This creamy chicken poblano soup roasts the peppers for smoky depth, blends the simmered broth for creaminess, and finishes with beans, corn, chicken and cheddar - all in under an hour.
JUMP TO RECIPEThis flavor-packed Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup is the perfect warming bowl for a chilly day! It's loaded with roasted poblano peppers, tangy cheddar, fire roasted corn, and pinto beans for a hearty Poblano Pepper soup that's perfect for using up that rotisserie chicken!
As a Philly-based home cook and recipe developer, and self-professed soup lover, I have tested this recipe multiple times to get the perfect ratio of smoky flavor and creamy texture, with customizable spice levels.
Chicken Poblano Soup At-A-Glance
| Time | 1 Hour (including prep) |
| Serves | 6 people |
| Spice Level | Medium-Hot 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (see adjustments below to make it less spicy) |
| Storage | See Notes |
Table of Contents
- Chicken Poblano Soup At-A-Glance
- Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Tools Needed
- How to Roast Poblanos (Stovetop or Broiler)
- Step By Step Photos
- Variations and Substitutions
- Serving & Garnishes
- Storing and Reheating
- FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- More great soup recipes!
"Excellente! Thanks! I have wanted to do the peppers-on-the-burner thing for years (after watching a million Pati Jinich episodes). I was shocked at how effective it was...super easy. Thanks, Jawn lady, from a fellow Philadelphian." -CC ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Poblano peppers, roasted and chopped. Poblano peppers are a bit spicy, at about 1,000-5,000 units on the Scoville scale. If you are spice-averse, I would lessen the amount a bit and maybe start with 1 ½ to 2 peppers. If you want MORE spice, adding in a roasted jalapeno or serrano pepper will give you plenty of extra kick!
Cream cheese, softened to room temperature. This gives the soup a silky, creamy texture. For a lighter soup, you can swap the cream cheese for 1 cup of heavy cream or half and half.
Canned Pinto beans (drained- not rinsed). Leaving the beans un-rinsed adds a bit more thickness and flavor to the soup. If you like, you could also use cannelini beans or kidney beans.
Frozen fire roasted corn. I love the charred flavor of fire roasted corn, but canned or frozen yellow sweet corn works great for this recipe, too!
Shredded chicken (cooked). This is a great recipe for using up that leftover rotisserie chicken. You can also use your own cooked chicken breast or thighs, or cook raw chicken cut into small pieces right in the pot, adding before the onions, and sautéing until cooked through.
Sharp cheddar cheese. For best results, grate your own cheese. Pre-bagged cheese has anti coagulants added, and doesn't melt as smoothly. Add off the heat at the very end to prevent breaking.
Tools Needed
| A large soup pot, or Dutch oven | Bigger is better for this chicken poblano soup recipe, and helps contain mess when blending. |
| An immersion blender, or standard blender | This helps smoothly blend the broth for a creamy consistency. If you don't have one, you can also (carefully) blend the soup in a standard blender in batches, allowing to cool if necessary depending on your blender. Be sure to either cool the soup briefly, or hold a towel over the opening when blending hot soup in a traditional blender. |
| Gas flame, grill, or broiler | My preferred charring method uses the open flame of your gas stove for quickly charring the peppers. But you can also broil them under your oven's broiler on a foil lined pan until charred, or grill them outdoors! |
How to Roast Poblanos (Stovetop or Broiler)
Gas Stove. Turn the flame on a gas stovetop on high and place the whole poblano peppers directly onto the grates of your stove. Using heat-safe tongs, turn the peppers every once in a while to get an even char on all sides. Take about 5-10 minutes.
Broiler. Cut the peppers in half and remove the stems and seeds. Arrange on a broiler-safe pan skin side up, and broil 5-10 minutes, checking periodically to avoid overcooking.
Grill. Set peppers on the grill heated to medium-high, and grill, turning occasionally, until well charred on all sides, 10-15 minutes.
Steaming and skin removal. Once charred, place the peppers into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam. Let sit for about 20 minutes, or until they are cool enough to handle with your hands. Peel the skin off the outside using a paper towel for easy removal. Discard charred skin, and remove seeds and stems, if intact.
Step By Step Photos
Below is a step-by-step visual guide with sensory cues for how to make the perfect Chicken Poblano Soup, every time!
