My first taste of creamed poblano chili was as part of an elegant tasting menu, and this particular bowl stood out for its silky texture and nuanced depth. My second encounter came in a humble setting, a cozy Mexican fondita tucked away near our neighborhood. There, it arrived as half of a “twin soup” pairing with black bean, a delicious, rustic presentation. Two vastly different contexts, but both experiences left a lasting impression and ultimately inspired me to create my own.
The Creative Process
At first blush this should be very simple and it is, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. It took several tries before arriving at that goldilocks moment when flavor, texture and appearance converged to make it “just right”.
My most loyal (and exacting) taster offered one initial piece of advice – it must be smooth. No fibrous strands. No watery disappointments. Then the first iteration was too thin, the color an unappetizing shade of green and the flavor was a little off. That sent me back to the drawing board for revisions. The next attempt scored highly on flavor and color, but was still thinner than we desired. Then the third hit the mark, so you can avoid a similar experience and simply follow these instructions.
Soup or Chili?
Here’s where it gets interesting. On its own, this creamed poblano is a soul-warming soup—smooth, aromatic, and utterly comforting. But add one key element—a beautifully cooked protein—and it steps confidently into chili territory.
For my final version, I chose plump Gulf shrimp. Their natural sweetness plays against the roasted poblano’s earthy depth, adding complexity and luxurious texture. Of course, this dish is endlessly adaptable. You could just as easily fold in delicate crab, buttery lobster, briny clams, or tender mussels. Even the most humble shrimp can transform this soup into something deeply satisfying—and dinner party worthy.
Serve it solo, or—better yet—pair it with my black bean and Mexican chorizo soup for your own “twin” presentation. However you choose to plate it, this dish is a testament to the art of refinement through iteration.
Let’s Make Creamed Poblano Chili!
Roast the poblano peppers for 25 minutes until blistered. While waiting for them to cool sauté your onion and garlic and add your chicken stock.
This is shredded Mexican dipping cheese, but you may substitute monterey jack.
Creamed Poblano Chili
Creamy, cheesy, spicy poblano pepper soup with shrimp!
Ingredients
- 10 medium poblano peppers – roasted, skinned, seeded, de-veined
- 1 large yellow onion – chopped
- 4 garlic cloves – minced
- 1 TBL butter
- 2 TBL cornstarch
- 5 cups unsalted chicken stock – get the recipe HERE
- 1–1/2 tsp ground oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 14–16 oz Mexican dipping cheese – shredded
- 1 jalapeno pepper – seeded and diced
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- 2 oz Mexican crema
- 1/4 cup cilantro – chopped – optional
- 4 small gulf shrimp per serving
- Mexican hot Sauce – garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400
- Rinse the poblanos, place on an aluminum foil covered baking sheet and place them in the oven. Turn them after 15 minutes. Roast another 10 minutes, then remove and place them in a glass bowl and cover to sweat them for easier skin removal. Meanwhile…
- Melt the butter in a soup pot on medium heat and saute the onion for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute more
- Pour in the chicken stock, add the cumin, oregano, salt and white pepper. Stir, bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes to reduce the volume 10-15%
- When the poblanos have cooled enough to handle, remove the skin, de-stem and de-seed them. Cut out any veins and roughly chop them. Add to the soup pot.
- Stir and simmer 5 minutes more then combine the mixture in a blender to a smooth consistency. Return to the soup pot
- Whisk the cornstarch into a quarter cup of cold chicken stock, then gradually add it to the soup as it simmers for 5-10 minutes to allow the cornstarch to thicken the soup. Note: cornstarch must reach 200 degrees to thicken, then lower heat to low to finish
- Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add the crema and adjust seasoning with salt and cayenne pepper to taste
- For Soup: Serve and garnish with crema, cilantro and hot sauce
- For Chili: Set the soup aside and keep warm. Boil the shrimp 6 minutes in well salted water, cool in an ice bath, peel and chop all but 1 shrimp per serving into bite-size pieces. Stir the chopped shrimp into the chili and cook until they warm. Garnish each bowl with 1 whole shrimp and optional cilantro and hot sauce