Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Print Version)

Rich soup with salsa verde, poblano peppers, tender chicken, cream cheese, avocado, and crispy tortilla chips.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

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

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

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

→ Soup Base

08 - 1 1/2 cups salsa verde
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Creamy Elements

13 - 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened
14 - 1/2 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

# Cooking Directions:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The soup comes together in under an hour and tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • Cream cheese is your secret weapon here—it dissolves into pure comfort without any gritty texture.
  • You can doctor it with rotisserie chicken on busy nights and nobody will know the difference.
02 -
  • Soften that cream cheese before it hits the pot or you'll spend ten minutes breaking up stubborn chunks instead of enjoying smooth soup.
  • The heat should be low when you add the cream cheese—high heat can cause it to break and get grainy, turning silky soup into something that looks separated and sad.
03 -
  • Always cube and soften your cream cheese before it meets the pot—cold cream cheese creates lumpy soup drama that isn't worth it.
  • The lime wedges are not optional; they're the final magic that wakes up flavors and makes people ask for the recipe.
Go Back