Joanna Gaines’ Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup

updated Aug 1, 2023
Two bowls of chicken poblano soup, garnished tortilla strips, sliced radishes, and fresh cilantro
Credit: Amy Neunsinger
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two bowls of chicken poblano soup
Credit: Amy Neunsinger

I’ve heard it said that food with a story tastes different. For Chip and me, this soup always takes us back to one of our first dates. We went to a restaurant in Dallas and both ordered the chicken poblano soup — not because it was familiar to either of us, but because we had heard that it was the dish the restaurant was known for.

Honestly, it was the best soup either of us had ever had. That restaurant and that soup became a favorite go-to, and even though the restaurant has since closed, Chip and I still talk about those early days and that chicken poblano soup. This recipe is a nod to those memories.

Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup

Prep time 20 minutes

Cook time 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves 6 to 8

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons

    (1 stick) unsalted butter

  • 2 cups

    small-diced onion (about 1 large)

  • 4

    celery stalks, cut into medium dice

  • 3

    carrots, cut into medium dice

  • 2 cloves

    garlic, minced

  • 3

    medium poblano peppers, seeded and cut into medium dice

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons

    kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon

    ground cumin

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    dried thyme

  • 8 cups

    (2 quarts) chicken broth

  • 2 cups

    heavy cream

  • 3 cups

    shredded, cooked chicken breast (home roasted or rotisserie chicken)

  • 1/4 cup

    chopped fresh cilantro

  • Tortilla strips and sliced radishes, for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and poblanos and sauté, stirring often, until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, and thyme and sauté until caramelized and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes longer.

  2. Add the broth and cream, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes to meld the flavors.

  3. Use an immersion blender to carefully blend the soup until smooth. (Alternatively, let cool slightly and, working in batches as necessary, process in a stand blender until smooth, filling the blender no more than half full and removing the lid slowly after blending. Pour the soup back into the pot.)

  4. Add the chicken and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes to meld the flavors to your liking. Stir in the cilantro. Serve warm, garnished with tortilla strips and sliced radishes.

  5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Recipe Notes

From Magnolia Table, Volume 2 by Joanna Gaines. Copyright © 2020 by Joanna Gaines. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.