Quick. Easy. Meal in a Bowl. Comfort Food Heaven!!
Making your Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Chicken takes it to the level of lazy girl cooking that I so often need in my life. Less than 30 minutes and you can be diving into this rich, creamy, healthy-ish bowl of goodness and if you don’t share with anyone you can eat nothing but this for the next few days.
The chicken now makes this soup a whole meal in itself. Loads of veggies with all the broccoli, carrots and onions. Packed with protein because of the all the chicken. Piles of rich butter and creamy cheese… what? It’s a food group.
I am a huge fan of a one bowl meal, especially in January when it’s gloomy and cold, I’m recovering from the craziness of the holidays and I’m just trying to survive Dry January.
A big bowl of soup is just the perfect thing.
Scroll past the recipe if you’re looking for tips, substitutions, questions, etc. and details on how to make this recipe, but if you want to get straight to it, here’s my recipe-ish…
Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups chopped broccoli
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- Pinch cayenne
- 2 cups cooked chicken chopped
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 slices American cheese optional*
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened (about 5 minutes).
- Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, then sprinkle in the flour and stir continuously about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the milk, stirring constantly.
- Add the vegetable broth, chopped broccoli, carrot, dry mustard, cayenne and a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the broccoli is tender.
- Add in the chicken and stir.
- Add the cheese in a few batches, stirring after each addition.
- Stir, until well combined and the soup is creamy.
Notes
broccoli and cheese soup with chicken recipe ingredients, tips, substitutions:
Milk – I use whole milk because it’s nice and rich and that’s what I always have in my fridge. You can use any milk you like, dairy or non-dairy, just know that the consistency will change.
Vegetable Broth – you can also use chicken broth if you prefer.
Broccoli – I chop up the florets and the stems too, just be sure to peel the stems first to remove that tough outer layer.
Carrot – the carrot adds a teeny bit of sweetness and a nice pop of colour.
Dry Mustard – the addition of dry mustard gives the soup a little zip. If you don’t have it you can use dijon mustard in its place.
Cooked Chicken – in an effort to make this soup as quick and easy as possible, I add in pre-cooked chicken. You can cook it yourself (breasts or thighs) or buy it. A rotisserie chicken is perfect!
Cheddar Cheese – I prefer old or sharp cheddar cheese because it adds the most flavour. Use whatever cheddar you like or feel free to sub in some other melty cheese.
American Cheese – this is totally optional, but you know how I feel about fake cheese (it rules!), and it gives just a little extra creamy cheesiness to the soup.
Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Chicken Recipe Variations:
Spicy Version – add in a big pinch of red pepper flakes and serve with hot sauce.
Tarragon Version – I love tarragon in this soup. Stir in about a tablespoon of chopped fresh tarragon leaves when you add the broccoli.
Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Chicken and Potatoes Version – I love adding potatoes to this soup to make it even chunkier and heartier (than it already is). Just add in 2 cups diced potatoes along with the broccoli. You may need to add a few minutes of cooking time to ensure the potatoes have softened sufficiently.
broccoli cheese soup with chicken Recipe, how to make it…
I am about to upgrade your cozy game friends. Broccoli, cheese, chicken—this is the trifecta of comfort food greatness.
Start by melting some butter in a big pot. Butter’s basically the foundation of happiness here (and everywhere tbh), so let it do its thing until it’s fully melted and smelling amazeballs. Toss in your diced onion and let it soften up—stir it around now and then, giving it about 4-5 minutes to get nice and tender.
Stir in the garlic and let it mingle for about a minute, and then sprinkle in your flour. Stir well and give it a good two to three minutes to cook off the raw flourness of it.
Slowly pour in the milk now, while stirring constantly. Follow it up with the veggie broth. Stir it all well until completely incorporated.
Now plop in the chopped broccoli, carrots, a pinch of dry mustard for a little Ωip, and just enough cayenne to keep things interesting. Don’t forget a hefty dose of salt and pepper—because flavour. Stir it all together, turn the heat down a notch, and let it gently simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
While you’re waiting, shred or chop up some cooked chicken. Rotisserie chicken works like a charm here, but if you’ve got leftovers, even better.
Once the broccoli’s tender and your house smells like a food commercial, toss that chicken into the pot. Stir and then add in the cheese.
Give it a taste. Need more salt? Pepper? A little more cayenne for a kick? Do what feels right—you’re in charge here. Ladle this heavenly goodness into bowls, grab some crusty bread (because carbs are always mandatory), and dig in.
looking for ideas on what to serve with this Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Chicken recipe? try these…
- Start the meal with my Everything Bagel Cashews and maybe a little Prosecco? 😉
- Veggie it up by serving it with this Chopped Kale Salad
- Or go all in with the cheese by serving my 15 Minute Cheese Stuffed Naan Bread
- Make some cookies for dessert like these White Chocolate Orange Cranberry Cookies or Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies
If you like this Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Chicken Recipe let me know what you think in the comments below and please find and follow me on Social Media!
