Cream Of Chicken Soup

Homemade cream of chicken soup has layers of intensely yummy flavor and a creamy velvety texture that’ll fill you with a warm fervent glow.

Course Chicken Dinner, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Cream Of Chicken Soup, Cream Of Chicken Soup Recipe, How Do I Make Cream Of Chicken Soup, How To Make Cream Of Chicken Soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings - 6 servings

Calories 564kcal

Author Kathleen

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
6-8 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
frozen peas, thawed
3 cups cooked chicken, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1-2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons dry sherry

Garnish (optional);

oyster crackers
fresh parsley, chopped
fresh thyme, chopped

US Customary - Metric

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 (6-8 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 (1-2 cups) and sherry (2 teaspoons). Adjust seasoning. Ladle into individual bowls. Garnish with oyster crackers, chopped parsley, and chopped thyme. Serve.

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