Have you ever just had to figure out how to make something at home that you had just eaten at a restaurant?
That’s what happened to my mom when she tried chicken poblano soup recently. She remembered the ingredients, flavors, and textures and tried to put them together at home to replicate this marvelous soup. To put her personal stamp on it, she added zucchini and red pepper.
You know I love spice, but this recipe isn’t as hot as it could be. In fact what makes poblano peppers so wonderful is they are fairly mild. If you want to add a little zip, add a 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the soup. But it is the cheese and cream that complete this soup and give it a uniquely rich savor!
I’ve felt like I needed to hear more saxophone in my life. So this chicken poblano soup got me thinking about “Bird Feathers” played by jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker. Take a listen and plan to make chicken poblano soup soon!
Ingredients
- 2 poblano peppers (Anaheim peppers substitute if cannot find poblano in the store)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup white onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
- ½ cup red pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup celery, chopped
- ½ cup zucchini, chopped
- 2 cups chicken breast, cooked, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups water
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- ¼-½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can sweet kernel corn, drained
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup hot pepper cheese, grated
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Slice poblano peppers in half. Remove stem and seeds.
- Lay aluminum foil over baking sheet. Lay poblano peppers cut side down on foil.
- Broil for 2-3 minutes until skins are bubbly and blackened.
- Remove from oven. Wrap poblano peppers in the foil and set aside to cool.
- Put oil in a large frying pan with high sides over medium heat.
- Add onion, garlic, red pepper, celery, zucchini, and cooked chicken breast. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until vegetables are slightly tender.
- Remove vegetables and chicken to a bowl and set aside.
- Place butter in frying pan and melt. Stir in flour to make a roux.
- Add water and stir to combine.
- Add bouillon cubes, cilantro leaves, salt, black pepper, cumin, hot sauce, corn and black beans.
- Add vegetables and chicken back into the frying pan.
- Peel skin off poblano peppers if desired. Dice. Add to ingredients in frying pan.
- Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Add hot pepper cheese a little at a time. Stirring gently to incorporate as it melts.
- Add whipping cream. Simmer on very low heat for 5 minutes.