Description
Chile Relleno Soup is a comforting Mexican-inspired dish that features roasted poblano peppers blended into a creamy, cheesy broth with tender pieces of chicken. This soup combines the smoky flavor of charred poblanos with sharp cheddar and cream cheese, creating a rich and satisfying meal perfect for any season.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4 medium poblano peppers
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup (40 g) chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 4 cups (946.35 g) chicken bone broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 lb (453.59 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups (395.5 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 slices cheddar or pepper jack cheese (thin sandwich slices, 3/4 ounce each)
Instructions
- Roast Poblanos: Roast the poblano peppers over an open flame on a gas stove or under a high broiler until their skin is charred and blistered on all sides. Place the roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam and cool, which helps loosen the skin.
- Prepare Poblanos: Once cooled, rub the peppers to remove as much skin as possible, then cut out and discard the seeds. Finely chop the peeled peppers using a food processor or blender and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and cook while stirring frequently until translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, and chopped poblano peppers, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add Broth and Chicken: Pour in the chicken bone broth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the chicken pieces and cook until fully cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Prepare Cheese Blend: Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and about 1 cup of the hot broth (avoiding any chicken pieces) in the same blender or food processor used for the poblanos. Blend until smooth.
- Combine and Heat Soup: Stir the cheese mixture back into the simmering soup until fully incorporated and creamy.
- Broil with Cheese Topping: Preheat the broiler. Ladle the soup into individual ovenproof bowls and float a slice of cheddar or pepper jack cheese on top of each bowl. Place the bowls under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat and broil until the cheese melts and becomes bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.
Notes
- Roasting the poblanos adds smoky depth to the soup; be sure to char the skin thoroughly.
- Carefully peel the roasted poblanos to avoid leaving bitter skin bits in the soup.
- You can substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth for a slightly different flavor.
- Use chicken thighs for more flavorful, juicy meat; breasts will produce a leaner soup.
- The broiler step is optional but adds a delicious melted cheese topping reminiscent of classic chile relleno.
- If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop the poblanos and soften cream cheese before mixing.
- Use caution when broiling to avoid burning the cheese or soup bowls overheating.
