Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Soup

This cheesy chicken broccoli soup is warm, filling and ready in just 20 minutes! The perfect easy soup to make for lunch or dinner!

 

Soup season is such a cozy time of year. ❤️

I think big, warm sweaters (or pajamas or sweats, depending on how I'm feeling), layers of blankets, a fire in the fireplace if I’m lucky, and a big bowl of steaming, hearty soup.

Hello, comfort!

And this cheesy chicken broccoli soup is classic comfort food.

It’s very filling and satisfying without being too heavy.

Plus it’s easy to make and comes together so quickly. 

It’s fast enough for a weeknight meal but also works great for a slower weekend night when you’d rather read a magazine or watch a movie than fuss over dinner.

You can have it both ways with this chicken broccoli soup.

Ingredient Notes:

• Chicken: You can use leftover roast chicken or pick up a rotisserie chicken at the store. No cooked chicken? Just poach some chicken breasts in water on the stove before proceeding with this recipe.
• Milk: I lightened this soup up using 2% milk and fat-free half-and-half. You could certainly go full fat and use heavy cream if you want a richer soup.
• Cheese: The gruyere cheese here adds such great richness and depth of flavor. Highly recommend, but if you're not a fan, you could try this with cheddar cheese instead.

Be sure to add some crusty bread or rolls -- or just crackers if you prefer -- to pair with this soup. My jalapeño cheddar drop biscuits or easy cheesy cornbread muffins would be fabulous too!

Bonus: extras freeze beautifully!

Storage Tips:

1. Let the soup cool down after you've made it.
2. Ladle it into a freezer safe container, such as a plastic container, a glass jar or a ziptop bag.
3. Label your container and date it. I also like to keep a list on my kitchen desk of what I have in the freezer to refer to.
4. Freeze the soup for up to 6 months.
5. Defrost it overnight in the fridge. Then rewarm your soup on the stove over medium low until it's warmed through and dig in!

Love easy soups? Me too! Here are a few more to try:

- My 20-minute chicken + tortellini soup is as quick + easy as this recipe.

- For really hands off, my healthy slow cooker chicken chili is a favorite.

- My hobo stew is a great budget-friendly recipe using ground turkey - or leftover Thanksgiving turkey!

- 20-minute chicken tortellini soup with kale is another easy, fast weeknight dinner.

So grab your blanket and your spoon and whip up this quick and cheesy chicken broccoli soup for some serious comfort food enjoyment.

All the flavor without all the fuss. My kind of meal. 😉

Mmm, soup season. Such a lovely time of year.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

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2.21 from 5 votes

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Soup

This cheesy chicken broccoli soup is warm, filling and ready in just 20 minutes! The perfect easy soup to make for lunch or dinner!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Yield: 4 -6 servings

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Cook Mode

Ingredients

• 1 pound broccoli (it’s a lot! about 3 large heads), florets trimmed
• 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 3 cups milk (I use 2%)
• 1 cup half-and-half (I use fat-free)
• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (leftover or from a rotisserie chicken)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 heaping cups grated Gruyere cheese, plus extra for serving (see notes)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

• Heat 2 cups of the chicken broth in a large pot until boiling. Add broccoli florets, cover and let cook for 5-10 minutes, until tender.
• Remove broccoli with a slotted spoon (leaving the broth in the pot) and set aside to cool slightly before chopping the broccoli.
• Meanwhile, add the remaining 1 ½ cups chicken broth to the pot along with the milk, half and half, chicken, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and heat over medium for several minutes.
• Add the chopped broccoli (watch for splatters!) and stir until everything is combined and heated through.
• Add the cheese and butter, stirring until melted. Ladle the chowder into bowls and serve with extra cheese, if desired.

Notes

Chicken: You can use leftover roast chicken or pick up a rotisserie chicken at the store. No cooked chicken? Just poach some chicken breasts in water on the stove before proceeding with this recipe.

Cheese: The Gruyere cheese adds such great richness and depth of flavor. However, you could make this with a sharp cheddar cheese instead.

Leftovers: The extras freeze beautifully! Let the soup cool, then ladle it into a labeled freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat on the stove over medium low until warmed through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 697mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g

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