Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup w/cream cheese garnish is creamy, slightly spicy and a low carb keto pure comfort food!
Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup
Imagine the marriage between a Jalapeno Popper and a bowl of Chicken Soup. This produces an offspring who follows a low carb or keto diet. The result is a very flavorful and filling thick bowl of soup.
Cast of Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup
Imagine, getting the most delicious bowl of soup on the table in under 30 minutes. Using an Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker makes it easily possible and so much flavor is infused into the soup.
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Ingredients for Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup
- Chicken
- Jalapeno Peppers
- Heavy Cream, Cheese and Cream Cheese
- Butter or Chicken Schmaltz
- Chicken Broth
In my popular This Old Gal’s Pressure Cooker Cookbook, I’ve included my famous Matzo Ball & Chicken Soup. It’s seriously delicious and the broth is purely from the chicken; no bouillon added! Grab the book and learn my secret method to incredible chicken soup.
Sauté Onions in Schmaltz and Butter
Chicken fat is just fine to use on a low carb and keto diet. Growing up, most Jewish families has jars of schmaltz in their refrigerator and freezer. I remember most of my friends mothers preparing schmaltz. Schmaltz will add tons of flavor to this soup.
What is Chicken Schmaltz?
- Schmaltz is a Yiddush word and Chicken Schmaltz is simply rendered chicken fat. Goose (another type of poultry) fat can be rendered as well and is also referred to as schmaltz.
- Schmaltz is used similarly as butter for frying meat or spreading on a piece of toast. Think of it in terms of cooking in bacon grease, but for Jews.
- Kashrut (Jewish dietary laws) prevent Jews from frying food in lard and butter, as mixing meat and dairy are not allowed. Northwestern and Eastern Jews (referred to as Ashkenazi Jews) did not have other oils, such as olive and sesame readily available, so they began rendering fat from poultry.
Pro Tip: Butter or Chicken Schmaltz can be used.
Frying Seasonings Increase the Flavor
As the hubs loves Jalapeno Poppers and I am crazy for soup, my idea for this Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup recipe just came naturally one day, while I was figuring out what to make for dinner.
My Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Jalapeno Poppers are wildly popular and would make a great appetizer to these Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Poppers!
Seasonings for Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup
Chicken, Cream and Broth, Oh My!!!
For questions on why I add Heavy Cream before pressure cooking, check out my Pressure Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup ~Low Carb Keto and my Pressure Cooker Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Soup recipes.
Type of Chicken to Use
- I use white meat chicken breasts in this recipe.
- Dark meat chicken can be used as well. You can even mix white and dark meat!
One of the huge benefits of pressure cooker cooking is that it is hands off while cooking.
Jalapeno Cream Cheese Topping
You know how when you bite into a popper, you get a squirt of warm cream cheese? It’s so creamy and yummy. My Jalapeno Cream Cheese Topper will give you the same, oh yum feeling.
Tips and Tricks for Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup
- Use full fat cream cheese if you are following low carb or keto.
- Use blocks of cheese and use a ribbon grater to shred the cheese yourself. The package shredded cheese is mixed with cornstarch and doesn’t melt as easily.
- If you don’t have Homemade Bone Broth, mix together chicken base with fresh water.
- For a spicier soup, you might not want to clean all the jalapeno innards.
- An electric hand held mixer will shred the chicken right in the pot. See my Pressure Cooker Shredded Buffalo Chicken Video.
Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup
Whether you make this in a Instant Pot DUO Plus, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker, the result will be fabulous.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes to Enjoy!
- Pressure Cooker Nordstrom Tomato Basil Soup {Tomato Bisque}
- Pressure Cooker Low Carb Manhattan Clam Chowder Soup
- Instant Pot Steamed Clams in White Wine Garlic Butter
- Pressure Cooker Chicken Enchiladas
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker
- J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk– a MUST have, probably my most used utensil
- di Oro Living Silicone Spatulas Set
- LamsonSharp Chef’s Slotted Turner– I totally love this spatula!
- Porcelain & Bamboo Salt Box with Spoon
- Gravity Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder
- My FANTASTIC Teak Cutting & Charcuterie Board & Compartments
- Small 1.5 Quart “Pot in Pot” Mixing Bowl
- Microplane Artisan Ribbon Grater
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Pressure Cooker Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup
Print Pin Save RateIngredients
Soup Ingredients (Ing to Jalapeno Cream included in totals)
- 1.5 pounds Chicken Breasts Boneless/Skinless cut into chunks
- 4 ounces Salted Butter
- 4 ounces Yellow/Brown Onion diced
- 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek Ground Chili Paste
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
- 4 large Jalapeno Peppers
- 2 cloves Fresh Garlic minced
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 cups Chicken Stock/Broth (or 2 cups water + 2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon Chicken Base)
- 6 ounces Cream Cheese divided*
- 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded (save a TLB for topping)
- 1 cup Monterey Jack or Oaxaca Cheese shredded (save a TLB for topping)
Jalapeno Cream Cheese Topper
- 3 Tablespoons Cream Cheese
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 large Jalapeno Pepper cleaned/minced
- 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek Ground Chili Paste
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Instructions
- Remove stems and seeds from jalapeno peppers. Slice four peppers and mince one jalapeno. Set aside the minced jalapeno for the Jalapeno Cream Topper.
- Select Sauté or Browning on pressure cooker and allow to fully heat.
