Chile Relleno Soup with Chicken

Creamy, with just a touch of heat, chile relleno soup with chicken will warm you up from the inside out. If you love chiles rellenos, cheese stuffed poblano peppers, you’ll love this soup.

Early fall is a great time to make this chile relleno soup. Those of you lucky enough (or hard-working enough, should I say?) to have a garden, have been harvesting ripe peppers from your vegetable patch. Even if you don’t garden, poblano peppers are in plentiful supply at the farm markets and grocery store. Homemade chile relleno soup is a delicious way to use some of those peppers.

I just love chiles rellenos. Peppers stuffed with cheese! Okay, I admit I like anything stuffed with cheese, I mean, who doesn’t? One of my favorite appetizers is sweet mini peppers stuffed with cheese. So addicting, I could eat the whole batch.

Chile relleno soup with chicken perfectly combines roasted poblano peppers, creamy cheese, and tender chunks of chicken into a soup that is equally as addicting. Perfect for a fall night!

About this chile relleno soup:

Chile relleno soup is easy to make. You get all the flavor of cheesy stuffed peppers without the hassle of stuffing the peppers. I also add chicken to the soup for more protein, making this a main course soup. Serve it with soft tortillas or tortilla chips and mango slaw for a fantastic dinner.

Roast the poblanos first for the best flavor. There are four easy ways to roast poblano peppers. 

While the peppers are roasting and cooling, get started on the soup. Sauté the chicken and onions in a good-sized pot, then add the garlic and cumin and sizzle for a minute. Add the flour and cook for two minutes. Pour in the broth and start to simmer your soup. Meanwhile, skin and chop the poblanos, which should be cool enough to handle by now, throw them in the pot, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. 

Almost ready to serve dinner? Stir in cream cheese and cilantro, and gently continue to stir and heat the soup. Serve immediately. Garnish each bowl with shredded Cheddar cheese and additional cilantro. I bet you can hardly wait!

How to make this creamy soup your own:

• While chiles rellenos are traditionally made with poblano peppers, you could use other varieties such as Hatch peppers. Bell peppers would work as well, especially if you don’t like spicy food.
• Add a cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels to the soup. 
• Simmer a couple of chopped Russet potatoes in the broth until tender. 
•  Chile relleno soup can be a delicious vegetarian soup, too. Just omit the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. 
• To make this soup gluten-free, thicken the soup with cornstarch instead of flour.
• Like bacon? Sauté chopped bacon in the pan until crisp, remove the bacon, and then sauté the onions and chicken in the bacon grease. Crumble the bacon and add it as a garnish or stir it into the soup. Another option would be to just use bacon and leave out the chicken.
• Make chile relleno soup in your slow cooker.  Leave the chicken breasts whole. Use chopped peppers, no need to roast them. Put all the ingredients except the cream cheese and cheddar cheese into the slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove the chicken, shred it, and put it back in. Take some of the soup out, blend it with the cream cheese until it melts, and stir the mixture back into the crockpot. 

Storage and Reheating Tips

I LOVE chile relleno soup leftover. I can’t believe how much I look forward to eating this soup the next day for lunch! Make a double batch if you want so you’ll have plenty of leftovers.

Store leftover soup, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Gently reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Try not to let the soup come to a boil because that may cause the soup to separate. The emphasis is on “gently” reheat! 

Peppers galore!

Do you love peppers? So flavorful, low calorie, and nutritious, peppers are perfect for healthy entrees. Try a few of my favorites:

 

• Stuffed Pepper Casserole (all the flavor of stuffed peppers, but in an easy casserole)
• Southwestern Stuffed Peppers with Chicken and Quinoa
• Pepperoni Pizza Stuffed Peppers
• Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers (with rice, beans, and cheese)
• Sheet Pan Fajitas with Chicken or Shrimp Sheet Pan Fajitas 
• Green Chile Chicken Quinoa Casserole