Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable Version)

Rich, velvety soup with tender chicken, zesty peppers, and creamy toppings for ultimate comfort.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound)
02 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
06 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Soup Base

08 - 1½ cups salsa verde
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Creamy Elements

13 - 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened
14 - ½ cup heavy cream

→ Toppings

15 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
16 - 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, poblano, and jalapeño. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour chicken broth and salsa verde into the pot. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Add chicken breasts to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 to 18 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
05 - Remove chicken breasts from the pot and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pot.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Add cream cheese, stirring continuously until melted and fully incorporated.
07 - Stir in heavy cream and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with diced avocado, crushed tortilla chips, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The poblano and jalapeño peppers create layers of flavor without overwhelming heat, letting you taste every element in each spoonful.
  • That moment when the cream cheese melts into the broth creates a silky texture that store bought soups never quite achieve.
02 -
  • Dont rush the vegetable sautéing stage, as those first 5 minutes develop flavor compounds that serve as the soups foundation.
  • Adding the cream cheese while the soup is boiling will cause it to separate instead, drop the temperature to a bare simmer before incorporating.
03 -
  • If you accidentally oversalt the soup, a peeled, quartered potato simmered in the broth for 10 minutes will absorb some of the excess salt before you remove and discard it.
  • Warming your serving bowls in a low oven for 5 minutes before ladling in the soup keeps everything at the perfect temperature from first bite to last.
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