Spicy Jalapeno Popper Chicken Soup (Printable)
Creamy chicken soup with jalapeño popper flavors, ready in under an hour.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
03 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish
→ Dairy
07 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
08 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
→ Liquids
10 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Seasonings
11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp cumin
13 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
14 - 1 tsp salt or to taste
→ Optional Toppings
15 - 4 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
16 - Extra shredded cheddar cheese
17 - Sliced jalapeños
# Method:
01 - Place chicken in a large pot with chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
02 - Remove chicken from the pot and shred using two forks. Set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add onion, garlic, jalapeños, and red bell pepper. Sauté over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until vegetables soften.
04 - Add the shredded chicken back into the pot. Stir in smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, and salt.
05 - Lower heat and add the cream cheese. Stir continuously until melted and thoroughly combined.
06 - Stir in shredded cheddar cheese, heavy cream, and additional broth if needed to adjust consistency.
07 - Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soup is creamy and flavors are well combined. Serve hot garnished with bacon, extra cheddar, green onions, and jalapeños as desired.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- You get all the creamy spicy comfort of jalapeño poppers without the fuss of wrapping and frying anything
- The heat builds beautifully and can be dialed up or down depending on your crowd
- It reheats perfectly for lunch the next day and actually tastes better after the flavors have had time to mingle
02 -
- The cream cheese will clump up if you add it to a boiling pot so reduce the heat first and take your time stirring
- Using a rotisserie chicken cuts the prep time down to about fifteen minutes without sacrificing any flavor
- This soup thickens as it sits so you may need to add more broth when reheating leftovers the next day
03 -
- Wear gloves when chopping jalapeños because the oil will linger on your hands no matter how well you wash them
- Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre shredded cheese which has anti caking agents that prevent smooth melting