Creamy Broccoli Cheese and Chicken Soup
This Creamy Broccoli Cheese and Chicken Soup is pure comfort in a bowl. It’s loaded with tender chicken, fresh broccoli, and a smooth, cheesy broth that’s rich without being too heavy. The secret to its creamy texture is the potatoes, which blend beautifully with the melted Cheddar and Colby Jack cheese. It’s easy to whip up in under an hour, making it perfect for those nights when you want something hearty, warming, and delicious, but don’t have a lot of time to spare.
Servings
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 white onion sliced
- 4 medium Russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 32 ounces 4 c chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 c water
- 3 c milk
- 2 c shredded Cheddar cheese
- 2 c shredded Colby Jack cheese
- 5 c frozen broccoli florets
- Kosher salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 cooked chicken breasts cubed
- Croutons for topping
Instructions
- Start by heating up some olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Once it’s hot, toss in the sliced onions and sauté them until they soften up and turn a little golden—this should take just a few minutes.
- Next, add the cubed potatoes, chicken broth, bay leaf, and a pinch of garlic powder to the pot. Bring everything to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender enough to pierce easily with a fork. Once that’s done, don’t forget to fish out the bay leaf and discard it.
- Transfer the potato mixture to a food processor or blender, add 2 cups of water, and blend until smooth. Set that aside for a moment.
- Now, pour the milk into the stockpot and gently bring it to a simmer. Once it’s warmed up, stir in the shredded Colby Jack and Cheddar cheeses along with the blended potato mixture. Keep stirring occasionally until the cheese melts completely and the soup turns nice and smooth.
- While that’s happening, cook the frozen broccoli according to the package directions, then give it a rough chop. Stir the broccoli into the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let everything simmer together for about 5 minutes to bring out all the flavors.
- Finally, top each bowl with the cubed chicken and some crunchy croutons for a bit of texture. Time to dig in and enjoy!
Notes
To make this soup gluten-free, all you need to do is swap out the croutons for a gluten-free version or skip them altogether. Make sure your chicken broth is certified gluten-free as well (most are, but it’s always good to check). With those simple changes, the rest of the recipe is naturally gluten-free, so you can enjoy this cozy meal worry-free!