Creamy Turkey Green Chile Soup is loaded to the brim with chunks of leftover turkey and roasted green chile.
Creamy Turkey Soup
Soup with a richly flavorful creamy broth full of roasted green chile and loaded with chunks of leftover turkey is my kind of comfort food. Just cupping the bowl with two hands and breathing in the heat of the green chile warms me right up.
My husband and boys give this recipe two thumbs up around the table every time I make this. They are lovers of spice and flavor. Take that as a gentle warning that this soup has a bit of heat. You can easily adjust to suit your tastes though.
Start by using a large stock pot. I do suggest using a heavy stockpot if you have it. It helps to distribute the heat nicely when making soups and stew. Plus I like how I can turn my burner on low and it keeps the soup nice and warm.
Over medium heat melt butter, saute onions and garlic. When your onions are soft it is time for my favorite ingredient – the green chile. It is no secret I keep my pantry fully stocked at all times with our favorite 505 Southwestern medium flame roasted Green Chiles.
Add the seasonings and flour. The mixture will become slightly thick, a bit paste-like. Keep stirring so it won’t burn or stick to the stockpot.
Slowly add the chicken broth a few cups at a time. Whisk continuously to ensure you are maintaining a smooth texture and it doesn’t become lumpy. Next, add the chopped turkey. If you don’t happen to have leftover turkey on hand, shredded rotisserie chicken works just fine.
Drop the temperature to low and add your milk. The key to keeping your soup creamy and avoiding it curdling is keeping the temperature low when you add dairy products. Be careful not to let it boil after adding the milk. Just low and slow, barely a hint of a simmer is all you need.
I also like to add my sour cream carefully for this reason. You will want to add it at the very end and temper it like you would when you add eggs to something. Yes, it adds a step and a few minutes, but when your soup is creamy and delicious you won’t regret it.
To do this put the sour cream in a bowl. Ladle the soup broth on top of it and whisk to smoothly combine it. Add a bit more broth and whisk it. Transfer the contents back into the pot. Stir to combine and serve. Don’t continue to simmer after adding the sour cream.
Storing leftovers – cool quickly in a shallow container or in a cold water bath. This will help prevent curdling when you reheat it. When reheating start on low and gently increase the temperature to prevent curdling.
Turkey Green Chile Soup
- butter
- cloves garlic
- onion
- chopped green chile Or roasted hatch chile, peeled and diced small
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- granulated garlic or garlic powder
- dried thyme
- dried oregano
- all-purpose flour or brown rice flour
- chicken or turkey stock
- milk
- sour cream
- cooked turkey or chicken chopped small (about 2 lbs)
Green Chile Chicken Soup
- In a large stock pot or dutch oven, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 6-8 minutes until the onions are tender and the mixture is fragrant. Add the green chile.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, and flour. Stir to combine. Slowly stir in the chicken stock. Bring to a low simmer and then slowly add the milk, while stirring constantly. Add the turkey to the pot. Cook for 15-20 minutes, being careful not to let the soup boil.
- Place the sour cream in a medium-size bowl and then carefully ladle about a cup of warm broth into it. Whisk smooth. Ladle more broth into the bowl a couple more times, whisking it smooth each time.
- Transfer the sour cream mixture to the pot, stirring or lightly whisking the broth to combine. Serve warm.
Best Recipes for Leftover Turkey
As crazy as it sounds when it comes to turkey I am neutral. Now the turkey leftovers? So many tasty options! Count me in.
My family looks forward to this soup every bit as much as we look forward to the big turkey with all the sides. Chunks of turkey, carrots, celery, and thick egg noodles come together in this Creamy Turkey Soup to create a perfect after-Thanksgiving meal.
Leftover turkey really is the best. Tender chunks of savory turkey and aromatic vegetables are baked together inside of a flaky pie crust. My whole family gives this Leftover Turkey Pot Pie two big thumbs up!
