Jalapeno Popper Soup
Jalapeno Popper Soup is a creamy soup made with chicken, jalapenos, cream cheese, and warm spices.Cook the peppers and aromatics, add broth and cream cheese, then stir in chicken and half-and-half.Serve hot with cheddar, green onions, sliced jalapenos, and crispy turkey ham.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces turkey ham diced
- 4 –6 jalapeno peppers chopped
- ½ cup chopped red or green bell peppers
- ½ cup chopped white onion
- 3 large cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
Optional Toppings
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped green onions
- Sliced jalapeno
- Crumbled turkey ham
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or large stockpot over medium heat. Add the diced turkey ham and cook for about 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly crisp. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve about 2 tablespoons of the cooking fat in the pot.
- Add the chopped jalapenos, bell peppers, and onion. Sauté for 5–6 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the minced garlic, flour, paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly so the flour and spices coat the vegetables without burning.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cubed cream cheese and stir vigorously until completely melted and incorporated into the broth.
- Pour in the half-and-half and add the shredded chicken. Stir well and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is heated through and the soup is creamy.
- Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or jalapenos if needed. This Jalapeno Popper Soup is best served hot.
- Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar, green onions, sliced jalapenos, and crumbled turkey ham, if desired.
Notes
For an even richer bowl, add extra shredded cheddar just before serving. You can also serve the soup with crusty bread, toasted flatbread, or a simple green salad.
For a gluten-free version, replace the all-purpose flour with a suitable gluten-free thickener. For a lighter version, use reduced-fat cream cheese and half-and-half, although the soup will be slightly less rich.