Description
Chicken Poblano Soup is a hearty and flavorful meal featuring tender chicken, smoky poblano peppers, black beans, corn, and a creamy broth enriched with cream cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. This comforting soup balances spicy, tangy, and savory notes, perfect for a satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- ½ cup beer
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce (Frank’s recommended)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup chunky salsa
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.25 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1/3 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped
Seasonings
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¾ teaspoon oregano
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Prepare Seasonings: Combine all the seasoning spices (chili powder, mustard powder, oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder) in a small bowl and set aside.
- Season the Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then sprinkle 1 ½ teaspoons of the seasoning mixture evenly over each side of the chicken.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat the avocado oil in a 4.5-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side until a golden crust forms. Remove from the pot and let rest for 10 minutes. Shred or dice the chicken; it’s okay if the center isn’t fully cooked as it will finish in the soup.
- Deglaze with Beer: Add the beer to the pot and set heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to scrape and loosen browned bits from the bottom and sides of the pot. Reduce the beer by half, about 3-4 minutes.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add butter and diced onions to the pot. Cook and soften for 4 minutes. Add diced poblano peppers and minced garlic, cooking for an additional 3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in tomato paste, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the remaining seasoning mixture. Cook for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Pour in chunky salsa, black beans, corn, chicken broth, and crumble the chicken bouillon cube. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Simmer the Soup: Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the cream cheese. Stir occasionally until the chicken is fully cooked and the cream cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.
- Finish with Cheese and Garnish: Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle shredded Monterey Jack cheese over the soup and stir until melted. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve warm.
Notes
- Leftover or rotisserie chicken works well; add it when the chicken is returned to the soup.
- If you prefer not to use beer, substitute with additional chicken or beef broth.
- Undrained Rotel tomatoes can replace salsa if needed, though salsa adds a richer flavor.
- Tomato paste tubes are convenient for precise measurement and easy use.
- Frank’s Hot Sauce provides mild heat; adjust quantity to taste.
- Shredding cheese from a block improves melt and flavor compared to pre-shredded cheese.
- Philadelphia cream cheese from a tub melts more smoothly than block cream cheese.
- Worcestershire sauce adds umami; mustard powder brings tang; hot sauce enhances overall flavor balance.
- Crock Pot adaptation: skip searing and deglazing; cook ingredients on low for 6 hours, then add cream cheese, shredded cheese, and cilantro at the end.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
