Creamy Chicken and Potato Soup
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On the lookout for a comfort food recipe that’s sure to warm you up? Try my creamy chicken and potato soup recipe! This classic South American soup recipe has hatch green chiles, corn, peas and cotija cheese.
There are so many different directions that you can take with soup. I love serving recipes like my famous lobster bisque, and this Pozole Verde shrimp soup, and you can never go wrong with French onion.
On my hunt for the perfect chicken soup recipe, I started experimenting with unique flavors. This is my take on the Peruvian/Ecuadorian Potato Cheese Soup with Chicken, known as Locro de Papa. It’s hearty, filling and is loaded with fresh corn, potatoes and melting cheese that elevates this easy-to-make soup into something you’d think took a long time to make, but doesn’t. No one needs know but us.
This creamy chicken and potato soup is made with green chiles! It features hatch green chiles, rotisserie chicken, and vegetables, plus a secret ingredient that makes it extra special.
Another secret to creating the perfect soup recipe is to add the ingredients in layers. Yes, it does take longer, but the overall flavor of a dish is always going to be better for it. I’m referring to slow-roasted meals like birria de res, pork mole, and authentic chicken adobo.
That said, I completely understand that life is busy. So, I’m going to show you how to build a flavor-packed green chile chicken soup in just 40 minutes!
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Cooked Chicken – I personally prefer to use rotisserie chicken for my chicken and potato soup. Because the chicken is already seasoned and cooked, the deep layers of flavor are ready to use. Of course, you could also use leftover cooked chicken, or quickly grill a couple of chicken breasts or thighs.
- Hatch Green Chiles – These flavorful chiles are slightly similar to a white onion in taste, but with sweet, spicy, and smoky notes. If you can’t find canned Hatch green chiles other substitutes can be any mild green chile: Green Bell Peppers, Anaheim Peppers, Poblano Peppers.
- Garlic – I like to start my soup by satuéeing fresh garlic in order to bring out its flavor.
- White Onion – Onions work wonderfully with the other ingredients, mainly the vegetables and garlic!
- Corn kernels and green peas – round out the vegetables.
- Cotija cheese – Cotija is a Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk that’s salty in flavor and crumbly in texture. I think of it as Mexico’s feta cheese.
- Salt & Pepper – To taste.
HOW TO MAKE CREAMY CHICKEN AND POTATO SOUP
- Prep The Chicken & Veggies. Shred the chicken and cut the vegetables.
- Get cooking. Add the potatoes and salt. Cook until the edges of the potatoes are beginning to soften and turn a golden brown, about another 5 minutes. Add the green chiles, garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the stock to the pan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the soup until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the corn kernels, peas, cheese, milk and shredded chicken to the soup. Stir and bring back to a simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and season with black pepper and additional salt, as needed.
What To Serve With Green Chile Chicken Soup?
As mentioned, this is a hearty, filling soup that covers the food groups pretty well. All you really need to round off the meal is a nice loaf of crusty bread to sop up the broth. Or, you could take the Southwest route and serve Mexican cornbread. If you want to serve something else, make a Mexican Caesar salad.
What Makes A Soup Creamy?
There are many ways to make chicken and potato soup creamy! The first and most obvious way is to add milk or cream. But, if you don’t want to weigh your recipe down with added dairy products, you can always add a bit of flour as a thickening agent or mash some of the ingredients (like potatoes). It works like a charm every time!
Do You Cook Chicken Before Adding It To Soup?
It makes the process a whole lot quicker and easier! Plus, when you use precooked chicken like a rotisserie, it comes already packed with even more flavor. It’s a win-win!
This recipe post, originally published on Kevin Is Cooking May, 2016, and was updated with new content, photos and/or video in December, 2022.
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Creamy Chicken and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 4 medium white potatoes diced
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 oz can Hatch green chiles diced (See Note 1)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano or traditional oregano
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 ears sweet corn kernels sliced off (See Note 2)
- 1 cup peas fresh or frozen
- 6 ounces Cotija cheese cubed (See Note 3)
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set a large stock pot (at least 5 quarts) over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add onion and cook until translucent, 6 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and salt. Cook until the edges of the potatoes are beginning to soften and turn a golden brown, about another 5 minutes.
- Add the green chiles, garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the stock to the pan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the soup until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the corn kernels, peas, cheese, milk and shredded chicken to the soup. Stir and bring back to a simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and season with black pepper and additional salt, as needed.
Notes
- If you can’t find canned Hatch green chiles other substitutes can be any mild green chile: Green Bell Peppers, Anaheim Peppers, Poblano Peppers.
- Using fresh sweet corn adds corn milk to the broth for a nuanced flavor. 3 cups frozen corn can be substituted if fresh is unavailable though.
- Mexican Cotija cheese is a moister, fattier, and less salty version of feta. Queso fresco is a good substitute, if needed.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Uhhhh… cheese soup? Yes please! How do we think this would do with shrimp or salmon? Or, heck, just without the chicken? I wouldn’t mind digging into a big bowl of cheese, potatoes, corn and peas. 🙂
I bet this with shrimp would be fantastic Brian, nice idea there! This soup is traditionally served without the chicken, I added that for Dave. Cheers to a fun weekend on the Cape!
