Smoky Chicken Tomato Bisque Recipe

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Tomato soup and grilled cheese make for an absolutely timeless pairing. The sweet yet tangy flavor of the creamy soup paired with a buttery and crispy molten grilled sandwich is both comforting and satisfying. Basic tomato soup can be elevated with many different flavors and textures that enhance the fruity acidity of the tomato base, and adding a smoky flavor profile certainly ups the ante. This smoky chicken tomato bisque — courtesy of recipe developer Julie Kinnaird — adds layers of char and smoky flavor by incorporating canned fire-roasted tomatoes, smoked Spanish paprika, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. To enhance the smoky flavor and give the soup added texture, Kinnaird adds shredded smoked chicken to the mix as well. The soup is finished with a whimsical garnish of grilled cheese croutons along with fresh thyme leaves for herbaceous freshness.

If you're wondering what makes a bisque different than a soup, it mainly comes down to the velvety-smooth texture and heavy cream component that bisques tend to feature. Kinnaird likes preparing this bisque with a hand-held immersion blender to achieve the desired texture, but you can also use a high-speed blender for the same result. The bisque base is fairly spicy once finished, thanks to the heat coming from the earthy chipotles in adobo sauce. You can temper the heat by using a smaller amount of chipotles, or by adding slightly more cream to finish the soup to taste.

You will need a bit of olive oil to saute yellow onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. To this aromatic mixture you will add smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Canned chipotles in adobo sauce, diced fire-roasted tomatoes, fresh thyme, and chicken broth round out the base of the soup. After a good puree, you will add heavy cream and shredded smoked chicken. Prepared smoked chicken breasts or thighs are typically easy to find at a butcher or grocer, but if you have your own smoker and want to smoke your own chicken, feel free to do so.

As for the grilled cheese crouton component, Kinnaird prefers using crusty sourdough bread and a smoked gouda or cheddar, as their sharp flavors can hold up to the smoky soup. Unsalted butter gives the sandwich a rich mouthfeel and helps crisp up the bread while cooking.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the chipotle peppers, tomatoes, 1 tablespoon thyme, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Blend entirely for a smooth consistency or leave a little texture, if desired. (Alternatively, you can use a high-speed stand blender to process the soup.)

Stir in the heavy cream.

Add the smoked chicken and heat through over medium-low heat, about 10 minutes.

While the soup simmers, place a saute pan over medium heat.

Spread the softened butter on one side of each of the bread slices.

Place two slices butter side-down in the hot pan and top with the cheese slices.

Place the two remaining slices of bread, butter side-up, on the cheese.

Grill the sandwiches for about 2 minutes per side, or until the cheese has melted.

Transfer the grilled cheese to a cutting board and cut into small cubes to make croutons.

Serve the soup in warmed bowls and garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves and some of the grilled cheese croutons.

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This soup can be made in advance in a couple of different ways. First, the pureed tomato base (minus the smoked chicken and cream) can be prepared up to five days ahead and kept refrigerated in an airtight container. When ready to serve, gently reheat the soup on the stovetop and stir in the heavy cream and smoked chicken at that point. The tomato base can also be frozen for several months, then thawed and finished with the cream and chicken. If you want to prepare the entire soup with chicken and cream, this will keep well for up to three days under refrigeration. Take care when reheating the soup as it will scorch more easily in reheating once the cream has been added. Use low to medium-low heat and stir frequently if using the stovetop. A microwave can also reheat the soup for individual portions at a medium power.

The grilled cheese croutons are most delicious when freshly made, so save that step for final preparations when serving. If you happen to have leftover or extra croutons, Kinnaird reheated hers in an air fryer and can confirm that this method works quite well to re-crisp the bread and melt the cheese.

Canned fire-roasted tomatoes are a handy staple for incorporating a depth of flavor intensity to recipes that plain canned tomatoes cannot provide. Fire-roasting adds a charred or smoky attribute to the tomatoes while also bringing out the sweetness, as the heat caramelizes the natural sugars and concentrates the tomato flavor. If you don't have fire-roasted tomatoes on hand, or you have a bounty of fresh garden tomatoes, there are some tricks to transform them for use in this smoky chicken tomato bisque recipe.

One easy way to add smokiness to plain canned tomatoes is by mixing them with a bit of smoked paprika or smoked chili powder. Since this recipe already includes smoked paprika along with chipotle peppers (which are dried and smoked jalapeños), substituting regular diced tomatoes would not alter the recipe too drastically, especially if you add an additional teaspoon of smoked paprika. A better option is to roast some fresh, ripe tomatoes. This will have a similar effect in caramelizing the sugars and concentrating the flavors. If you want to try this option, preheat an oven to 450 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Thickly slice an equivalent amount of fresh tomatoes (about 2 pounds), drizzle them with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for 20-30 minutes (depending on thickness) until they are softened and the juices start to char. Chop and proceed with the recipe.

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