Look, I’m gonna be honest with you – I messed this poblano chicken tortilla soup recipe up three times before getting it right. And now everyone keeps asking for it, so here goes nothing.

Last Tuesday, I completely burned the garlic because my neighbor knocked on the door right when I was supposed to be watching the pan. Tuesday before that? Forgot to roast the poblanos properly and ended up with this weird, bitter mess that even my garbage disposal rejected. But the third time… oh man, the third time was magic.

My 8-year-old refuses to eat anything green, but somehow he devours this soup. Go figure. Kids, right?

What Makes This Poblano Chicken Tortilla Soup Special :

Okay, so everyone’s making chicken tortilla soup these days. But here’s the thing – most recipes online are just… boring. They throw some chicken in a pot with store-bought broth and call it a day. This poblano chicken tortilla soup recipe is different because we’re actually roasting those beautiful poblano peppers first.

The poblanos give this soup this incredible smoky, earthy flavor that regular bell peppers just can’t match. And trust me, I’ve tried substituting. Don’t.

I think I got this base recipe from my aunt… or maybe it was Pinterest? Honestly can’t remember anymore. But I’ve tweaked it so much over the years that it’s basically mine now. Version 1.0 was basically cardboard. This version? This is what dreams are made of.

Shopping for Your Poblano Chicken Tortilla Soup Ingredients :

Good luck finding decent poblano peppers this time of year if you’re reading this in winter. I usually stock up when they’re in season and freeze them. But if you can find fresh ones, grab about 4-5 medium poblanos. They should be firm and dark green – avoid the wrinkly sad ones.

Don’t buy pre-shredded cheese for this. Just don’t. It’s gross and doesn’t melt right because of all those anti-caking agents. Get a block of Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar and grate it yourself. Takes two minutes and makes all the difference.

Here’s what you’ll need for this healthy chicken tortilla soup:

The Good Stuff:

4-5 fresh poblano peppers (or 3 if they’re huge)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (don’t use breasts, they get weird and rubbery)
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced (I’m obsessed with garlic, so I use way more than called for)
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

For Serving (This is Where the Magic Happens):

Corn tortillas, cut into strips and fried (or baked if you’re being good)
Shredded cheese (Monterey Jack is my favorite)
Diced avocado
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges

Used Greek yogurt once when I ran out of sour cream. Worked fine, actually tasted a bit lighter.

How to Make This Easy Poblano Chicken Tortilla Soup :

Step 1: Roast Those Poblanos

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Place poblanos on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through. They should be charred and blistered. Don’t skip this step – I learned this the hard way.

While they’re roasting, you’ll hear them making little popping sounds. That’s normal. That’s good, actually.

Step 2: Steam and Peel

Once roasted, immediately put the hot poblanos in a plastic bag or covered bowl for 10 minutes. This steams off the skins. Then peel, seed, and chop them. The skins should slip right off. If they don’t, you didn’t roast them long enough.

Step 3: Cook the Chicken

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then brown them for about 5 minutes per side. They don’t need to be cooked through – we’re just getting some color here. Remove and set aside.

Step 4: Build Your Base

In the same pot (don’t clean it – all that brown stuff is flavor), sauté onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Set timer for 10 minutes, then inevitably forget and panic at 15. Kidding. Sort of.

Add cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Step 5: Everything Goes In

Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, green chiles, and your beautiful roasted poblanos. Bring to a boil, then add the chicken back in. Reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.

Step 6: Shred and Season

Remove chicken, shred it with two forks (it should fall apart easily), and return to pot. Taste and adjust seasoning. This is where you make it yours.

Pro Tips for the Best Poblano Chicken Tortilla Soup :

Found out by accident that adding a splash of wine makes everything better. Just a splash of white wine when you’re cooking the onions. My mom would probably roll her eyes at this, but it works.

Don’t use a whisk for shredding the chicken. Trust me. Two forks work better and you won’t end up with weird stringy bits wrapped around your whisk.

If you burn the bottom (been there), just scrape off what you can and keep going. The smokiness actually adds to the flavor. Happy accidents, right?

Making This Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup Your Own :

This is way better than any restaurant version I’ve tried. Some recipes online are just wrong about the poblano prep – you absolutely have to roast them first.

Want it spicier? Add a diced jalapeño with the onions. Want it creamier? Stir in some cream cheese or heavy cream at the end. I don’t care what anyone says, chicken thighs are essential here. Breast meat just turns into rubber balls.

Kids eat this with more cheese and less poblanos. Adults get the full experience. Everyone’s happy.

Serving Your Poblano Chicken Tortilla Soup :

Here’s where this soup really shines – the toppings. Don’t skimp on them.

Fry your own tortilla strips if you have the energy. If not, store-bought are fine. I usually make my own because I’m a bit of a control freak in the kitchen, but you do you.

Set up a little toppings bar. Let people build their own bowls. Crispy tortilla strips, that good cheese you grated yourself, chunks of creamy avocado, a dollop of sour cream, fresh cilantro, and definitely lime wedges. The lime really brightens everything up.

Storage and Reheating :

This soup actually gets better the next day. All those flavors have time to get acquainted. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

When reheating, you might need to add a bit more broth – it thickens up in the fridge. And please, for the love of all that’s holy, add fresh toppings when you reheat. Nobody wants soggy tortilla strips.

Actually, you know what? This recipe makes a huge batch. Perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd. I usually freeze half and we have dinner sorted for busy weeks.

Why This Recipe Actually Works :

People keep asking for this Poblano Chicken Tortilla Soup, so I guess I did something right. It’s not fancy, but it’s good and that’s what matters. The roasted poblanos make all the difference – they give you that smoky, slightly sweet flavor that regular peppers just can’t match.

And using chicken thighs instead of breasts? Game changer. They stay juicy and actually have flavor. Breasts just turn into sad, dry chunks floating in your soup.

The best part? This is basically a one-pot meal once you get past the poblano roasting. Less cleanup means more time for eating, which is really what we’re all here for, right?

Seriously, try this poblano chicken tortilla soup recipe and tell me what you think. Anyone else have tricks for making this even better? Let me know in the comments because I’m always looking to perfect this thing.

Now I’m craving this again. Thanks a lot, brain. 😊