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Chicken Poblano Soup

Chicken poblano soup with a smoky golden cream broth, roasted poblano strips, and tender shredded chicken. Partially blended for a lightly smooth texture, finished with lime and served with sour cream, cilantro, and tortilla strips.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breast, cooked and shredded
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast
Roasted poblano peppers
  • 3 poblano peppers roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced
Corn and aromatics
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
Soup base and seasoning
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp chili powder
  • 1 lime juice
Serving toppings
  • 1 sour cream for serving
  • 1 cilantro for serving
  • 1 green onions for serving
  • 1 tortilla strips for serving
Salt and pepper
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Roast and prep the poblanos
  1. Roast the poblano peppers under the broiler until the skins are charred, about 6 to 10 minutes. Let them cool until handleable, then peel, remove seeds, and dice.
Build the soup base
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, letting it foam slightly. Add the diced onion and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir constantly so the spices smell toasted.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and add the corn and half of the diced poblanos. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally as the broth turns golden.
Blend, finish, and simmer with chicken
  1. Blend the soup partially smooth, leaving some texture, and return it to the pot if needed. Stir in the heavy cream and keep it at a gentle simmer.
  2. Add the shredded chicken, the remaining poblanos, and the lime juice. Simmer for 5 minutes until the chicken is heated through.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, adjusting as needed until the flavors pop. Turn off the heat and serve topped with sour cream, cilantro, green onions, and tortilla strips.

Notes

For the best smoky flavor, char the poblano skins well under the broiler before peeling. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop to avoid splitting the cream. Freezing is not recommended due to the dairy. For a lighter version, swap the heavy cream for half-and-half and simmer on low after adding it.