This creamy jalapeño popper chicken soup brings together bacon, melted cheddar, cream cheese, and just enough heat to keep things interesting. I first made this on a chilly Sunday afternoon when I wanted something heartier than our usual Easy One Pan Chicken and Potatoes Recipe, and the whole pot disappeared before dinner was even over. It's quick to throw together in one pot, uses rotisserie chicken to save time, and tastes like you're eating jalapeño poppers with a spoon.
If you love rich, comforting soups like our Best Zucchini Pizza Casserole Recipe or Healthy Big Mac Wraps Recipe, this creamy chicken soup will become your new favorite.
Why You'll Love This Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup
This cheesy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup checks all the boxes for an easy weeknight dinner. You start with crispy bacon, sauté your veggies until they're tender and fragrant, then build a creamy, flavorful base that tastes like it took hours. The cream cheese melts into the broth and creates this velvety texture that coats your spoon, while the sharp cheddar adds richness and a little tang.
It's also flexible. You can dial the heat up or down depending on how many jalapeño seeds you leave in, swap rotisserie chicken for leftover grilled chicken, or even make it ahead and reheat it for an easy lunch. The flavors actually deepen overnight, so leftovers taste even better the next day.
If you're feeding a crowd or need something impressive for game day, this loaded Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup delivers every time. It's hearty enough to be a full meal, impressive enough to serve guests, and easy enough to make on a Tuesday.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup
- Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup Ingredients
- How to Make Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup
- Substitutions and Variations
- Equipment For Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup
- Storage and Reheating Tips
- Expert Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup
Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup Ingredients
Each ingredient plays an important role in building the creamy, cheesy, slightly spicy flavor of this Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
- Bacon: Adds smoky, salty flavor and crispy texture. Cooking it first creates a flavorful base for the vegetables.
- Onion: Brings sweetness and depth to the soup. Sweet or white onions work equally well.
- Celery: Adds a subtle vegetal flavor and a bit of crunch that balances the creaminess.
- Green bell pepper: Provides mild, fresh flavor and color.
- Red bell pepper: Adds sweetness and a pop of color that makes the soup look more vibrant.
- Jalapeño peppers: The star ingredient that gives this soup its signature heat. Seeding them keeps the spice manageable.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the soup and helps create that creamy, velvety texture.
- Garlic: Adds aromatic depth and works beautifully with the jalapeños and cheese.
- Low-sodium chicken broth: Forms the flavorful base of the soup. Low-sodium gives you control over the salt level.
- Half-and-half: Makes the soup rich and creamy without being too heavy.
- Cooked chicken breast: Adds protein and makes this soup a complete meal. Rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver.
- Cream cheese: Melts into the soup and creates a smooth, tangy, luxurious texture.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Brings bold, cheesy flavor and helps thicken the soup as it melts.
How to Make Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup
Follow these steps to build layers of flavor and create a creamy, restaurant-quality Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup at home.
Cook the bacon: In a 4 or 5-quart Dutch oven or soup pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and drain the grease, leaving about 3 tablespoons in the pot. This bacon fat is where your flavor starts.
Sauté the vegetables: Add the diced onions, celery, bell peppers, and chopped jalapeños to the pot. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are just tender and the onions turn translucent. Your kitchen will smell amazing.
Add flour and garlic: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables along with the minced garlic and stir everything together. The mixture will become thick and pasty, which is exactly what you want.
Build the broth: Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the chicken broth one cup at a time, fully incorporating each addition into the vegetable mixture until smooth. Then add the half-and-half. Bring everything to a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes. This step creates the creamy base.
Temper the cream cheese: Place the cream cheese chunks in a medium heat-proof bowl. Slowly pour in about ½ cup of the hot broth mixture, whisking until smooth and creamy. This prevents the cream cheese from clumping when you add it to the soup.
Add the cheeses: Add the cream cheese mixture and the shredded cheddar cheese to the soup and stir until everything melts into a silky, cheesy base.
Stir in chicken and bacon: Stir in the cooked chicken and most of the bacon, reserving about ¼ cup of bacon for topping. Remove the pot from the heat.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the reserved bacon, sliced jalapeños, crushed croutons, and extra cheese if you like.
Substitutions and Variations
You can easily adjust this Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup to fit your preferences or what you have on hand.
Make it spicier: Leave some seeds in the jalapeños, or add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Make it milder: Use only two jalapeños instead of four, or substitute with poblano peppers for a gentler heat.
Dairy-free option: Swap the half-and-half for full-fat coconut milk and use dairy-free cream cheese and cheddar. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
Lower carb: Skip the flour and use a tablespoon of xanthan gum to thicken, or simply reduce the soup longer to thicken naturally.
Different protein: Use shredded turkey, pork, or even cooked sausage instead of chicken.
