Creamy Chicken Soup Recipe
Introduction
This creamy chicken soup is a comforting, hearty dish perfect for chilly days. Packed with tender chicken, vegetables, and a rich, velvety broth, it’s an ideal meal to warm you up and satisfy your cravings.
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1¼ lbs. bone-in chicken breast or thighs
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 chicken bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon better than bouillon
- 1½ lbs. potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1½ cups frozen vegetables (corn and peas recommended)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon each: dried basil, oregano, mustard powder, onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon each: ground sage, salt, celery salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chicken and sear for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside to rest for 10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. It’s fine if the chicken is slightly undercooked inside at this point.
- Step 3: Turn off the heat, add the white wine to the pot, and then turn heat to medium. Use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom and sides. Let the wine reduce by half, about 4 minutes.
- Step 4: Add the butter and let it melt. Stir in the diced onions, carrots, and celery, tossing to coat. Cook for 5-6 minutes until softened.
- Step 5: Add the minced garlic and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Step 6: Sprinkle in the flour and stir well to combine. Cook for 2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Step 7: Slowly add the chicken broth in small splashes while stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Repeat the process with the half and half, then stir in the chicken bouillon.
- Step 8: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Add the diced chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes. (Tip: Adding chicken bones now enhances flavor—remove before serving.)
- Step 9: Add the peeled and diced potatoes along with the frozen vegetables. Let the soup simmer gently for another 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Step 10: Serve warm, ideally with buttermilk biscuits or cheddar bay biscuits for a complete meal.
Tips & Variations
- Use bone-in chicken for richer flavor; you can substitute with boneless if preferred but add extra chicken broth.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute half and half with coconut milk or a plant-based alternative.
- Feel free to mix frozen vegetables like green beans or mixed peas and carrots instead of corn and peas.
- Leftover soup thickens in the fridge; add a splash of broth or water when reheating to adjust consistency.
Storage
Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally. This soup also freezes well for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use cooked chicken instead of raw?
Yes, you can use cooked chicken. Add it towards the end of cooking just to warm through so it doesn’t dry out.
What type of potatoes work best in this soup?
Starchy potatoes like Russet or Yukon Gold hold up well and create a creamy texture when cooked, making them ideal for this soup.
PrintCreamy Chicken Soup Recipe
A rich and comforting creamy chicken soup packed with tender seared chicken, flavorful vegetables, and hearty potatoes, simmered in a savory broth enhanced with white wine and a blend of herbs and seasonings. Perfect for a cozy meal, this soup combines the ease of stovetop cooking with a depth of flavor and a velvety texture from half and half.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 ¼ lbs. bone-in chicken breast or thighs
Soup
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 chicken bouillon cube or 1 tsp. better than bouillon
- 1 ½ lbs. potatoes
- 1 ½ cups frozen vegetables (corn & peas recommended)
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon celery salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prep Work: Measure out all ingredients before beginning. Do not cut the potatoes yet.
- Cook the Chicken: Pat the chicken dry, then season each side with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat until hot enough to sear the chicken immediately. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until seared. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. After resting, cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Deglaze and Reduce: Turn off the heat, add the white wine to the pot, and then turn the heat back to medium. Use a silicone spatula to scrape and “clean” the bottom and sides of the pot to incorporate browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, about 4 minutes.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add butter to the pot and melt it. Add diced onions, carrots, and celery, tossing to coat in the butter. Cook these vegetables for 5-6 minutes until softened.
- Add Garlic and Seasonings: Stir in minced garlic and all the dried seasonings listed (parsley, basil, oregano, mustard powder, onion powder, sage, salt, celery salt, and black pepper). Cook for 1 minute to release the aromas.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir well to combine. Cook for 2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Add Liquids and Broth: Slowly add chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Then add the half and half slowly in the same manner. Stir in the chicken bouillon cube or substitute to deepen the soup’s flavor.
- Simmer Chicken: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Return the diced chicken pieces along with any accumulated juices to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. If you have chicken bones, you can add them now for extra flavor, removing before serving.
- Add Potatoes and Vegetables: Peel and dice potatoes, then add them along with the frozen vegetables (corn and peas) to the simmering soup.
- Finish Cooking: Let the soup simmer gently, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Serve: Ladle the creamy chicken soup into bowls and serve warm, ideally accompanied by buttermilk or cheddar bay biscuits for a complete comforting meal.
Notes
- For added richness, use bone-in chicken breasts or thighs as recommended; they add flavor and moisture.
- If you prefer, substitute the dry white wine with an equal amount of additional chicken broth or apple cider.
- Frozen vegetables like corn and peas provide sweetness and color, but feel free to add other frozen veggies if desired.
- Searing the chicken before adding to the soup enhances texture and flavor but the chicken finishes cooking in the broth, keeping it juicy.
- Adding chicken bones while simmering helps extract more flavor to the broth; just remember to remove bones before serving.
- This soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be frozen for longer storage.
- Serve with warm biscuits to complement the creamy texture of the soup.
Keywords: creamy chicken soup, chicken soup with potatoes, comforting chicken soup, stovetop chicken soup, hearty chicken soup
