This Chicken Poblano Soup is bright with lime juice, savory with tender chicken, Southwestern in nature with hominy and lively spices. A hearty soup that’s fresh, tasty and very weeknight friendly.
If this recipe has piqued your interest, don’t miss my recipe for Southwest Spicy Chicken and Cabbage Soup. Clean eating never had it so good.
What You Can Expect From This Chicken Poblano Soup
- Servings and Time: Four servings and ready in 30 minutes.
- Easy. Once the roasting, chopping and shredding is complete, this poblano chicken soup recipe is on the table in a jiff. In about 45 minutes, you’ve got a delicious Southwestern soup that the whole family will love.
- Texture: If you’re a hominy fan, you’ll really like this recipe. The texture it brings to the soup is superb and compliments the tender chicken.
- Healthy. Low carb, lean protein, vitamins from the lime juice and peppers = yes please.
- Appearance: It’s a good-looking soup. Adding turmeric brings a lovely bright healthy glow to the overall appearance.
- Flavor: And the best part of all, the flavor is simply outstanding.
Why My Version Is Different
- Hearty: I love adding hominy to many of my Southwestern Soup Recipes. It brings a heartiness without feeling heavy. Potatoes and rice just can’t duplicate it’s texture and flavor.
- Cotija Cheese: Cotija cheese is a dry Mexican crumbling cheese. It keeps things light, unlike many soups made with heavy cheddars.
- Spices: This soup is unique with the addition of turmeric. It adds a bright color to a soup that otherwise could look bland. I also use New Mexico Chimayo Red Chile Powder. In my opinion, it’s the best, and brings a warming heat.
- Comfort: This soup bridges classic chicken soup and Southwestern comfort food. A perfect combo in my books.
Key Ingredients
- Shredded Chicken: To make this chicken poblano soup even easier, use shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken. Shred both dark and light meat. Or you can use shredded chicken from two cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Hominy: Use canned, frozen or dried. You’ll find instructions below if using frozen or dried.
- Poblano Peppers: Roasted and chopped. Poblanos are readily found at your local grocer, are milder in heat than Jalapeno peppers and have a earthier and sweeter flavor.
- Cotija Cheese: A Mexican crumbling cheese.
- Limes: Fresh squeezed for the juice.
- Jalapeno Pepper: Seeded, veins removed and chopped.
- Spices: Dried thyme, dried Mexican Oregano, turmeric and New Mexico red chile powder.
Mexican Oregano is preferred for this recipe. It's peppery, grassy, earthy flavor is a good compliment for Mexican Food. If you don't have Mexican Oregano, substitute Marjoram. Known for its aroma and delicate flavor, its related to Mexican oregano and will bring a sweet undertone to any recipe.
Ingredients Swaps and Subs
- Cheese: If you can’t find Mexican Cotija cheese, purchase feta cheese. It is similar in texture and flavor to Cotija.
- Hatch Chile Peppers: If you feel that a jalapeno pepper is just too hot, use a can of medium Hatch Chile Peppers from the Mexican aisle at your local grocer. Hatch chile peppers offer a brighter, sharper flavor distinct mineral notes from being grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico. You also might find them a bit spicier. You can also use Colorado grown Pueblo Chile Peppers. To learn more about their differences take a look at my post for Pueblo Chiles vs. Hatch Chile Peppers.
Why Hominy Belongs In Chicken Poblano Soup and Which To Use
Tender, pleasantly chewy and with a subtle corn flavor, hominy naturally complements roasted poblano peppers and shredded chicken. Unlike potatoes or pasta, hominy adds heartiness while keeping the soup true to its Southwestern roots. After testing this recipe several times, I found that hominy also balances the mild smokiness of the roasted poblanos, making every spoonful feel more satisfying without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Canned Hominy: Using canned hominy will make this recipe a very easy fix. Just drain and add to the soup.
- Frozen pozole. However, if you can find frozen posole I urge you to purchase a couple of bags and keep a stash in the freezer. I find the flavor much better than canned so It will elevate your experience. Frozen posole doesn't have to be soaked ahead of time.
- Dried Posole (hominy)You can also use dried posole, found on the Mexican food aisle at the grocery store. but plan ahead as you’ll need to soak it overnight. And then cook it stovetop until tender.
- Note: If using dried or frozen hominy, you may need to add more chicken broth to this recipe. These varieties can soak up a lot liquid even after they’re cooked.
How To Make Chicken Poblano Soup with Hominy
- Step 1: Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Once the pot is hot, add a couple tablespoons of neutral oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add chopped onion. Cook, stirring frequently for about five minutes. Add the chopped jalapeno pepper and cook until fragrant. About one minute. Add the spices and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one more minute.
- Step 2: Add the roasted chopped poblano peppers, broth, and the canned or cooked hominy. Simmer covered for about five minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Step 3: Add shredded chicken to simmering soup and let it cook about five minutes. Stir in the lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, and top with the cotija cheese.
