Easy Chicken, Poblano, and Black Bean Soup

Well, Here’s the Story Behind This Soup…

Every time the weather even threatens to turn chilly—the kind that sneaks in after a hot spell and makes you wish you hadn’t packed away your sweaters yet—I end up craving this Easy Chicken, Poblano, and Black Bean Soup. The funny thing is, the first time I made it was by accident, cobbling together leftovers after a game night went a tad late (classic me, overestimating how many chicken breasts I’d need for tacos). It’s now the soup my sister always requests when she “just happens” to stop by around dinnertime—subtle, right?

I know, there are fancier soups out there, but this one? It just feels like a hug in a bowl. Plus, it’s so easy you can stir it together even if you’re only halfway paying attention, which, if I’m honest, is most weeknights.

Why You’ll Love This (Even on a Monday)

I make this when I’m too tired for fussing around with a hundred steps, but I still want something that feels hearty (and not just another “toast for dinner” night). My family—especially the kids—goes crazy for it, probably because popping open a can of beans feels like cheating to them (they think they’re scandalous). And actually, the poblano peppers just look fancy. Once I tried skipping them in a pinch and, yeah, it turned out fine but something was missing—maybe it was the tiny kick or just the nice green color. Oh, and it’s the only soup my picky cousin refills on, which is borderline miraculous…

Here’s What You’ll Need (Substitutions Welcome)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or just vegetable oil—I’ve even done butter in a pinch)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped—not too fussy on size
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (my mom swears by three, but she’s not here)
• 2 medium poblano peppers, seeded and diced (if you can’t find them, a green bell pepper + a smidge of jalapeño works pretty well)
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular works if that’s all you have)
• 4 cups chicken broth—homemade if you’re fancy, but boxed is absolutely fine
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed—you can use two cans if you’re hungry, honestly
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken = lazy win, or leftover grilled chicken works too)
• 1 cup frozen corn (fresh is great in summer, but who’s shelling corn in February?)
• 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juices (plain diced tomatoes work too)
• Zest and juice of 1 lime (optional, but man, does it brighten things up)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, and tortilla chips—optional for topping

How I Usually Throw This Together

1. Heat the olive oil in a big pot over medium heat—use something heavy-bottomed if you’ve got it, but any soup pot works.
2. Toss in the onion and cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring just enough that it doesn’t stick (sometimes I forget and it gets a little brown…still good).
3. Add the garlic and poblano peppers. Stir for another 3-5 minutes until everything smells amazing and the peppers start to soften. This is when my daughter usually says she’s “suddenly hungry.”
4. Sprinkle in the cumin and smoked paprika. Give it a good stir. Don’t worry if it looks a bit weird at this stage—it always does.
5. Pour in the chicken broth, then add the black beans, shredded chicken, corn, and diced tomatoes (with juices!).
   
   Raise the heat to bring it to a gentle simmer—nothing wild, just a low bubble.
6. Let the soup simmer uncovered for about 15 to 20 minutes. This is where I usually sneak a taste. Add salt and pepper little by little.
7. Turn off the heat, then stir in the lime zest and juice if you’re using; sometimes I skip it when I don’t have a lime lying around.
8. Spoon it into bowls, add your favorite toppings, and ignore any requests for seconds until you’ve gotten a bowl yourself.

Notes, Because Real Life Happens in the Kitchen

• If you only have raw chicken, just dice it up and brown it with the onions. It’ll cook through by the end—actually, I find it works better if you give it a few extra minutes in the simmer.
• Forgot to rinse the black beans once—not a total disaster, but the soup looked kind of muddy. I pretend it’s rustic.
• You can totally turn this into a slow cooker thing—just dump everything and let it go on low for about 5 hours. Easy.

Variations I’ve (Mostly) Survived

• Vegetarian? Swap chicken for chopped roasted sweet potatoes or extra beans. Worked pretty well, though my brother-in-law looked betrayed.
• Heat-lover? Throw in half a jalapeño or a shake of cayenne. Learned the hard way not to overdo it—once, no one could taste anything except fire.
• I tried using leftover turkey instead of chicken the week after Thanksgiving. Actually pretty good (on second thought, kind of dry, so maybe add more broth).
• One time I added quinoa… Not my best idea, but points for trying something new?

Equipment: Here’s What I Use (Sort Of)

• Large soup pot—mine is ancient, dented, totally fine
• Cutting board and sharp-ish knife (don’t stress; a bread knife was my stand-in once)
• Ladle for serving, unless you’re a rebel and just pour it out

Storage Know-How (But Does It Ever Last?)

Let the soup cool fully, then stash leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge. It’ll keep for about three days, but honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! Oh, and it freezes okay, though I’ve noticed the corn sometimes gets a little mushy if you forget about it for too long.

How I Like to Serve This (Yes, With Chips)

So, giant ladlefuls into bowls, topped with lots of cilantro and avocado for me, cheese for the kids (they’re little cheese monsters), and a mound of tortilla chips somewhere close by. Sometimes, if we’re really feeling Sunday-lazy, I’ll make a salad—or honestly just call chips and guac a side. My sister claims a dash of hot sauce is essential. I say live and let live.

What I’ve Learned the Hard Way (Pro Tips-ish)

• Don’t skimp on simmer time—or you’ll end up with a soup that tastes like a bunch of veggies saying hello for the first time. I once tried to rush it and regretted it because the flavors just weren’t friends yet.
• Go easy on salt, especially if your broth is already salty. You can always add more, but it’s a pain to fix when it’s too much.
• If you use rotisserie chicken, double check for bones. Somebody will always find the one you missed. Ask me how I know!

Soup Questions: Real Answers I’ve Actually Given

Can I make this ahead?

You bet! In fact, I think it tastes better the next day. Just let it cool before sticking it in the fridge.

Is this spicy?

It’s pretty mild—poblano is more about flavor than heat, but add jalapeño or hot sauce if you want more kick.

I only have red beans—will that work?

Yep, I’ve done it before. Different color, same comfort.

Chicken breast or thighs?

Honestly, whichever you have. Thighs are juicier, breast is what I usually have hanging around.

Can I freeze it?

Sure, but eat within a month for best taste. If you remember it after two months, well, that’s living dangerously (kidding—it’s fine, just maybe not peak flavor).

Oh, and if you once spill half the soup on the stove because you used a wobbly ladle—like I did last week—just laugh it off. Or blame the ladle.