It saddens me to acknowledge that despite my love for spicy foods, I am at a point in my life where eating hot foods is rather difficult. To spare you all from some unnecessarily vivid details, allow me to say that while my taste buds still absolutely appreciate spice, my digestive system does not, and it really is not worth the bathroom wrath for me to eat hot foods anymore.
Jalapeño poppers are something I have always enjoyed, and just because I can’t enjoy them as much as I used to does not mean I am going to gatekeep recipes with jalapeño, nor am I going to gatekeep a recipe for “Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup” from delish.com. With cooler weather upon us, what better way to warm up than with a bowl of this goodness? Check out the recipe below.
“Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- 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
“Directions
“Step 1 In 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 2 Add 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 3 Stir 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 4 Stir 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 5 Divide soup among bowls. Top with cheddar, remaining bacon, and sliced jalapeños as desired,” the recipe explains.
You’re welcome, my friends.
Photo by Tim McErston on Unsplash
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