Chile Rellenos Soup

Directions

1Clean and dry the poblano peppers, then roast them until the skin has blackened/charred and blistered. To roast, either place the peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet a few inches under the broiler set to high, flipping once, or put them over an open flame on a gas burner, turning on all sides. It will take about 10 minutes.


2Transfer peppers to a plastic bag and seal to trap in the steam. Let cool, then rub off as much of the skin as possible either with your fingers or a pairing knife. Cut off the stem, then slice in half to remove and discard the seeds. Very finely chop up the peppers and set aside.


3In a medium pot, warm the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Stir in the chopped poblanos.


4Pour in the chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a very gentle simmer.


5Stir in the cooked, chopped chicken.


6Add in the cream cheese and 2 cups of the cheddar cheese; whisk until melted and smooth.


7Divide into 6 bowls and sprinkle each with the remaining ¼ cup cheddar cheese and the pepper jack cheese. Set under the broiler until melted and golden. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.


8Garnish with just a bit of fresh chopped cilantro.

Note

1To make this soup vegetarian, simply replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, omit the chicken, and stir in some black beans and corn.