Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup
Velvety creamy mushroom soup! So cozy, comforting, hearty. A 30 min recipe, truly weeknight-dinner worthy!
Don’t mind me as I drown myself in this epic creaminess in the middle of winter. A fun spin on chicken soup, this is made even creamier with a quick roux, along with all the little cremini mushrooms, mirepoix with garlicky-thyme brothy-goodness.
REASONS TO MAKE CREAMY CHICKEN MUSHROOM SOUP
- Quick, cozy weeknight meal. This chicken soup uses pantry staples like chicken stock, and comes together lightening fast (certainly weeknight worthy).
- Clean-out-the-fridge meal. This is an ideal recipe to throw in any veggies (ex. peas, corn, green beans, broccoli or spinach) on hand that need to be used up ASAP, the most perfect opportunity for those picky eaters.
- Best soup for dunking. What a great excuse to whip up some crusty bread off to the side to dunk into this cozy pot of earthy, wholesome comfort food.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESS
- Repurpose leftover rotisserie chicken. To cut down on prep time even more, substitute rotisserie chicken for the chicken thighs.
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your soup. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Use heavy cream for more richness. Heavy cream will have a higher fat content than half and half, yielding a thicker, more velvety smooth consistency. On the flipside, use milk over half and half for a lighter soup.
- Add in leafy greens. This is a great recipe to sneak in leafy greens for those picky eaters. Spinach, kale, collard greens, swiss chard, or arugula are all great options.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
- Freeze without the dairy. Skip the half and half prior to freezing to avoid graininess and separating, adding it in right before serving.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CREAMY CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM SOUP
- Easy No Knead Bread
- Honey Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
- Sourdough Biscuits
- Roasted Vegetables
- Best Chicken Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons
TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
Dutch oven
CREAMY CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM SOUP: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
Half and half is equal parts of whole milk and cream. For 1 cup half and half, you can substitute 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream or 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the half and half (dairy soups tend to separate when frozen) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding half and half when serving. Label, date and freeze up to 2 months.
Recipe
Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Equipment
Dutch Oven
Instructions
1. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 2-3 minutes; set aside.
3. Melt butter in the stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
6. Stir in chicken stock, bay leaf and chicken, and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes.
7. Stir in half and half until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.
8. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
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