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Chicken Poblano Soup

Chicken poblano soup with smoky roasted poblano peppers, partially blended creamy broth, and shredded chicken. Simmered Tex-Mex flavors with corn and finished with a sour cream swirl 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: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and roasted poblanos
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Cooked and shredded
  • 3 poblano peppers Roasted, peeled, and diced
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 onion Diced
  • 4 clove garlic Minced
Broth 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 of 1
To serve
  • 0.25 cup sour cream For serving
  • 0.25 cup cilantro For serving
  • 0.25 cup green onions For serving
  • 0.75 cup tortilla strips For serving
  • salt To taste
  • pepper To taste

Equipment

  • 1 large pot
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Roast and prep the poblanos
  1. Roast the poblano peppers under the broiler until charred, turning as needed so all sides blister, 8 to 12 minutes total. Let them cool, then peel, remove seeds, and dice.
Build the soup base
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and lightly toasted.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth, add the corn kernels, and stir well. Add half of the diced poblanos, bring to a gentle simmer, then simmer 15 minutes.
Finish and serve
  1. Blend the soup partially smooth, leaving some corn and pepper texture, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir the soup to bring it back to a steady simmer.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream until the broth looks creamy and uniform. Add the shredded chicken, remaining poblanos, and lime juice, then simmer 5 minutes.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stirring until fully combined. Serve hot with sour cream, cilantro, green onions, and tortilla strips.

Notes

Pro tip: partially blend instead of fully pureeing so the soup stays thick with visible corn and poblano pieces. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; freeze the soup (without toppings) up to 2 months and reheat gently. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, keeping the same simmer times.