

Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Here at Delish, we’re pretty passionate about our jalapeño poppers. We’ve stuffed them inside chicken, turned them into taquitos, even reimagined them as egg cups, and now we’re using them to inspire this creamy soup. Loaded with shredded chicken and diced jalapeños and topped with cheddar and crispy bacon, it has everything we love most about the classic appetizer.
If you’re concerned about the heat, don’t be. This soup has several jalapeños in it, but they’re all deseeded and cleaned, so they’re actually not that spicy. Additionally, the cream cheese in the soup (yes, there’s cream cheese IN this soup!) helps tone down any lingering heat. If, on the other hand, you’re concerned that it won’t be spicy enough, you can just add a few extra jalapeño slices on top with your cheese and bacon.
Read on for more tips on this weeknight soup. And if you’re as passionate about poppers as we are, check out our favorite bacon-wrapped jalapeño popper recipe.
What is jalapeño popper chicken soup?
This is a creamy soup packed with shredded chicken, crispy bacon, and diced jalapeños, and then topped with shredded cheddar, sliced jalapeños, and more crispy bacon. Basically it’s everything you think of when you think of a jalapeño popper—in a soup.
Is this soup spicy?
Not really. Most of any hot pepper’s spice lives in the seeds and ribs, and since we suggest that you deseed and clean the jalapeños, the spiciest parts of the peppers don’t actually end up in the soup. Any remaining heat is tamed when the jalapeños are sautéed and balanced by the milk and cream cheese. The result is a creamy soup with just a bit of warmth and a kick.
What’s the best way to deseed a jalapeño pepper?
Many people are nervous about digging into spicy peppers, but it’s really no big deal. Our favorite method is to slice the jalapeño in half lengthwise, then dig out the seeds and the ribs with a teaspoon. (Pro tip: Serrated grapefruit spoons are amazing for this!) Just make sure you wash the knife, the spoon, the cutting board, and your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap afterward.
What chicken can I use?
Whatever’s most convenient for you. You can use leftover meat from the chicken you roasted last night, you can pick up a rotisserie chicken at the supermarket…you can even cook some chicken specifically for this recipe, if you really want to. If you do, we highly recommend boiling your chicken—this method will yield moist, tender chicken breasts perfect for shredding!
Made this? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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Ingredients
- 8 oz.
bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
- 1
medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 c.)
- 1
large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1 1/4 c.)
- 4
jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped, plus sliced jalapeños for serving
- 4
cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp.
kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 cup
all-purpose flour
- 4 cups
low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups
whole milk
- 4 oz.
cream cheese, cut into 1" pieces, room temperature
- 2 cups
cooked shredded chicken breast
- 1 cup
shredded cheddar
Directions
- Step 1In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate, leaving about 1/4 cup bacon fat in pot.
- Step 2Add onion, bell pepper, chopped jalapeños, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Step 3Stir in flour until it coats vegetables and forms a paste that starts to stick to bottom of pot. Whisk in broth and milk until combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by about one-quarter and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Step 4Stir in cream cheese until fully melted, then add chicken and three-quarters of bacon. Cook, stirring, until chicken and bacon are heated through, about 1 minute. Taste and season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, if needed.
- Step 5Divide soup among bowls. Top with cheddar, remaining bacon, and sliced jalapeños as desired.
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