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There’s nothing cozier than a big bowl of homemade cream of chicken soup! It’s rich and velvety, loaded with tender chicken and vegetables, and has plenty of deep, savory chicken flavor. A splash of sherry gives the creamy broth that little something extra that makes this soup so special.
If comforting chicken soups are your thing, you’ll find plenty more in my Chicken Soup Recipes collection. A few favorites to try next are Chicken Florentine Soup, Chicken Vegetable Soup, and Lemon Chicken Soup.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Use cooked chicken. Rotisserie chicken is perfect here, but any leftover cooked chicken works. Chop or shred it into bite-size pieces before you start.
✨ Have the broth ready to go. Once the flour has cooked, gradually whisking in the chicken broth helps keep the soup smooth and lump-free.
✨ Don’t skip the sherry. It’s a small amount, but it adds wonderful depth to the creamy broth without making the soup taste like alcohol.
✨ Adjust the consistency at the end. The soup will thicken as it simmers. If you prefer it a little thinner, stir in additional chicken broth until it’s just right.
Ingredients + Key Notes
Chicken – Cooked, chopped chicken makes this soup especially easy. Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut, or use leftover roasted or poached chicken.
Butter + flour – These make the roux that thickens the broth and gives the soup its smooth, velvety texture.
Onion, celery, carrots + garlic – The classic aromatic base adds savory flavor, a little sweetness, and plenty of texture.
Chicken broth + Better Than Bouillon – Using both gives the creamy broth a deeper, more concentrated chicken flavor. I use low-sodium broth so I can better control the salt.
Fresh thyme + bay leaf – These gently season the broth without overpowering the chicken.
Heavy cream – Makes the soup wonderfully rich and creamy. Add it toward the end and avoid letting the soup come to a hard boil.
Frozen peas – Add them near the end so they stay bright and tender.
Dry sherry – Just a small amount adds wonderful depth and complexity. Be sure to use dry sherry, not sweet or cooking sherry.
🥣 How to Make Cream of Chicken Soup
Sauté the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large pot and cook the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots until softened.
Make the roux. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, to remove the raw flour taste.
Add the broth. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Stir in the Better Than Bouillon, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Simmer. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened.
Make it creamy. Stir in the cooked chicken, heavy cream, peas, and sherry. Gently heat everything through without letting the soup boil.
Finish and serve. Remove the thyme stems and bay leaf. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in additional chicken broth until it reaches your preferred consistency.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Don’t rush the vegetables. Sautéing the onion, celery, and carrots before adding the broth builds much more flavor than simply simmering them in the soup.
⭐ Cook the flour before adding the broth. Give the flour a full 1–2 minutes in the butter and vegetables. This cooks away its raw taste and creates a better-flavored roux.
⭐ Add the broth gradually. Whisking it in a little at a time at first helps the roux incorporate smoothly and prevents flour lumps.
⭐ Fortify the broth. Better Than Bouillon gives ordinary chicken broth a deeper, more concentrated chicken flavor. It’s one of the little things that makes this soup taste especially rich and savory.
⭐ Keep it gentle after adding the cream. Once the heavy cream goes in, heat the soup gently rather than bringing it to a hard boil.
⭐ Adjust thickness with broth, not cream. The soup naturally thickens as it cooks and will thicken even more as it cools. Add a little extra chicken broth if you want a thinner consistency.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Your soup will stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can You Freeze This? I know there’s a lot of mixed advice about freezing cream soups. I do not freeze cream soups. They have a tendency to separate and the texture changes.
Make-Ahead Tips: My best suggestion to get a head start is to prep the veggies and store them in a container or Ziploc until you’re ready for them. That will save you the most time.
Serving Suggestions
This rich and creamy soup makes a satisfying meal all on its own, but a few simple sides make it even better.
Something green – Serve it with Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Green Beans for an easy veggie on the side.
A fresh salad – A crisp House Salad is a nice contrast to the rich, creamy soup.
Don’t forget the bread – This soup practically begs for something to dunk into that creamy broth! Try Bisquick Biscuits or warm Garlic Bread to soak up every last drop.
Frequently Asked Questions
◆ Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Absolutely! Rotisserie chicken is one of my favorite shortcuts for this soup. Remove the skin and bones, then chop or shred the meat before adding it to the soup. Leftover cooked chicken works beautifully too.
◆ How do I keep cream of chicken soup from getting lumpy?
Cook the flour with the butter and vegetables for 1–2 minutes, then add the chicken broth gradually while whisking. Once the first portion of broth is smoothly incorporated into the roux, you can add the remaining broth more quickly.
◆ Why is my cream of chicken soup too thick?
This soup will thicken as it simmers and even more as it cools. Simply stir in additional chicken broth, about ½ cup at a time, until it reaches the consistency you like.
◆ Can I make cream of chicken soup ahead of time?
