe card.
- Use your favorite toppings to finish it off. If you like spicy food, you can add slices of jalapeno or dashes of hot sauce. My homemade tortilla chips would be a great addition as well.
- Store leftover soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container. This delicious soup is even better the next day.
More easy soup recipes
- Pumpkin French Onion Soup
- Autumn Vegetable Beef Soup
- Thai Chicken Soup with Coconut Milk
- Mexican Meatball Soup
Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and shredded or chopped
- 3 fresh poblano peppers, seeded and 1 inch chop (wear gloves just in case!)
- kosher Salt and black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 5 cups chicken stock, see notes
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, see notes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- Thickening agent, see notes
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, celery, carrots, and poblano peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and cumin and cook for 1 minute more.
- Pour in the chicken stock and give a big stir. Carefully lower the chicken breast into the liquid and let poach for 10 minutes. Use tongs to carefully remove the chicken from the pot to a cutting board. Let cool slightly before chopping into bite size pieces. Return the chicken to the pot. (if your chicken seems slightly undercooked, it will continue to cook through in the hot liquid).
- Stir in the heavy cream and the cilantro and taste for seasoning. Finally, thicken the soup using one of the methods in the notes below, if desired. Makes 6 generous servings.
Notes
- Chicken stock: to make my chicken soup I always us Kitchen Accomplice chicken broth concentrate for the best flavor. You could also add more flavor by adding in chicken bouillon.
- Chicken breast: I like to cook the chicken breast directly in the soup so the chicken has the most flavor. You could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs, cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, or leftover shredded chicken. Use 3-4 cups cooked and chopped chicken.
- Thickening
- Using flour and butter: melt ¼ cup of unsalted butter with ¼ cup of flour in a small skillet over low heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the raw flour taste cook out. Stir into the soup and bring the soup to a boil to thicken.
- Using Xanthan gum for keto: combine 1 teaspoon xanthan gum with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Stir into the soup and bring the soup to a boil to thicken.
- Optional flavor enhancers and toppings: crispy tortilla strips, sour cream, hot sauce for a spicy kick, pepper jack cheese, sliced jalapeno peppers, sliced green onions.
- Nutrition does not include any thickening agents.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy only. Please re-calculate on your own with the ingredients and amounts you used for the most accurate data.
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