- Remove fat from chicken and add to hot cooking pot and allow to render for 30 seconds to make schmatlz. Add butter and onions and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek, salt, cumin, black pepper, paprika and oregano and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add sliced jalapeno peppers, garlic and combine with onions. Turn off pressure cooker.
- Add chicken pieces and pour in 3/4 cup heavy cream and chicken broth.
- Lock on lid and close pressure valve. Cook at high pressure for 2 minutes. When beep sounds, wait 10 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.
- Remove lid and pull out chicken and shred.
- Let pot stay on "Keep Warm." To cooking pot, stir in 3 ounces cream cheese, cheddar cheese and Oaxaca cheese.
- When cheese has melted, mix in shredded chicken.
Jalapeno Cream Topper
- While soup is cooking, whisk together Jalapeno Cream Topper ingredients. (Remember, the amounts used for this topper are taken from the total measurements to the recipe, not in addition.)
- Serve each bowl of soup with a big dollop of jalapeno cream and sprinkling of shredded cheese.
- Alternatively and to make things easier, all the Jalapeno Cream Topper ingredients can be added directly to the pot of soup and mixed in right before serving.
Notes
Heavy Cream v. Half & Half
- If substituting a half & half or milk for heavy cream, make sure to add it after pressure release and not at the same time as the broth. Otherwise, your soup will curdle.
Jalapeno Cream Topper
- If you don't want to serve the topper in separate bowls, you can totally add the Jalapeno Cream Popper ingredients directly in to the pot of soup when you add back the chicken after shredding.
To stretch the recipe and thin out the soup, add another half cup to one cup of broth and increase seasonings as follows:
- Sambal Oelek - 1.5 teaspoons
- Cumin 1.25 teaspoons
- Oregano - 1/2 teaspoon
- Paprika 1/2 teaspoon
- Garlic 3 cloves
Nutrition
PIN this Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup!
Made this tonight and it was so good!! Definitely a keeper!! Thank you so much, Jill
Thank you, Dena. Jill
Delicious! I only changed one thing. My grocery store was out of fresh jalapenos! I had my heart set on trying this recipe tonight, so I bought 2 cans of diced jalapenos. NOT PICKLED. It turned out great!
Thank you, Karla. Jill
This was delicious BUT I followed the directions and the cream curdled!
Next time, I’ll add it after pressure cooking.
It did not curdle. Some of the milk fat simply separated. Jill
This is my favorite soup! I don’t like soup because I feel like it isn’t filling. I am so happy it’s fall so I can make it again!!! 🙂
Thank you so much, Kristen. Jill
Jill, you have my undying affection. This soup is delicious and pretty quick to throw together. I will make it often.
Thanks, Meg. I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Jill
Wow! just wow! This has got to be one of the best things I have ever tasted. Wife and daughter loved it, as did I. I did use a little more chicken than was called for, but that would be the only thing that I did different. Will make this one often. Thank you for this!!!
Thank you so much, Lee. I am thrilled you enjoyed this recipe. Jill
This recipe is so yummy! The spices are right on! My oldest son who says he is not into “spicy stuff” tried and liked it. (I wasn’t that spicy, just really great flavors) Definitely a keeper.
Thanks, Libby. We don’t like much heat here either and this recipe is very mild. Jill
4OZ of butter.. do you really put an entire stick of butter in?
You can use less, whatever you need to sauté the veggies, etc. It gives it good flavor, though, and usually with low carb dishes, you’re not really too worried about using a lot of butter. That’s probably why she went for the whole stick. It’s also spread out over the whole pot of soup, so not as much per serving.
I have leftover cooked chicken that I would like to use, how would you adjust the timing?
Hi, what does does TLB stand for?
Thanks!
Tiny Little Bit?
I think she means TBL, (tablespoon). Recipe sounds amazing!
This is so, so good! We love this soup!!
Thank you, Nikki. Jill
Excellent! I used jarred Jalapenos, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly.
I can’t wait to make this! What does TLB stand for?
Thanks!
Tiny little bit
This soup is on our weekly rotation now! The whole family loves it! Thank you for sharing!
I have a slow cooker not a pressure cooker. Can I toss all the ingredients in a slow cooker to cook all day while at work?
I would imagine you could make this in the slow cooker. I’ve not done it. Jill
This is the greatest soup I have ever eaten IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!
Thank you so much. That is awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed my recipe. Jill
My family is getting sick of soup, but I love it this time of year. Can I decrease some of the liquid and maybe use this as a topping for rice or noodles?
I don’t see why not. Jill
Is there a way to do this in crockpot? Im afraid to use my pressure cooker.
Whitney don’t be afraid of your pressure cooker…is it an Instant Pot? If so, read your manual and do the water test. Once that is done use This Old Gal’s hard boiled egg recipe to make the perfect hard boiled eggs. From there you will be ready to do this soup! The Instant Pot/electric pressure cooker is very safe. Take that first step and with Jill’s recipes you will open a whole new world of cooking wonderful, tasty meals! Look into her groups on Facebook where you can get questions answered and more wonderful recipes from members.
Thank you for a great recipe! I’ve made it twice this week, my sons doing the Keto diet but the whole family loves this soup. Delicious and super easy.
I am so glad your whole family is enjoying my recipe!! Jill
Made this yesterday!! Yummy! Did not have the paste so I used Frank’s hot sauce the Jalapeno topper is great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed my recipe. Jill