Crisp vegetables, plenty of roasted turkey, black beans, pine nuts, cheese, and crunchy tortilla chips are tossed with a spicy ranch dressing in this very flavorful and easy-to-make chopped salad when it is time to lighten up that turkey.
Creamy Turkey Green Chile Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cups chopped green chile Or roasted hatch chile, peeled and diced small (frozen may be substituted if fresh is unavailable)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup all-purpose flour or brown rice flour
- 3 cups chicken or turkey stock
- 3 cups milk
- 1½ cups sour cream
- 4 cups cooked turkey chopped small (about 2 lbs)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or dutch oven, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 6-8 minutes until the onions are tender and the mixture is fragrant. Add the green chile.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, and flour. Stir to combine. Slowly stir in the chicken stock. Bring to a low simmer and then slowly add the milk, while stirring constantly. Add the turkey to the pot. Cook for 15-20 minutes, being careful not to let the soup boil.
- Place the sour cream in a medium size bowl and then carefully ladle about a cup of warm broth into it. Whisk smooth. Ladle more broth into the bowl a couple more times, whisking it smooth each time.
- Transfer the sour cream mixture to the pot, stirring or lightly whisking the broth to combine. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 11/17/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 10/17/22}
Inside a British Mum's Kitchen says
Great photos! I love that you use a green chile in here – lovely flavorings.
Mary x
Joanne says
This looks so deliciously hearty!
Sue/the view from great island says
The crockpot is a great idea for this soup, so often when I use sour cream in soups, which I love, it curdles from the heat. Also, what is a hatch chile? I'm trying to educate myself about chiles, but I don't think I've seen this one.
Mary says
Hatch chiles are green chiles grown in the Hatch Valley of NM. I grew up eating Hatch green chile and it is truly the greatest of all chile. (Yeah, I'm not biased about that or anything.) They can range in flavor from very very mild chiles with mostly flavor and almost no heat to the extremely hot varieties that are much spicier than jalapenos.
Most growers label the chile very accurately and you can choose the heat you desire. In your area, you should be able to find it being roasted near you when it is in season. (late August – Mid September most years) I have 25 lbs roasted and waiting in my freezer right now. Luckily, you can usually find in your freezer section as well. Bueno Chile products are all grown, roasted and packaged in NM and the quality is the best I have found. I hope that helps!
Angie's Recipes says
Creamy, hearty and delicious!
Chris says
This would hit the spot as the weather turns rainy, dreary, and cold. Isn't winter grand?
Anna @ Hidden Ponies says
I bought a couple extra turkeys while prices were great this year – soup is always a great way to use it up!
Velva says
Recipes just like this one are going to really come in handy in a few days. Thanks for sharing it.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Velva
Big Dude says
With the green chiles, this soup sounds delicious. About how much turkey did you use – I can't seem to see it.
Athena @ Lifes Abundant Adventures says
This looks great! I'm always looking for leftover turkey recipes that aren't Turkey Pot Pie and Turkey Soup. This will work wonderfully this year! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Cathy says
Milk? Flour? definitely NOT low carb.
Julie says
Mary – this looks perfect. Two questions re chilis – do you use 3 cups of the 505 jarred in this recipe? As for using hatch roasted chili from your freezer, after roasting, do you peel them or leave them whole before freezing?
Mary Younkin says
Julie – Yes it is 3 cups of the 505. When freezing hatch chilis you can peel them before or after roasting. Either is fine.
Julie says
Thanks Mary – I am going to give it a try with chicken as well.
Mary Younkin says
Chicken is perfect as well, Julie.
Kristin says
Your li k to print on this recipe is not working, just brings you back to the top, vicious circle! But the soup looks so good!
Margaret Coleman says
Well, that is certainly frustrating. It works fine for me but I will take a deeper look and touch base with you. Thank you, Kristin.
Critter says
Outrageously delicious!!! Used turkey bone broth made from a leftover turkey carcass. As there was no meat left on it, I used chicken thighs for the soup. Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Mary Younkin says
So happy you loved it too!