Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Slice the poblano peppers in half lengthwise and drizzle them with olive oil. Arrange them cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for about 20 minutes, or until the skins are slightly charred and blistered. Once roasted, remove them from the oven, let them cool, peel off the skins, chop, and set aside.

In a large stock pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions, celery, and baby gold potatoes, cooking until they are softened and translucent, about 9-10 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper, and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.

Pour in the lower-sodium chicken broth, then add the chopped roasted poblano peppers to the pot. Stir well to combine the ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.

Carefully add the chicken breast chunks into the boiling broth and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook until the chicken is fully cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot, let it rest, then chop or shred it into bite-sized pieces to be added back in later.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pot until you reach your desired consistency. If you prefer a chunkier texture, blend gently to leave some potato and pepper bits intact.

Return the chopped or shredded chicken to the blended soup, stirring to combine. Pour in the heavy cream and simmer gently on low heat, just until everything is heated through, about 5 minutes.

Ladle the warm Roasted Poblano Soup into bowls, garnishing with fresh cilantro and additional toppings like tortilla strips, avocado, or cheese.