Cheddar Cheese Soup with Chicken and Poblano Peppers

Chicken cheese soup with poblano peppers garnished with tortilla strips

Cheddar Cheese Soup with Chicken and Poblano Peppers

Brothy with chicken stock, cheesy with cheddar, chunky with chicken, savory with chopped tomatoes, kicked with with some chopped poblano peppers, and topped with chopped cilantro and sour cream, this is a soup that will warm anyone's day.

Course Soup, Stews and Chilis

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 418kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

6 Cups chicken stock
15 ½ ounces chopped tomatoes canned, undrained. Or three good sized fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped
3 poblano peppers seeded, veins removed and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper seeded, veins removed and chopped
2 teapsoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ cup flour
2 Cups milk
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated. Use good quality cheese here.
½ Cup sour cream
2 Cups diced chicken meat from rotisserie chicken Or boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped and cooked.
leaves Chopped fresh cilantro to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 shakes Hot sauce
Cilantro tortilla chips and sour cream for topping

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the tomatoes, lower heat and simmer covered.
In a skillet, heat the butter and oil. Add the onion and saute until tender. About 5 minutes. Add the chile peppers and cook until they have softened. Add the cumin and chili powder. Stir and then sprinkle in the flour, blending all.
Gradually add the milk and stir until smooth.
Ladle 2 cups of the tomato/stock mixture into the thickened milk and stir to thin.
Pour the entire contents of the skillet into the tomato/stock pot and let simmer over very low heat, stirring often. Let cook about 15 minutes.
Stir in the cheddar cheese and sour cream. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the chicken and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in some hot sauce. Cook on very low heat until everything is toasty and blended.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Garnish with chopped cilantro, crushed tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream.

Notes

Presentation Tip: Purchase a package of multi-colored tortilla strips for a festive topping.

Don't use pre-shredded packaged cheese. Packages of pre-shredded cheese contain ingredients to keep the cheese from clumping together. This means it won't melt as smoothly when cooked in this soup, causing it to take on a grainy texture. The flavor will also be compromised. Use a good quality sharp cheddar cheese and grate it yourself.

On Freezing This Soup: Freezing dairy based soups are not recommended. Any type of soup with a cream or milk base tend to separate once frozen. The end result is a soup with a grainy undesirable texture.

How to store: Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days. Recommended method to reheat is in a saucepan stove top. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave in increments using 50% power and stirring in between.

Nutrition