Yes. This is a great make-ahead soup. Prepare it as directed, cool it, and refrigerate it in an airtight container. When reheating, you may need to add a splash of chicken broth to loosen it back up.
◆ Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
You can, but the soup won’t be as rich or creamy. Heavy cream gives this recipe its signature velvety texture, so I recommend using it if possible.
◆ What does the sherry add to cream of chicken soup?
Dry sherry adds a subtle savory depth that complements the chicken and creamy broth. It shouldn’t make the finished soup taste strongly of sherry—it simply makes the overall flavor richer and more complex.
Still have questions? Drop them in the comments — I love helping you cook with confidence! 💗
More Chicken Soup Recipes
- Chicken Florentine Soup – Rich and creamy with tender chicken, spinach, and plenty of cozy Italian-inspired flavor.
- Chicken Vegetable Soup – A hearty, comforting soup loaded with tender chicken and plenty of wholesome vegetables.
- Italian Chicken Soup – A flavorful, hearty chicken soup filled with vegetables and classic Italian seasonings.
- Lemon Chicken Soup – Bright, fresh lemon flavor gives this comforting chicken soup a deliciously sunny twist.
- Crack Chicken Noodle Soup – An extra-cozy chicken noodle soup loaded with creamy, cheesy, bacon-packed flavor.
- Chicken Taco Soup – A hearty, boldly seasoned chicken soup packed with Tex-Mex flavor.
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Cream Of Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stocks celery, diced
- 4 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 heaping tablespoon chicken flavor Better Than Bouillon
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 3 cups cooked chicken, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons dry sherry
Garnish (optional);
- oyster crackers
- fresh parsley, chopped
- fresh thyme, chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, over medium-low heat, add butter (1/2 cup) and saute the onions (1), garlic (2 cloves), celery (2 stocks), and carrots (4) stirring often, until onions are translucent about 10-12 minutes.
- Sprinkle vegetables with flour (1/2 cup) and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat and slowly whisk in broth until smooth.
- Return pot to heat, add chicken broth (6 cups), Better Than Bouillon (1 heaping tablespoon), thyme (4 sprigs), bay leaf (1), salt (1/2 teaspoon), black pepper (1/4 teaspoon) bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes.
- Mix in peas and chicken and simmer until heated through about 7-8 minutes. Remove and discard thyme stems and bay leaf. Whisk in heavy cream (2 cups) and sherry (2 teaspoons). Adjust seasoning. Ladle into individual bowls. Garnish with oyster crackers, chopped parsley, and chopped thyme. Serve.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Aromatics: Do you have to sauté the vegetables before adding them to the soup? That’s an emphatic, YES!
- When the onion and garlic are raw, they contain compounds that are pungent and sulfurous. When those same vegetables are sauteed, the compounds actually change in flavor profile, becoming less harsh and less intense… actually evolving into something sweet and, in my ever so humble opinion, wonderful.
- In this recipe, the celery and carrots are sautéed with the aromatics
- Flour – All-purpose flour helps build the roux and thickens this cream of chicken soup recipe. Make sure you toast the flour by cooking it for 1-2 minutes after adding it to the vegetables. Stir frequently so it doesn’t burn. This will remove the raw flour taste.
- Better Than Bouillon – Better Than Bouillon is a concentrated paste made of cooked meat or vegetables that you dilute with boiling water. It lends a depth of flavor to the stock. I generally use it combined with a stock or broth to fortify the broth or stocks flavor.
- It’s so much better than cubed bouillon and I find it to be quite a bit less salty. It’s available in a reduced-sodium chicken version for those with dietary restrictions. I use the regular version and have never had a problem with recipes tasting too salty. Don’t take just my word for it.
- I first discovered it in articles written by Cook’s Illustrated and you know they research everything. Check out this article from Food52.
- Chicken – Here’s the easy part. Rotisserie is fantastic but any cooked chicken will work just fine. I love the extra flavor rotisserie chicken adds, not to mention the convenience. If you’d like to use some home-cooked chicken, I would suggest poaching it.
Nutrition
I’ve used this recipe at least five times now. It’s really perfect. Making it again tonight with some homemade biscuits, can’t wait!!
Hey Desiree, I’m so happy you’re enjoying this soup! <3
Wow, this is a 10/10!!
Thanks Amber 🙂
Can you add potatoes to this soup to make creamy chicken and potato soup ?
Hi, Maggie! Of course! Just check out my chicken potato soup recipe and follow the instructions. Happy cooking!
I would like to know if you suggest using one cup or 2 cups of the heavy cream. I would like to make that this soup this weekend and I want to buy a sufficient amount. Thank yoU
Hi, Donn! It can be either 1-2 cups depending on your preference. 😀 Happy cooking!
I don’t have heavy cream. Can I use milk instead?
Yes but it won’t be as thick or creamy.