Description
This Spicy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup is a creamy and flavorful twist on classic chicken soup, with the added kick of jalapeños and cheesy goodness. Perfect for a cozy night in or for entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Soup:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2–3 jalapeños, seeded and diced (leave some seeds for extra heat)
- 4 cups chicken broth
For the Creamy Base:
- 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Seasonings and Garnish:
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- Sliced green onions and extra cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Chicken: In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced chicken and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add the onion and jalapeños, and sauté until softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Build Soup: Pour in the chicken broth and return cooked chicken to the pot. Stir in seasonings. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and add cream cheese. Whisk until smooth.
- Add Cheeses: Stir in sour cream, cheddar, and Monterey Jack until melted and blended. Simmer for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Serve: Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with crumbled bacon, green onions, and extra cheese.
Notes
- For extra heat, use serrano peppers or keep jalapeño seeds in.
- You can use rotisserie chicken to save time.
- To make it lower carb, skip the sour cream and sub with more cream cheese or heavy cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
