Description
This Chile Relleno Soup with Cheddar and Cream Cheese is a rich and comforting Mexican-inspired dish perfect for chilly days. Roasted poblano peppers provide a smoky flavor base, enhanced by tender chicken cooked in chicken bone broth. Cream cheese and shredded cheddar create a luscious, creamy texture, while a final broil with cheese topping adds a delightful golden crust. This hearty soup offers a wonderful balance of smoky, savory, and cheesy flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Peppers and Aromatics
- 4 medium poblano peppers
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
Soup Base and Protein
- 4 cups chicken bone broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 slices cheddar or pepper jack cheese (thin sandwich slices, 3/4 ounce each)
Instructions
- Roast the Poblano Peppers: Roast the poblano peppers until the skin is charred and blistered, using an open flame on a gas stove or under a broiler set to high. Turn them frequently to ensure all sides are evenly charred.
- Peel and Chop Peppers: Place the roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let them cool, then rub off as much skin as possible. Remove the seeds, then finely chop the peppers using a food processor or blender. Set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, and chopped poblanos and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Broth and Chicken: Pour in the chicken bone broth and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Add the chicken pieces and cook until fully cooked through, approximately 10 minutes.
- Blend Cheese and Broth: In the same food processor used for the poblanos, combine the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and about 1 cup of hot broth taken from the soup (avoiding chicken pieces). Blend until smooth. Stir this creamy cheese mixture back into the soup.
- Broil with Cheese: Preheat the broiler. Ladle the soup into individual ovenproof bowls and top each with a slice of cheddar or pepper jack cheese. Place the bowls under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat source and broil until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.
Notes
- Roasting the poblanos over an open flame adds a smoky flavor that is essential to the recipe.
- Removing the skin and seeds from the peppers reduces bitterness and enhances texture.
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for juicier meat, but breasts work as well.
- Be careful when broiling the soup bowls; keep an eye on the cheese to prevent burning.
- Bone broth adds depth of flavor, but chicken broth can be substituted if unavailable.
