Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup w/cream cheese garnish is comfort, creamy, slightly spicy and quickly cooks in the pressure cooker. Low carb/keto.
Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup
Imagine if a Jalapeno Popper and a bowl of Chicken Soup married and produced an offspring who follows a low carb or keto diet. The result is a very flavorful and filling thick bowl of soup.
Also imagine, if you could get this most delicious soup on the table in under 30 minutes, using an Instant Pot DUO Plus, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker!
Cast of Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup
My Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Jalapeno Poppers are wildly popular.
In my new cookbook, This Old Gal’s Pressure Cooker Cookbook, I’ve included my famous Matzo Ball & Chicken Soup. It’s seriously delicious and no packaged up chicken bouillon or broth is added. My secret method makes my Chicken Soup incredible delicious.
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.
Sauté Onions in Schmaltz and Butter
Never one to eat the fat from any meat, I’ve always cut it off prior to cooking. As I started to prepare this Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup recipe, it occurred to me that animal fat is suggested on a low carb or 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.
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.
Frying Seasonings Increase the Flavor
What Seasonings are in Instant Pot 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.
One of the huge benefits of cooking with an Instant Pot DUO Plus, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker is that it is hands off.
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.
The heavy cream will make my Jalapeno Cream Cheese Topper loose enough to put through a Pastry Bag so that cute little dollops can be placed all over the soup. A plain ole storage bag can be used too. Just cut off the tip and squeeze.
You can totally add this Jalapeno Cream in to the Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup when you add back the chicken after shredding.
Tips and Tricks for Instant Pot Chicken Jalapeno Popper Soup.
- Use full fat cream cheese if you are following low carb or keto.
- Take out the cream cheese an hour before beginning to cook.
- Buy 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.
- Jalapeno peppers sometimes become mild during cooking. Other times, not so much.
- 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, Mealthy MultiPot 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
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot DUO Plus, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker
- J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Culina Stackable (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:
Ingredients
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
- 2 teaspoons Sambal Oelek Ground Chili Paste divided*
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
- 5 large Jalapeno Peppers divided*
- 2 cloves Fresh Garlic minced
- 1 cup Heavy Cream** divided*
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 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 Topper (below ingredients are taken from amounts above)
- 3 Tablespoons Cream Cheese
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 large Jalapeno Pepper cleaned/minced
- 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek Ground Chili Paste
Recommended Products
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. Shred chicken. 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
To stretch the recipe, add another half cup of broth and increase seasonings to:
- 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!
Do you have a substitute suggestion for the chili paste? That doesn’t look like something I can find where I live, and I don’t have access to Amazon. But, this soup looks delicious and I’d love to try it!
I commented just over a year ago when I first discovered this wonderful recipe. I make this soup every couple of weeks. I made it last weekend, and I’m making it again today because my college son visited and asked to take the leftovers home and I WANT MORE! 😂
Thank you, Meg. I am so thrilled that you like this soup so much. It is one we love as well. Jill
Hi, Jill! Forgive me if this has already been asked, but can I make this the day prior in the IP and take it to a potluck…perhaps in the Crock Pot? If so, do you have specific suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Linda. You sure can. I would add a little extra water, so that when you reheat, your soup don’t be super thick. Jill
This soup incredible!! Thank you!
Do I need to divide this in half to use my mini 3 qt Instant Pot?
No. Jill
Awesome!
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