Soup Night Memories (And My Not-So-Secret Chicken Poblano Soup)

If you’ve ever spent a rainy Thursday stuck inside and found yourself thinking, “You know what would hit the spot?” — this is that spot-hitter. Chicken Poblano Soup (which is, no joke, responsible for a good chunk of the laugh lines on my face) came to me via a friend’s backyard potluck. I honestly thought it looked a bit green and weird at first; little did I know I’d end up making it whenever I need to feel like a capable adult — or just when my fridge is full of stray chicken. My three-year-old once announced it as her favorite “green stew”, which is high praise when your audience mostly wants mac n cheese. There’s always a little chaos, a missed ingredient, or (like last week) a poblano seed under my fingernails. But I wouldn’t trade it for ten calm pasta nights.

Why I Can’t Help But Make This Soup All The Time

I make this Chicken Poblano Soup on days when I can’t be bothered to go to the store but want something that tastes like I put effort in. My family goes bananas for this because the poblanos add a kind of mellow, not-too-spicy thing (unless you leave all the seeds in — then, hello, sinus rinse). Sometimes, I just need to use up leftover rotisserie chicken (no shame), and this works perfectly for that. Actually, I find it works better if the chicken’s a bit on the dry side — it soaks up the broth. The other reason? It’s a one-pot situation, which means less dishes. And let’s be real, isn’t that the dream?

What You’ll Need (Or Whatever’s Closest)

2 large poblano peppers (sometimes I swap in anaheim chiles if that’s all I have — not quite as earthy, but they’ll do in a pinch)
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken — honestly, rotisserie chicken or grilled leftovers, or any bird that’s around
1 yellow onion, chopped — red works too, but it gets a bit sweeter
3 cloves garlic, minced (my grandmother always whacked them with the blade rather than mincing; both work)
4 cups chicken broth (boxed, homemade, or bouillon-and-water ‘cause we’re keeping it real)
1 cup corn (frozen or canned, but I keep fresh on hand in summer and cut it right off the cob — such a show-off move)
1 to 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, diced (sometimes I go heavy on these to make it extra filling, or just skip if I’m lazy)
1 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika, if that’s all you’ve got — sometimes I just skip it if I can’t find the jar, to be honest)
1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream (or skip altogether; it still tastes great)
Handful fresh cilantro, chopped (unless it tastes like soap to you — then skip without guilt!)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: a squeeze of lime, grated queso fresco, hot sauce, or tortilla strips for topping

How I Actually Cook It (With a Few “Taste Tests”)

First, char those poblanos: I usually turn on a gas burner and plop them right on with tongs, turning until the skins blister and blacken (takes around 6-8 min). Or just broil in the oven on a foil-lined tray, flipping halfway. Once they’re gnarly, pop ‘em in a bowl and cover with a plate for 10 min (steam helps loosen the skin). Peel, core, and dice ‘em up. (Little tip: If a bit of skin sticks, don’t panic! It’s all flavor anyway.)
Next, sauté the onion: Grab your biggest soup pot and add a splash of oil over med heat. Toss in the onion — cook till it’s soft, about 4-5 min. Add garlic for the last minute; it burns fast, so watch out.
Add the fun stuff: Dump in your diced poblanos, potatoes, and smoked paprika. Stir while they get friendly for a minute or two.
Pour in the broth: Add chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, tossing in the potatoes. (This is where I usually sneak a taste — I’m always checking the salt level, and probably drinking a mug on the side…)
Simmer time: Let it bubble (not a rapid boil, just a soft burble) for about 10-12 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Don’t worry if you lose track of time; just poke a spud and keep on.
In with the chicken and corn: Shredded chicken and corn go in, let everything get hot for another 5-6 minutes. Sometimes I forget the corn and throw it in late — no biggie.
Final moves: Reduce to the lowest heat, stir in crema, half the cilantro, and taste again — more salt? Pepper? Hot sauce? You decide.
Ladle into bowls; top with more cilantro, a bit of queso fresco, maybe a lime squeeze.