Tips For Success
- Can’t Find Poblano Peppers? Use and roast a green bell pepper. You can get a similar smoky charred flavor by roasting them in the same manner as a poblano pepper.
- Chicken: Equal amounts of roasted boneless-skinless chicken breasts or thighs can be used in place of rotisserie chicken. Just roast them in the oven for about 30 minutes, then when cool enough to handle, shred or chop the meat.
What To Serve It With
- Toppings: For any Mexican soup, I like to lightly crush tortilla chips and sprinkle over the soup, for a tasty little crunch. Fresh cilantro is always a traditional topping.
- Start things off with Molcajete Guacamole. A perfect appetizer for this soup.
- Soup and salad are a classic combination. To keep the theme going, try my Southwestern Salad Recipe. Hearty with corn and black beans, it’s a favorite on my site.
- Soup and bread are perfect partners. Take a look at my recipe for Cheesy Cornbread.
- For a beverage, try a Paloma Cocktail or Micheladas
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. The soup should last 3 – 4 days.
- Freezer: This soup can be frozen for 3 – 4 months. Again, use an airtight container. I like to use a zip-lock freezer bag. It’s easy to push the air out and it lays flat so as not to take up much room in the freezer. Remember to date and label.
- Reheating: To reheat, let the soup thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat stovetop or in the microwave.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare this soup in advance and then gently reheat stovetop before serving. Making this a great recipe for entertaining.
FAQ’s
Absolutely. Dark meat carries more flavor than chicken breast. Just roast or fry the chicken thighs prior to making this soup. Then cube or shred the meat. Plus chicken thighs are less expensive than chicken breast.
I use poblano peppers in many recipes by simply chopping and frying. Unlike green bell peppers, they aren’t good eaten raw. Roasting poblano peppers is the best way to prepare them. Roasting imparts a smoky flavor.
If you have a gas stovetop, place the peppers directly over medium high flame and turn, turn, turn. Using tongs works well here. Once the peppers are charred (not burnt) place them in a plastic zip-loc bag. Don’t seal the bag and let the peppers steam for about ten minutes. Then using your hands (not water) scrape most of the charred skin from the peppers. I like to leave a little skin on for a smoky flavor. 
Depending on the recipe, the main difference is that white chicken chili almost always contains white beans. This soup uses hominy for a Southwestern flair rather than a Tex-Mex chili soup. And this soup differs from Chicken Tortilla Soup in the fact that it’s a heartier soup that includes a tomato base.
A Culinary School Tip
Attending Culinary School changed my soup making skills considerably. Ever wonder why a restaurant soup always tastes richer with flavor?
- Chicken Stock: If you take the time to make homemade chicken stock, you’ll notice a considerably richer flavor than store purchased.
- Bloom Spices: Whenever adding spices to any soup, add them at the end of cooking the vegetables and before you add the broth. This short “bloom” time will bring out the best in any spice, and make them more aromatic and flavorful.
- Don’t Boil: When making any type of soup, once the broth is added, bring it to a low boil, then lower heat to a simmer to finish. The gentler simmer will keep the vegetables crisper. A hard boil may turn everything to mush.
Recipe for Chicken Poblano Soup With Hominy
We make a lot of soups here on the Ranch, and this chicken poblano soup recipe is one of our favorites. The flavor, the overall texture and the fact that it’s easy are just a few of the reasons.
If you’re looking for a Southwestern style soup with hominy, I can guarantee you’re going to enjoy this recipe. I hope you give this chicken poblano soup a try.
Serving tip: I love serving this soup in a shallow white dish.
Explore More Southwestern Chicken Soup Recipes
I consider soup to be my specialty, so if you’re looking for more soup recipes, don’t miss my Soup and Stew Category. You’ll find lots of great recipes, including the most popular chicken soup recipe on my site for Sopa Ranchero, Southwest Chicken Soup.
And if you love the flavors of New Mexico, don’t miss this recipe for Pork Posole. A simple recipe that’s dressed up with all of your favorite toppings.
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Chicken Poblano Soup With Hominy
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rotisserie chicken meat removed from bones and shredded
- 1 Tablespoon neutral oil canola works good here
- 1 medium sweet onion chopped, about 1 ½ cups
- 1 jalapeño deveined, deseeded, minced
- 2 poblano peppers roasted, tops and seeds removed and diced
- 4 cups chicken broth If using dried or frozen hominy, you may need additional broth, as these varieties can soak up more liquid, even after cooked.
- 15-ounce can hominy drained. White or yellow hominy
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano crumbled if the leaves are large
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
- 4 Tablespoons lime juice fresh squeezed. About 2 small limes.
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup cotija or feta cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in jalapeño and cook, stirring until fragrant, about a minute. Add the oregano, turmeric and thyme and red chile powder. Cook, stirring constantly until spices are fragrant. About 1 minute.
- Add the poblano peppers, broth and hominy. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add shredded chicken to simmering soup and let it cook about 5 minutes. stir in the lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, top with the cheese, and serve immediately.