Chicken Poblano Soup (Roasted & Creamy) Recipe
Equipment
- large soup pot or Dutch oven
- Immersion Blender
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 large Poblano peppers, roasted and chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups chicken bone broth or chicken stock/broth
- 1 15.5 oz can pinto beans (drained-not rinsed)
- 1 ½ cups frozen fire roasted corn
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- the juice of one lime
Instructions
- Roast the poblano peppers: To roast the poblanos, turn the flame on a gas stovetop on high and place the poblano peppers directly onto the grates of your stove. Using heat-proof tongs, turn the peppers every once in a while to ensure charring on all sides. After the peppers are charred, place them into a small bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for about 20 minutes until they are cool enough to handle with your hands, and peel the skin off the outside using a paper towel. Discard charred skin, and remove seeds and stem. Chop into small pieces. 2. In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. 3. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, until softened. 4. Add roasted chopped peppers, garlic, dried oregano, cumin and smoked paprika, and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. 5. Add cream cheese and broth, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is fully melted into broth (be sure to use room temperature, softened cream cheese for best results). This will take about 10 minutes. 6. Once cheese is melted, blend broth with an immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, transfer to to blender in batches and puree until smooth). 7. Add beans, corn, and shredded chicken to the pot with the blended broth. Simmer for 10 minutes. 8. Turn off heat, and stir in lime juice and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese is just melted 9. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Variations and Substitutions
| Swap your protein | Use up leftover turkey, or swap in cooked and drained chorizo sausage. |
| Use different beans | Try cannelini beans, navy beans, kidney beans, or drained and rinsed black beans in place of the pinto beans. |
| Less spicy | Use less roasted poblanos for a less spicy soup. Start with 1-2 peppers, instead of the 3 the recipe calls for. |
| Extra Spicy | Want even more heat? Try adding a roasted serrano pepper or jalapeno pepper to the soup! Leaving the seeds intact on any of the peppers will lend more heat as well. |
Serving & Garnishes
| Fresh Herbs | Add some fresh cilantro leaves or thinly sliced scallion on top. |
| Tortilla | Try some crispy fried tortilla strips or chips on top for some crunch! |
| Extra Cheese | Sprinkle on some extra shredded cheddar or queso fresco. |
| Lime, Sour Cream, or Crema | Squeeze in some extra lime juice, or add a dollop of crema or sour cream. |
Storing and Reheating
Refrigerator. This chicken poblano soup recipe is even better the next day! To store, allow to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheating. To reheat, warm on low in a saucepan or soup pot until warmed through, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water, stock, or milk if needed to thin it out.
Freezing. For best results if freezing the soup, make the soup through the blending step. then cool to room temperature, and freeze up to 3 months. Once thawed, warm through, then stir in the remaining ingredients for best texture and flavor. Think of it as a handy soup base!
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
How spicy are poblano peppers?
Poblano peppers have about 1,000-5,000 units on the Scoville scale. By comparison, jalapenos range from 2,500-8,000. So they have some heat, but they are not extremely spicy.
Can I roast poblanos without a gas stove?
Yes! See my notes above for other methods.
Can I freeze the soup?
Yes you can. If freezing, stop at the blended step, and cool and freeze, then add the remaining ingredients once thawed and heated through.
Why did my cheese come out stringy?
To keep your cheese nice and melty, use a block you grate yourself, rather than pre-grated cheese, which contains stabilizers that inhibit melting.
More great soup recipes!
Try my ultra Creamy Roasted Tomato Bisque with Parmesan!
Make a batch of my Creamy Loaded Potato Soup.
Whip up my hearty Creamy Orzo Soup with Chicken and Bacon.
Try my flavor packed Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup with Leeks.
Make my weeknight Easy Rotisserie Chicken Soup!
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CC says
Excellente! Thanks! I have wanted to do the peppers-on-the-burner thing for years (after watching a million Pati Jinich episodes). I was shocked at how effective it was...super easy. Thanks, Jawn lady, from a fellow Philadelphian. Only thing diff I did was add Penzey's chili con carne seasoning, and whatever the hell is in their "Resist" seasoning. So damn good.
Sharon says
So happy to hear this, CC!
Lauren says
This is my favorite soup recipe.
I do make a few changes though. I have been making it with seasoned chicken breast (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and cayenne) - I do this right in my dutch oven then when I cook the onions and such, it gets all of those chicken juices! Along with the poblano peppers, I roast 2 jalapeños (we like spice) then when I blend the broth, I blend those in.
I also only blend about 2 cups of the soup for a chunkier soup.
Lastly, I top it with more cheese and scallions and eat it with tortilla chips! It’s sooo good!
Sharon says
Sounds delicious, Lauren! So happy you enjoy the recipe 1