Add more veggies: Throw in diced zucchini, corn, or black beans for extra texture and nutrition.
Equipment For Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup
Having the right tools makes this Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup come together smoothly.
A 4 to 5-quart Dutch oven or soup pot is perfect for cooking the bacon, sautéing the vegetables, and simmering the soup all in one vessel. A cutting board and sharp knife help you prep your vegetables quickly. Measuring cups and spoons keep your proportions accurate, while a wooden spoon or spatula is ideal for stirring without scratching your pot.
You'll also need a medium heat-proof bowl for tempering the cream cheese, a whisk to blend it smoothly, and a ladle for serving.
Storage and Reheating Tips
This creamy Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup with jalapeños stores beautifully and tastes even better the next day.
Refrigerator: Let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors meld and deepen as it sits.
Freezer: You can freeze this Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup for up to 3 months, but keep in mind that dairy-based soups can sometimes separate when thawed. To minimize this, cool the soup quickly before freezing and reheat gently over low heat, stirring frequently.
Reheating: Warm the soup over medium-low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of chicken broth or half-and-half if it's thickened too much. Avoid boiling, as high heat can cause the dairy to separate.
Expert Tips
Use room-temperature cream cheese. It melts faster and blends more smoothly into the soup.
Don't skip the tempering step. Whisking hot broth into the cream cheese before adding it to the pot prevents clumping and gives you a silky texture.
Taste as you go. Jalapeños vary in heat, so taste the soup before serving and adjust the seasoning. You can always add more spice, but you can't take it away.
Let the bacon crisp completely. Undercooked bacon will turn chewy and lose its texture in the soup.
Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make your soup grainy. Freshly shredded cheddar melts better and tastes richer.
Add toppings right before serving. Bacon, croutons, and fresh jalapeños stay crispier when added at the last minute.
Serving Suggestions
This Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup is hearty enough to stand on its own, but a few simple sides make it even better.
Serve it with warm, crusty bread or buttery garlic toast for dipping into the creamy broth. A simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette cuts through the richness beautifully. Cornbread or jalapeño cheddar cornbread muffins are also perfect alongside this Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup.
For game day or a casual gathering, set up a topping bar with extra shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños, crumbled bacon, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, and diced avocado. Let everyone customize their bowl.
FAQ
Can you make jalapeño popper soup ahead of time?
Yes, this soup actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to blend. Make it up to 2 days ahead, store it in the fridge, and reheat gently on the stovetop. My mom always says soups and stews improve with a little patience.
How spicy is jalapeño popper chicken soup?
It has a moderate, pleasant heat that most people find comfortable. Seeding the jalapeños removes most of the spice, so you get flavor without overwhelming heat. If you're sensitive to spice, start with two jalapeños and add more to taste.
Is jalapeño popper soup keto or low carb?
This recipe contains flour and half-and-half, so it's not strictly keto, but you can make it lower in carbs by skipping the flour and using heavy cream instead of half-and-half. It will still thicken naturally as it simmers, and the flavor stays just as rich.
How do you thicken jalapeño popper soup?
The flour creates a roux with the bacon fat and vegetable mixture, which thickens the soup as it cooks. If your soup is too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to reduce. You can also mash a few of the vegetables against the side of the pot to release their starches, or stir in a little extra shredded cheese.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup
Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon raw and chopped into small pieces
- ½ onion sweet or white finely diced
- 2 celery ribs diced small
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- 4 jalapeño peppers seeded and finely chopped, plus extra for garnish if desired
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour for thickening the soup base
- 3 cloves garlic minced finely
- 3 cups chicken broth low-sodium to control saltiness
- 1 cup half-and-half at room temperature for smoother blending
- 2 cups chicken breast cooked and shredded rotisserie or leftover works well
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened and cut into chunks
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded for best melting
Instructions
- Cook the chopped bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until browned and crisp, then transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and leave about three tablespoons of the drippings in the pot.
- Add the onion, celery, bell peppers, and jalapeños to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
- Sprinkle the flour and garlic over the vegetables and stir well until everything looks thick and evenly coated.
- Increase the heat slightly and pour in the chicken broth one cup at a time, stirring thoroughly between each addition until the mixture is smooth, then stir in the half-and-half.
- Bring the soup to a gentle boil and let it simmer for about five minutes so it can thicken slightly.
- In a heat-safe bowl, whisk the softened cream cheese with about half a cup of the hot soup liquid until completely smooth.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture into the pot and add the shredded cheddar, stirring until both are fully melted into the soup.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and most of the bacon, reserving a small handful of bacon for topping, then remove the pot from the heat.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with the reserved bacon and any other toppings you like before serving.
Leave a Reply