Description
Chicken Poblano Soup is a flavorful and hearty soup featuring tender chicken breast, roasted poblano peppers, black beans, and corn in a creamy, cheesy broth with a hint of spice and tang from tomato paste, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Perfect for a comforting dinner, this soup boasts layers of smoky, savory, and spicy notes balanced with fresh cilantro garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
- Salt and 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 Seasoning: Combine all seasoning ingredients (chili powder, mustard powder, oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder) in a small bowl and set aside. Measure out all other ingredients before starting.
- Season Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt, pepper, and sprinkle 1 ½ teaspoons of the combined seasoning mix on each side.
- Sear Chicken: Heat avocado oil in a 4.5 quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until golden crust forms, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from pot and let rest for 10 minutes, then shred or dice the chicken. Partial cooking during searing is fine, it will finish cooking in the soup.
- Deglaze Pot: Add ½ cup beer to the pot over medium heat. Use a silicone spatula to scrape and loosen browned bits from the bottom and sides of the pot. Reduce beer by half, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add butter and diced onion to the pot. Cook and soften onions for 4 minutes. Then add diced poblano peppers and minced garlic, cooking another 3 minutes until softened.
- Add Seasoned Base: Stir in tomato paste, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining seasoning mixture. Cook for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add chunky salsa, black beans, corn, chicken broth, and chicken bouillon cube. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer with Chicken and Cream Cheese: Add the shredded chicken back into the pot along with the cream cheese. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the cream cheese is fully melted. Stir occasionally to incorporate the cream cheese throughout the soup.
- Finish with Cheese and Garnish: Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle shredded Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the soup and allow it to melt. Stir gently. Garnish with roughly chopped cilantro before serving.
Notes
- Use 2 cups of leftover or rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken breasts; add it when mixing shredded chicken back into the soup.
- If you prefer no alcohol, substitute chicken or beef broth for the beer when deglazing the pot.
- Undrained canned Rotel tomatoes can replace salsa if needed, though fresh salsa provides deeper flavor.
- Tomato paste tubes like Mutti are useful for precise measurement and convenience.
- Frank’s Hot Sauce is recommended for mild heat that enhances flavor without overpowering.
- Shred cheese from a block for better melting and flavor compared to pre-shredded packaged cheese.
- Philadelphia cream cheese from a tub melts more smoothly than block cream cheese.
- Worcestershire sauce adds umami depth; hot sauce enhances spice; mustard powder contributes tang; a small amount of honey balances acidity if desired.
- Crock Pot Method: Skip searing and deglazing, add chicken and seasonings directly to crock pot with other ingredients except corn, beans, cream cheese, shredded cheese, and cilantro. Cook on low for 6 hours, shred chicken, add corn and beans, then stir in cream cheese and cheese after cooking.
