Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Chicken Recipe

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This recipe for broccoli cheddar soup with chicken is the ultimate comfort food. Filled with nourishing everyday ingredients, this easy recipe will quickly become a family favorite!

Growing up, one of my favorite meals was Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup served in a sourdough bread bowl. Now, we prefer this version filled with homemade chicken broth and leftover shredded chicken from a whole chicken slow cooked the day before. Serve it alongside sourdough cornbread or other crusty bread and it’s the perfect way to spend a chilly night.

What’s in Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Soup?

This broccoli soup recipe begins like every soup should—by sautéing together onions and garlic in a heap of butter.

The soup is thickened by creating a roux with flour and added spices (salt, black pepper, and paprika for a slight kick).

Nourishing chicken stock is added alongside a pound of broccoli florets and sliced carrots.

Then, this comforting soup is finished off with shredded cheese (mild or sharp cheddar cheese), heavy cream, and diced chicken.

How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Chicken?

We always start out by mincing garlic and chopping onions. Place these aromatic veggies in 4 tbsp butter heating up on a heavy bottomed pot on medium-high heat on the stove. Sauté the garlic and onions until they begin to soften.

Next, add your spices to ¼ cup of flour and mix in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to the dutch oven and combine with cooked onions and garlic until the mixture is completely incorporated.

Add chopped carrots, fresh broccoli or frozen, and broth over the flour and vegetable mixture.

Bring to a boil. Then turn down to medium-low heat to let simmer for 15-20 minutes until the carrots and broccoli are soft.

Using a blender, immersion blender, or food processor, scoop out roughly one-third to half of the soup mixture and blend until smooth. Pour mixture with creamy texture back into the soup pot.

Place back on the stove on medium heat and slowly stir in cream and shredded cheese. Don’t add cheese all at once to prevent clumping.

Tip: Store bought shredded cheese does not melt as well because of anti-caking agents, so we recommend shredding your own cheese.

Once cheese is melted and everything is mixed, stir in chicken pieces. Let everything cook together for a couple more minutes before serving.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Chicken Recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter (lard or coconut oil will work too)
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced (or garlic powder)
¼ cup flour
1 tbsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup cream
1 lb chopped broccoli (fresh or frozen)
4-5 carrots, diced
2 cups shredded cheddar
2 cups cooked and diced chicken

Directions:

1. Heat butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté for a few minutes until soft.

2. Add flour, salt, pepper, and paprika to the garlic/onion mixture and combine.

3. Pour in chicken broth, carrots, and broccoli.

4. Bring to boil and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until carrots and broccoli and soft.

5. Blend roughly ½ of the soup mixture in a blender or food processor.

6. Pour back into soup pot and stir in cream.

7. Slowly add in shredded cheese to allow to melt in small batches and not clump together.

8. Mix in diced chicken.

9. Let all of the ingredients cook together for a few more minutes before serving.

What’s the best way to store for short and long term?

If you happen to have any leftover soup, for short term, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. 

To freeze, place soup in freezer-safe containers and freeze. To thaw, simply refrigerate for several hours or overnight and reheat.

Is this recipe good for the entire family (kids included)?

This soup gets a 5 star rating from our whole family—kids and adults alike. Because of the creamy, cheesy goodness, it’s a great way to add in tons of nutritious veggies in a way that no one minds or even notices. For a creamier soup, you could blend the whole thing. We like the texture of broccoli and carrots chunks in our soup so we only blend half.

Can I make this recipe gluten free?

Yes! To make this soup gluten free, substitute flour with tapioca or arrowroot starch when making your roux. Either of these flours has the same thickening effect and are gluten free.

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This has become one of our family’s favorite recipes! For more similar hearty, one pot recipes, these are more of our favorites!

Butternut Squash Chili
Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
Apple Sweet Potato Hash with Sausage
Beef Soup Bone Vegetable Stew

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