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Creamy Chicken Soup With Poblanos And Black Beans

Creamy chicken soup with poblanos and black beans, simmered until the broth turns silky with melted cream cheese. Roasted poblano strips and shredded chicken make it hearty, with bold cumin, smoked paprika, and a Tex-Mex finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breast, cooked and shredded
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Shredded after cooking.
Poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, and diced
  • 2 poblano peppers Roast until charred, then peel, seed, and dice.
Black beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drain before adding.
Onion, diced
  • 1 onion
Garlic, minced
  • 4 garlic
Chicken broth
  • 4 cup chicken broth
Heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
Ground cumin
  • 2 tsp cumin
Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp chili powder
Cream cheese, cubed
  • 8 oz cream cheese Cube so it melts smoothly.
Cilantro for serving
  • 0.25 cup cilantro Chopped.
Lime for serving
  • 1 lime Wedges.
Tortilla strips for serving
  • 0.75 cup tortilla strips
Salt and pepper to taste
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.125 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Roast and prep the poblanos
  1. Roast the poblano peppers directly over a gas flame or under a broiler until charred, rotating as needed for even blistering (about 5 minutes). Peel, seed, and dice while warm so the flesh comes away easily.
Build the soup base
  1. Sauté the diced onion in the Dutch oven for 4 minutes over medium heat, stirring until it softens and turns slightly translucent (around 350°F/175°C if measured on an instant-read thermometer).
  2. Add the minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder, then cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly until fragrant (no more than 2 minutes).
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, stirring to lift up any browned bits (about 212°F/100°C).
  4. Add the cubed cream cheese and stir until fully melted and smooth, forming a creamy base (about 2 minutes at a steady simmer).
Simmer and finish creamy
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken, drained black beans, and diced poblanos, then return to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until hot throughout.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream and season with salt and black pepper to taste, keeping the soup just below a rolling boil (about 190–200°F/88–93°C).
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with cilantro, lime wedges, and tortilla strips for serving.

Notes

Pro tip: cube the cream cheese so it melts quickly and stays smooth—add it while the broth is at a steady simmer. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm gently over low heat to prevent the dairy from breaking. Freezing is not recommended due to the cream cheese and dairy texture. For a dairy-light swap, use evaporated milk or a lactose-free cream substitute in place of the heavy cream and sour cream.