This Creamy Chicken and Veggie Soup is like a warm hug in a bowl! Packed with tender chicken, savory vegetables, and a creamy cheese base, it’s the ultimate comfort food for any time of year. Easy to make and perfect for cozy dinners, this soup is sure to become a family favorite. Enjoy it with a sprinkle of shredded cheese and a few oyster crackers for a meal that’s both hearty and satisfying!
This easy recipe takes a shortcut with rotisserie chicken, making it super simple while still packing in tons of flavor. The pre-cooked chicken adds that delicious, home cooked taste without any extra work. You can enjoy a quick dinner with minimal fuss!
The hot sauce addition to this soup gives it just a touch of heat. We have found that we prefer the Chipotle Tabasco in this because the smokiness really compliments the other flavors. Not only do we add it to the soup while it’s cooking, but we also love to add some on top with the oyster crackers and shredded cheese.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- The extra sharp cheddar cheese mixed into the broth gives the soup a wonderfully creamy texture and deliciously comforting flavor. Perfect for soup season!
- This creamy soup recipe is incredibly simple, combining easy-to-find ingredients and straightforward steps to create a delicious, comforting soup with minimal effort.
- It is versatile enough to be enjoyed year round, whether for dinner or lunch. It’s also great for leftovers that taste even better the next day.
Ingredients Needed
Here are notes about some of the ingredients needed to make this creamy chicken soup recipe. For the full recipe card and measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Butter
- Onion: You will need 1 small white onion.
- Celery
- Carrot
- Flour
- Potatoes: I prefer to use baby potatoes for this recipe. Their buttery texture and soft skins after being cooked are perfect in this.
- Milk: Feel free to use whatever kind of milk you have on hand. I usually have 1% and it works great in this!
- Chicken broth
- Cheese: Extra sharp cheddar cheese is the way to go for this recipe. It adds the perfect amount of tangy flavor. It’s definitely worth the extra sharpness!
- Pimentos: A drained 2-ounce jar is just the right amount for this. If you have a larger jar of pimentos, you could do 2 tablespoons of drained pimentos.
- Salt & black pepper
- Hot sauce: Feel free to use your favorite hot sauce here. We prefer and I highly recommend the Chipotle Tabasco. It seriously gives the perfect kick and best smoky flavor!
- Chicken: We love rotisserie chicken in this. It’s so easy and tastes great. You can chop or shred both the white and dark meat after removing it from the bones. Either way is great!
- Oyster crackers: Use these as a garnish.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Chicken: You could easily use leftover cooked chicken breast or chicken thighs for this.
- Milk: For an extra creamy and even more delicious soup, feel free to swap the milk for half and half or heavy whipping cream.
- Pimentos: Chopped roasted red bell peppers would work as a replacement for the pimentos.
- Chicken broth: Use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions or variations. If you give any of these a try, please let me know how it worked out in the comments below!
Recipe Variations
- Add in some extra veggies like spinach, kale or peas.
- Swap out the vegetables for other vegetables like bell peppers, corn, or mushrooms.
- Make it spicy by adding jalapeños or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Equipment Needed
- Dutch oven or soup pot: Every kitchen needs a good large pot or Dutch oven for cooking soups and other recipes. I like using a Dutch oven for this recipe because it’s big enough for all of the ingredients and heats the soup nicely.
Step by Step Instructions
STEP 1: In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the butter over medium heat until melted.
Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
STEP 2: Add the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute.
STEP 3: Add the potatoes, milk and chicken broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
STEP 4: Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes.
STEP 5: Reduce the heat again to low and add the cheese, pimento, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Stir well and allow the cheese to melt completely, about 3 minutes.
STEP 6: Add the chicken, stir well and heat until heated through, about 3 minutes.
STEP 7: Serve with oyster crackers, shredded cheese, hot sauce, and coarse ground pepper.
Expert Tips
Here are some tips and tricks for making this creamy chicken vegetable soup:
- Remove the chicken from the bones while it is still warm. It’s much easier to remove while the chicken is warm than it is after it’s been in the refrigerator. If I don’t plan to use the rotisserie chicken right away, I’ll let it cool on the counter when I get home from the grocery store, take the meat off the bones and store in an airtight container until I’m ready to use it.
- You can adjust the consistency by mashing some of the potatoes for a thicker soup or adding some chicken broth or milk for a thinner consistency.
- Skip the oyster crackers and serve this with a piece of crust bread slathered with butter and a nice fresh salad for a complete meal.
FAQ
The amount of hot sauce that is listed for this recipe is not very much, so you could easily leave it out altogether. If you prefer it with a bit more of a kick, just add a bit more. I like to serve it with the hot sauce on the side so anyone who wants more can add it!
I like to reheat leftover soup by putting it back in a saucepan or pot and heating it over medium heat until heated through. I also will likely put some in a bowl, cover it with a paper towel and microwave it until heated through.
Absolutely. Any cooked chicken will work for this! Just keep in mind the flavor may be altered a bit depending on how the chicken is prepared. This is actually a really good way to use up leftover chicken.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store completely cooled leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Eat within 3-4 days.
Freezer
Freeze completely cooled leftovers in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight when ready to consume.
More Soup Recipes To Try
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Recipe
Creamy Chicken and Veggie Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ cup peeled and diced carrot
- 5 tablespoons flour
- ¾ pound baby potatoes, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar
- 2 ounce jar pimentos, undrained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon chipotle tabasco, or hot sauce of choice
- 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat.4 tablespoons butter
- Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.1 cup chopped onion, ½ cup chopped celery, ½ cup peeled and diced carrot
- Add the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute.5 tablespoons flour
- Add the potatoes, milk and chicken broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Reduce the heat to low.¾ pound baby potatoes, cut into ½-inch chunks, 2 ½ cups milk, 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- Add the cheese, pimento, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Stir well and allow to cook for 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted.2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar, 2 ounce jar pimentos, undrained, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper, ½ teaspoon chipotle tabasco, or hot sauce of choice
- Add the chicken, stir well to combine and cook for 3 minutes, or until heated through.3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- Serve with oyster crackers, a sprinkle of shredded cheese and fresh black pepper.
Nutrition Information
Please note that these nutrition facts are approximations and may not be entirely precise.
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