Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add diced white onion, chopped poblano or jalapeño pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 3 minutes until the onions become translucent and fragrant.

Stir in 1 teaspoon of chili powder and 1 teaspoon of cumin into the sautéed vegetables. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Carefully transfer the sautéed mixture to your slow cooker. Use a spatula to scrape the pan to ensure no flavorful bits are left behind.

To the slow cooker, add 4 cups of frozen corn, 2 diced russet potatoes, 1 diced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, and 1 tablespoon of adobo sauce. Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth.

Cover and cook the Mexican Street Corn Soup on low for 6-8 hours until the potatoes are fork-tender.

About 30 minutes before serving, stir in 8 ounces of cream cheese or crème fraîche into the slow cooker. Mix well until fully incorporated and creamy.

While the soup finishes cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat and cook 4 slices of bacon until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Crumble the crispy bacon and set aside.

Ladle the creamy Mexican Street Corn Soup into bowls, topping each serving with crumbled bacon, a sprinkle of cotija cheese, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and optional cilantro.