Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Chile Relleno Soup
55 Comments Oct 25, 2021
Updated Oct 19, 2024
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This soup has all the flavors of a chile relleno along with tender chicken. If you love a spicy Mexican soup on a cold night, this recipe is one you’ll want to add this chicken chile relleno soup to your meal plan.
If you love spicy recipes and using your slow cooker, you must try my Mexican Pot Roast, Chile Relleno Casserole, or my Pork Chile Verde recipes next!
Table of Contents
What is a Chile Relleno
- Chile rellenos were created in Pueblo, Mexico, in 1858.
- A chile relleno is roasted poblano pepper that is stuffed with cheese (or often meat), and then it is either deep-fried with a light batter or sometimes has a thick egg style coating. Chile rellenos are usually served with a tomato-based sauce.
Why this recipe works
The slow cooker is the perfect cooking vessel for this type of dish because you can load up all your ingredients, set a timer, and let the pot do its thing. It’s simple to make and full of flavor.
This soup recipe doesn’t have a ton of steps; just set the slow cooker in the morning with the chicken, peppers, broth, and cream cheese. When you get home, stir in freshly grated cheese for the best spicy soup you will ever have.
How to make chicken chile relleno soup
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – This is the best for this recipe, it doesn’t add much fat and shreds perfectly.
- Chicken broth – Just one carton!
- Poblano peppers – we use fresh for this recipe, although canned poblano peppers work if in a pinch.
- Flavorings – White onion, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Note that there isn’t much seasoning, the poblano pepper flavor is the main star in this recipe.
- Cream cheese – We cube this and add it at the beginning of the cooking time, it will melt into the soup as it cooks.
- Sharp cheddar cheese– Use a block of sharp cheddar to hand shred. Pre-shredded versions won’t melt as well.
Step-by-step directions
Step One – Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
Step Two – Add the chopped poblano peppers and onions.
Step Three – Add the cream cheese cubes and the bay leaves. Pour over the chicken broth. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
Step Four – After the cooking time is up, shred the chicken with two forks, I do this right in the slow cooker. Next, stir in the cheese; do this a little at a time so the cheese won’t clump.
Step Five – Stir and serve!
Recipe FAQs
Jalapenos – You can use raw jalapenos in this recipe, but it will not be much spicer. Only use two jalapenos and remove the seeds if you don’t want it too spicy.
Canned Fire-Roasted Chiles – These will work in a pinch; you will need two 10-oz. cans.
This soup is perfect served with warm tortillas or tortilla chips for dipping. Top this Creamy Poblano Soup with your favorite Mexican toppings- tomatoes, avocados, cilantro, onions, and guacamole are delicious options.
Although this recipe doesn’t call for roasted poblano peppers, you certainly can roast the peppers before adding them to the soup for a mild, smoky flavor.
To roast poblanos, heat your broiler on low and place halved poblano peppers onto a baking sheet. Let the skin blister on all sides of the pepper halves so that you have blackened pieces. Once done, remove from the oven and place in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap for 5-10 minutes to steam the skin so you can remove it easier. Once the poblano peppers have steamed, cut around the core and remove seeds and stems. Slice into strips, then dice.
You can add two cans of drained beans (black beans) and a can of drained corn, and you will have yourself a fantastic vegetarian soup!
Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Chile Relleno Soup is a delicious and easy Mexican dish that you can make in the comfort of your own home.
The slow cooker does all of the work for you, so this chili relleno soup recipe is perfect for taking to any potluck or for a weeknight meal for the family. Add it to your menu this week and enjoy the rich flavors of this soup.
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Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Chile Relleno Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 32 oz. chicken broth
- 1 cup small white onion, diced
- 3 poblano peppers, diced, (this will be about 2.5 cups after being diced)
- 8 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 oz. block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (do not use bagged pre-shredded, it won't melt as well), WAIT TO ADD
Instructions
- Add everything except the shredded cheddar cheese to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Discard bay leaves. Remove chicken breasts, shred and set aside.
- Add half of the cheese and stir until dissolved. Then add the rest and stir until dissolved. The cheese will melt better and not clump if you add it slowly. Add the chicken back into the soup, stir.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- Jalapenos – You can use raw jalapenos in this recipe, but it will not be much spicer. Only use two jalapenos and remove the seeds if you don’t want it too spicy.
Canned - Fire-Roasted Chiles – These will work in a pinch; you will need two 10-oz. cans.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
This soup has amazing flavor. It was thinner than I expected and also had trouble having the cream cheese melt. Otherwise highly recommend it!
Made this today with poblanos from our garden, which we roasted first. Only had one issue, the cream cheese cubes didn’t melt while cooking, and didn’t break up much while stirring in the cheddar cheese. Could have used my hand blender for a creamier soup, but I wanted to leave the pieces of poblano unblended. Taste was good, although next time I’ll add some additional spices as other commenters have done.