Who does not love comfort food and this looks like comfort food heaven served in a big bowl. Nagi must have absolutely loved it. Sometimes the best things come out of improvising – well done 🙂
Thanks Miriam, really appreciate it. We had a great time and the visit was too short.
Now this is my kind of comfort food, Kevin! All of the flavors in this soup…and then followed up the next night with Nagi’s chocolate cake…yeah, I would have been in comfort food heaven. I hope you guys had a blast! Oh, and if there’s any soup left, I’ll be happy to help you out with it. Pinning this one for later! #WolfpackComfort
Indeed Dave and yes, we did have a great time. We even talked about a group of us (ahem, you included) who are followed by Dorothy and possibly having a group food bloggers meet up in Nashville and then visit Dorothy and Gary later this year or next. Let me know if that interests you.
Missed a lot happening here, Kevin! But I do catch up on your Insta. 😛 The moment I saw Peruvian in my reader app.. I clicked to read more as I had fallen in love with the Peruvian cuisine that we were served during our stay in Dubai by Tesoro! Their Goulash was out of the world… and I am sure they must have served some soup but I ain’t a soup person! 😐 and never tried it! But now that Ramadan is around, I think soups will make a great start… Loved reading this post that expressed so well your joy on having Nagi over at your place. I just recently came across her blog through the Food Photography tips.. so my question – I have never seen that cheese in markets here.. what do you think is a better alternate?
Hello there Famidha! Thanks so much for the kind words. I want to go to Dubai one day. A friend went last year and invited us, but we had just returned from Turkey so that didn’t happen. One day!
Soups are great and can be light or filling, it’s all what you put in them, right? Cotija (Mexican) cheese is a moister, fattier, and less salty version of Feta (Greek) and Parmesan (Italian) that holds its shape when cut, with a slightly similar flavor. They can be substituted if you can find them.
I could really go for a bowl of this soup.
I love corn in soups. And who doesn’t love chicken and melty cheese?
What I love about using fresh corn is the milk seeps out into the broth and sweetens it, too. The melty cheese is the kicker though. Have a great day Jeff.
Y’all sure had a feast at your place, Kevin! This soup is just so creamy and comforting – following it with Nagi’s chocolate cake makes for one EPICALLY EPIC meal!
BTW – I didn’t know about Cotija cheese till I dropped by today so thanks for introducing me to it! Happy Monday!
Thanks Shashi! Several people have mentioned it so I will ad a note to the recipe too. We had a great visit, always too short.
Cotija (Mexican) cheese is a moister, fattier, and less salty version of Feta (Greek) and Parmesan (Italian) that holds its shape when cut, with a slightly similar flavor.
Hey Kevin! What a bowl of comfort! There is nothing better than a big pot of homemade soup, any time of the year! Nagi said you guys had some great food (no surprise there)! A nice piece of crusty bread and I’m happy!
I agree Dorothy, we had so much fun and this soup was a nice comforting welcome meal. Great chatting with you, too. 🙂
That looks like a big bowl of YUM right there, Kevin! I guess you were so excited to have your friend visit that you totally forgot about the food. It’s happened to all of us, I think. And, I always say there’s pizza delivery if you’re absolutely stuck, right?
So great that you were able to whip this up so quickly. Who would have thought by the look of it. I’ve never had cotija cheese before, but I’m sure I’d love it ’cause I haven’t met a cheese that I haven’t loved yet.
How lucky your friend was to have this soup AND empanadas. Sounds perfect to me. Talk about comfort food. Have a great week, Kevin!
I was so excited and so many things to do the most important was the last I thought of, but turned out just fine. Best under pressure! LOL
Cotija (Mexican) cheese is a moister, fattier, and less salty version of Feta (Greek) and Parmesan (Italian) that holds its shape when cut, with a slightly similar flavor. They can be substituted though. Happy Monday and thanks Dawn!
It was SO MUCH FUN Kevin! Thank you so much for welcoming me into your home and your life!! You spoilt me to death – especially with the food. This soup was AMAZING! I can’t talk it up enough!!! But you know that the highlight of the whole trip for me were your empanadas….including all the food we ate out too!!
I can’t wait to come back and stay for a bit longer 🙂 Lots more exploring of SD to do!!! PS Dozer says WOOF to Cody and Ollie! N x
PPS Five stars for SURE. This soup was seriously incredible!!
Thank you Nagi, you’re very special to me. 😉
I just looked at the photos from the empanada recipe from 2+ years ago and am thinking they need a little TLC. Ha! Lard is key and that achiote oil helps with the color.
You’re welcome anytime and for as long as you like, too. Double WOOF from Kodi and Ollie! xoxo
Yum Yum 🙂 love it so much , will try it soon , but I don’t think I’ll find cojita here, any suggestions?
Thanks Farida, it’s definitely a tasty and filling soup! Cotija (Mexican) cheese is a moister, fattier, and less salty version of Feta (Greek) and Parmesan (Italian) that holds its shape when cut, with a slightly similar flavor. They are probably the best I can think of right now.