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This Chicken Broccoli Soup takes a classic broccoli and cheese soup and adds some extra protein! Loaded with veggies and chicken in a creamy and cheesy base, this broccoli cheese soup with chicken is so good. It’s so easy to make, too, using just one pot for easy clean-up.
Table of Contents
- Recipe At a Glance
- Ingredients to Make Chicken Broccoli Soup
- Popular Substitutions & Additions
- How to Make Chicken Broccoli Soup
- Tips for Making the Best Broccoli Cheese Soup with Chicken
- What to Serve With Creamy Chicken Broccoli Soup
- How to Store & Reheat Chicken Broccoli Soup
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Soup Recipes:
- Creamy Chicken Broccoli Soup Recipe
When you’re looking for a comforting weeknight dinner that’s kid-friendly, hearty, and delicious, this broccoli cheese soup with chicken has you covered! It’s not just typical comfort food, though. This creamy chicken broccoli soup is also nutrient-dense, with vitamins and fiber from the veggies plus calcium and protein from the dairy and chicken. If someone in your family isn’t a huge fan of vegetables, the rich flavor of sharp cheddar cheese and the creamy base of this soup delivers veggies in a way that’s extra appealing!
Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
Dietary Info: Gluten-free
Key Flavor: Cheesy
Skill Level: Intermediate
Summary
- Packed full of veggies: This chicken soup with broccoli and carrots has loads of veggie goodness, with celery, onion, and garlic too.
- One-bowl meal: Everything you need for a well-balanced, filling meal. You’ve got veggies, protein, and dairy all in one bowl! Of course, a side salad and a hunk of crusty bread are always welcome but not necessary.
- Uses just one pot: Everything cooks up in a single soup pot for super easy clean-up.
- Gluten-free: Instead of using a flour-based roux to thicken this creamy chicken broccoli soup, I use cornstarch and puree a portion for an extra creamy soup without any flour or roux.
Ingredients to Make Chicken Broccoli Soup
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces. For this soup, I sear the chicken first for the most flavorful bites.
- Olive oil: For sautéing the chicken and the veggies, olive oil adds a bit of flavor and healthy fats into the equation.
- Salt, pepper, oregano, and nutmeg: Flavor enhancers that pair well with this rich and creamy soup.
- Onion, carrots, celery, and garlic: The classic mirepoix trio: onion, carrots, and celery; plus garlic for loads of flavor.
- Chicken broth: Homemade chicken broth is a wonderful option, or you can use store-bought broth too. This recipe calls for four cups of chicken broth which is the amount that is one 1-quart box of chicken broth. Vegetable broth works, too.
- Milk: 2% milk works well in this soup, as does whole milk. You can substitute a plant-based milk such as almond milk or oat milk, just make sure it’s unsweetened and unflavored.
- Broccoli: I use fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces.
- Cheddar cheese: I like sharp cheddar in this recipe for lots of tangy flavor, but you can choose mild or medium.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the soup.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Change out the cheese: To mix up the flavor, you can try a different type of cheddar like mild, medium, white, or smoked. Or you can swap out a little bit of the cheddar for parmesan. Gruyere is also an excellent cheese for chicken broccoli soup with cheese.
- Make it vegetarian: To make this soup vegetarian, leave out the chicken and swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth. You may want to add more salt and pepper after cooking.
- Use chicken thighs instead of breasts: Flavorful boneless and skinless chicken thighs are also an excellent choice for this soup.
- Add some cauliflower: Swap in a cup or two of the cauliflower florets in place of broccoli to change it up a little!
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Soup
Like so many good soups, this chicken broccoli soup with cheese is made layer by layer for the best flavor.
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot until shimmering, then add the chicken along with some salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the pot with a slotted spoon.
- Add the carrots, celery, onion, and remaining salt and pepper to the pot and cook until soft and tender.
- Stir in the garlic, oregano, and nutmeg and cook until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and milk, and bring to a boil. Stir in the broccoli and simmer gently until the florets are tender.
- Transfer two cups of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Add it back to the soup along with the chicken and return the soup to a simmer.
- Toss the cheese in cornstarch, then add a handful at a time to the soup, gently heating it until the cheese is melted and evenly distributed throughout the soup.
Tips for Making the Best Broccoli Cheese Soup with Chicken
- Sauté the chicken first: This creates tender, flavorful bites of chicken and adds delicious flavor to the soup.
- Shred your own cheese: For best results, don’t use pre-shredded cheese, which contains anti-caking agents that can affect how well it melts.
- Keep the heat low after adding cheese: If the soup gets too hot and/or heats too fast, the cheese can separate.
- Garnish individual portions with additional cheese: A melty lid of extra shredded cheddar is always welcome!
What to Serve With Creamy Chicken Broccoli Soup
How to Store & Reheat Chicken Broccoli Soup
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, transfer soup to a pot on the stove top and heat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
How Long Will Chicken Broccoli Soup Last in the Fridge?
Chicken soup with broccoli and carrots will last about four days in the refrigerator.
Can I Freeze Creamy Chicken Broccoli Soup?
I don’t recommend freezing this soup. This is due to the dairy content and the fact that the cooked broccoli might become too mushy after freezing and reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! I recommend allowing the frozen florets to thaw first so that you can chop them to roughly the same bite-size pieces before adding them to the soup.
Yes, though it has not been tested either way. To make this soup vegetarian, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth. To make it fully vegan, also replace the milk with an unsweetened milk and use a meltable vegan cheddar cheese and/or add some nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor. Be sure to taste for seasonings at the end and add more salt and pepper if you like.
If it isn’t as thick as you’d like after adding the cornstarch and cheese, you can try adding more cornstarch. I suggest making a slurry of cornstarch and water to avoid clumping. In a small bowl, stir together a teaspoon of cornstarch with two teaspoons of cold water until smooth, then stir into the soup and heat gently until thickened. Feel free to add more cornstarch until your desired thickness is reached.
This creamy chicken broccoli soup is the perfect comfort food for weeknight meals! Make a pot of broccoli cheese soup with chicken and dig into a piping-hot, creamy bowl of goodness for the coziest winter warm-up.
More Soup Recipes:
- Light Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Vegan Broccoli Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Mediterranean White Bean Soup
- Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
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Creamy Chicken Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 (8 ounce) chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 large carrots peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalk diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1 pound broccoli florets roughly chopped (about 5 cups)
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and add chicken in an even layer. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes, then continue cooking while stirring until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- To the same pot, add the onion, carrots, celery and remaining salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until the vegetables soften. Add garlic, oregano and nutmeg and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli, bring to a gentle simmer and cover for 20 minutes. Add about 2 cups of the soup to a high speed blender and process until smooth. Take care when blending hot liquids as they will expand as they mix.
- Return the pureed soup back to the pot along with the reserved chicken and bring back to a simmer. Add the shredded cheese to a bowl and sprinkle cornstarch on top. Toss to evenly coat the cheese in cornstarch, then add it into the simmering soup one handful at a time. Once all of the cheese has been added, let it simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the soup has thickened slightly.
- Serve with additional cheddar cheese grated on top, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Tried your chicken, broccoli and cheese soup today. Good directions, easy to make and delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Nancy!
Absolutely delicious!!