The “Don’t Tell Anyone” Notes

I once charred the poblanos way too long (like, burnt to a crisp) and the soup got bitter — so now I just go for “mostly black,” not “charcoal.”
If you skip the crema or sour cream, the soup’s got a nice brothy vibe (maybe even better for leftovers?).
I thought potato chunks would be weird in a soup like this, but they soak up flavor beautifully — just don’t make them too big or they won’t cook through.

If You Want To Switch It Up (Or, um, Not)

I’ve swapped in rotisserie turkey after Thanksgiving — a bit gamier but still really hearty!
I once tried adding black beans, but the flavors fought rather than sang together (maybe I did it wrong?)
No poblanos? Bell peppers can work, just cut the corn by half for balance. (I was desperate, it worked…kinda!)

What You’ll Need (Plus a Hack or Two)

Big soup pot, maybe 5 quarts or so. If you’re short, a Dutch oven or even a deep skillet with high sides’ll do. Actually, I made it in a too-small pot once and just scooped out as it threatened to overflow. Fun times.
Tongs for charring peppers (or skewers if you’re brave…or vice grips from the garage in a pinch — don’t judge)
Cutting board, good knife, bowl for steaming peppers
Ladle (or a large mug — not elegant, but gets the job done)

How To Keep Leftovers (If Any Survive)

This soup keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days, though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! If you do have extra, it thickens up, and I swear it tastes even better the next day. You can freeze it, too (minus the crema if you want it smooth when reheated). I usually end up just making some fresh add-ins when reheating, like a squeeze of lime or dash of hot sauce.

How I Like To Serve Chicken Poblano Soup

I’m a big fan of tortilla strips on top — I fry them myself when I feel fancy, or just crush up whatever corn chips are left in the bag (don’t tell anyone). My middle kid loves it with a scoop of cooked rice on the side. Sometimes, for a party, I put out all the toppings: lime wedges, chopped avocado, shredded cheese. It’s a nice custom-soup bar! For drinks, a cold, light beer or a good agua fresca works (check out these agua fresca recipes I tried last summer).

The Stuff I Messed Up So You (Hopefully) Don’t

Seriously, don’t rush the charring. Once I tried skipping the steam step and the skin stuck all over. Big mess, little flavor.
Letting it boil madly? Turns the chicken stringy and tough. Low and slow is best.
I used to skip tasting for salt, thinking the broth did the work — but some days vegetables soak up more than others. Trust your taste buds, not the label.

Wait, Can I Answer a Few Kitchen Questions?

Can I make this in a slow cooker? Sure! Sauté onions and garlic first, then dump everything (except crema and toppings) into the pot. Low for 4ish hours. Crema gets added at the end.
How spicy does it get? Not too bad. Poblanos are pretty chill. But if seeds sneak in, it turns up the heat. You can check more about pepper heat scales here on PepperScale.
Can I make this dairy-free or keto? Of course! Just skip the crema and use coconut milk or nothing. The soup’s tasty either way; honestly, I can’t tell the difference when I’m distracted by my kids fighting.
What if I don’t char the poblanos? Will it lose depth? Yes — but raw-diced in a pinch is better than none at all. Life’s too short, friend.
Do I have to add potatoes? Nope, that was my twist anyway. Sometimes I’ve just left them out.
Does this taste good the next day? I think it might even taste better, especially if you fiddle with toppings when you reheat.
Should I always use homemade broth? Oh, I wish. But boxed is 90% as good, and that last 10% isn’t worth tearing up your kitchen for (unless you’re feeling ambitious — then by all means!). If you want to see a killer homemade broth, here’s one I bookmark for those rare weekends I remember.

If you give this a try, let me know how your Chicken Poblano Soup turns out! I’m genuinely curious if it’s soup-night worthy in your house, too. And if not — hey, you can always add more cheese.

Chicken Poblano Soup