Roasted Jalapeño Soup with Chicken & Mushrooms

Instructions

1. Roast the jalapeños Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place 3 large green jalapeño peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded, cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast the 3 large jalapeños for about 15 minutes, or until the skins are slightly darkened and blistered. Remove from the oven and let the 3 roasted jalapeños cool until easy to handle, then chop the roasted jalapeños into pieces.
2. Sauté onion and carrots In a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 1 cup chopped onion and 2 to 3 large peeled and chopped carrots to the pot. Cook the 1 cup onion and 2 to 3 chopped carrots for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add garlic and roasted jalapeños Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and the chopped 3 roasted jalapeños. Cook the 2 garlic cloves and 3 chopped jalapeños with the onion and carrots for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic does not burn.
4. Make the roux in the pot Add 2 tablespoons softened butter to the pot. Once the 2 tablespoons butter have melted, sprinkle in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir the mixture of 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, vegetables, and jalapeños until everything is evenly coated and the flour is fully moistened, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add broth and thicken Slowly pour in 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth while whisking or stirring constantly to combine the 3 cups broth with the flour-coated vegetables and jalapeños. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the soup slightly thickens.
6. Blend the soup base Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully transfer the hot mixture of 3 cups broth, 3 roasted jalapeños, 1 cup onion, 2 to 3 large carrots, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a blender. Purée until smooth, working in batches if necessary. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot to blend the soup base until smooth.
   Use caution when blending hot liquids; vent the blender lid and cover with a kitchen towel.
7. Finish with cream, tomatoes, mushrooms, and chicken Return the blended soup base to the pot over low to medium heat. Stir in 1/2 cup cream, 1 can (12 oz) tomatoes with juices, 8 sliced mushrooms, and the cooked shredded chicken breast (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups, or as desired). Simmer the mixture of 1/2 cup cream, 1 can tomatoes, 8 mushrooms, and shredded chicken for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the chicken is heated through.
8. Serve Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Ladle the Roasted Jalapeño Soup with Chicken & Mushrooms into bowls and serve hot.