Description
A rich, velvety, and comforting chicken soup perfect for fall, made creamy without heavy cream using cream cheese, and ready in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth (960 ml)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (120 ml), optional
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (115 g)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (120 ml), optional
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Optional add-ins: sliced mushrooms, baby spinach, cooked pasta
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent and soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Nestle them into the pot with the onions and garlic and brown on both sides for about 3 minutes per side. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage.
- Pour in 1/2 cup white wine (or chicken broth if skipping wine), scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let simmer until the liquid reduces by about half, approximately 3 minutes.
- Add 4 cups chicken broth, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and additional salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken breasts and shred them with two forks. Turn heat to low and whisk in softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Stir shredded chicken back into the soup.
- Stir in heavy cream and warm gently. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more red pepper flakes if desired.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread or your favorite fall side.
Notes
[‘Soften cream cheese before adding to avoid lumps.’, ‘Use fresh minced garlic for best flavor; garlic powder is not recommended.’, ‘Allow wine to reduce to intensify flavor and remove alcohol sharpness.’, ‘Shred chicken finely for better texture.’, ‘Avoid overcooking after adding cream cheese and cream to prevent separation.’, ‘Reheat leftovers gently to maintain creamy texture.’, ‘Add optional veggies like mushrooms or spinach for extra nutrition.’, ‘If soup is too thick, add broth or water to loosen; if too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 320
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 30
Keywords: chicken soup, creamy chicken soup, comfort food, fall soup, easy soup recipe, weeknight dinner, creamy marry me chicken soup