At our bakery, the Flour Barn, we teach a soup and bread bowl class. My family always gets excited about this particular class because it means freshly baked bread bowls and a variety of soups to choose from. I like to have several different easy soup recipes for my students so that when they go home they will be ready for soup season. Whether paired with a Sourdough Bread bowl or crispy tortilla strips, this Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup is delicious.
What is Chicken Poblano Soup?
This Chicken Poblano Soup recipe is a creamy soup that has a little kick from fresh Poblano peppers, cumin, and chili powder. It is an amazing soup that is Southwestern-inspired and pairs very well with toppings like sour cream, chopped avocado, and Monterey Jack cheese. To make this dish even more exciting, pair it with homemade sourdough bread bowls or homemade tortilla chips.
Is Chicken Poblano Soup Spicy?
I think that poblano peppers have a kick, but I have heard other people compare them to bell peppers. So while they are milder peppers, they do have some heat and have been described as having a smoky flavor. If you love spice, you can add jalapeno peppers to this recipe for more heat. If you do not like heat, then remove the ribs and the seeds of the peppers to ensure as little spice as possible.
How to Make Your Soup Perfectly Creamy
For this recipe, I use my food processor three different times. This not only ensures that I have a deliciously creamy soup, but it also makes the recipe so simple to make. I love my Dutch Oven for this recipe because you start by pan searing your chicken breast and then use the same pot for the rest of the recipe. A Dutch oven is very efficient for each step of this recipe.
Making our Hearty Soup
pan sear the chicken
To start we want to add delicious flavor to our soup by pan searing our chicken in the very pot we intend to make our soup in. This will add to the layers of flavor in the soup and keep us from dirtying another pan! So, start by frying your chicken in a little olive oil, until fully cooked and browned on both sides. Set aside.
A thermapen comes in handy so you don’t overcook your chicken.
Flour mixture
Nothing is worse than a soup that doesn’t thicken properly. That is why the best creamy soup recipes use some type of thickening agent or roux. This recipe uses corn tortillas, flour, and spices. I add each of these ingredients into the food processor and process on high until the mixture resembles a course meal. I then set this aside to add to our soup later.
Cooking our Peppers
Next to go into the food processor are our poblano peppers, onion, and garlic cloves, all roughly chopped. Pulse until finely chopped. In the same large pot you just browned your chicken in, you will add more olive oil and start sautéing your veggie mixture. The peppers and onion will actually work to deglaze the pan and release all those brown bits from the chicken to add more flavor to the soup. I recommend sautéing your peppers, onions, and garlic on medium heat for at least seven to ten minutes. Often, onions are not cooked long enough and can result in a rough texture and harsh flavor in your soup. So be sure to cook your onions and peppers fully to have the best texture and flavor possible in your soup.
Creating our Roux
After your peppers and onions are properly cooked, add in your butter. Once melted go ahead and add in your tortilla, flour, and spices mixture. This will create a roux, aka a thickening agent. Because this roux contains raw flour, we want to make sure we allow this mixture to brown a little bit. Stir constantly, so that the roux does not burn. However, allow it to brown not only to achieve another layer of flavor, but also to avoid any raw tasting flour in the finished soup. I recommend a wooden spoon for this part because you want to be able to scrape the bottom of the pan intermittently to prevent burning. If you notice the bottom of your pan becoming coated in flour and you are unable to scrape it off, you can add a little more butter.
Thickening our soup
Once your mixture is golden brown, add in your chicken stock and heavy cream. This creates a beautifully creamy broth. At this point I switch to using a whisk, I find it is the best way to incorporate the roux into the cream mixture. Allow this to simmer for about ten minutes and watch as your deliciously creamy soup begins to thicken. Watching soup thicken is really one of my favorite things.
Adding our Chicken
While your soup is simmering, we will use our food processor for the last time. Add in your cooked chicken and pulse until chopped into small pieces of tender chicken.
Once your soup is done simmering, remove it from the heat and stir in your tender chunks of chicken. You now have a creamy Chicken Poblano Soup!
Storing Your Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup
Leftover soup is many times even better! The next day all your flavors have melded together and you still have a delicious soup. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days! You can also store it in a mason jar in the freezer for up to a month.
How to Dress up Your Poblano Soup
On a chilly day when I have a big pot of Poblano soup, I always like to have at least sour cream and fresh cilantro on hand. Other favorite toppings include crispy tortilla strips, chopped avocado, green onions, and Monterey Jack cheese. I also love this recipe in a homemade Sourdough Bread Bowl.
Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup
Ingredients
- 3 six inch corn tortillas
- 2 Tb all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tb vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup fresh poblano peppers seeded and minced
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic
- 2 Tb butter
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup half and half or cream
- 1/4 cup cooked and chopped chicken more if you likeI usually use two chicken breasts.
Instructions
- In large stock pot, heat 1 Tb olive oil and sear the chicken until nice and brown on both sides, remove from pan and set aside.
- I use my food processor 3 different times. First, I process the corn tortillas until texture of corn meal and then add the flour and spices and process a couple times to mix. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
- Second, add coarse chopped onion, poblano, and garlic to processor and process until finely chopped.
- In the large pot you browned the chicken in, add another Tablespoon of oil and add the onion mixture and allow to cook for seven to ten minutes.
- To the pot add butter and cook till melted. Now add the flour mixture. You’re making a roux at this point. Cook it, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn but making sure to cook the flour well, and achieve some good browning.
- Next, add the stock and cream to the roux and cook until it simmers. Allow to simmer about ten minutes.
- While it’s simmering, I put the chicken in the processor and pulse several times until chicken is chopped. When soup is done simmering, remove from heat and stir the chicken in. You can serve with shredded Monterey Jack cheese and chips. Top with cilantro if you like.
