Chicken Soup is a comfort food classic, so this creamy chicken soup is one of my Mom’s recipes that I just had to learn. I’ve filled it with chicken, celery, carrots, broth, garlic, and plenty of seasonings. Thanks to heavy cream and white wine, every spoonful has the creamiest, silkiest texture. I have to say, the flavor is unbeatable. It’s not an exaggeration to say this rich and creamy chicken soup is one of my favorite recipes of all time.

overhead view of creamy chicken soup in a bowl, slices of carrots, shredded chicken, and seasonings are visible on the surface, a soup spoon lays at the left-side of the bowl

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I think this is truly the best chicken soup recipe ever, one that our family can’t get enough of, and I hope your family loves it too.

Why We Love This Chicken Soup Recipe

I’ve realized that making chicken soup from scratch is so easier than I once thought! Chicken, broth, veggies, and the best ingredients to season and create the right texture make up the bulk of this homemade recipe. This is my favorite recipe that my Mom makes, I’ve made it countless times for family and friends. Everyone that tries this soup asks for the recipe. It is a standout.

  • Creamy. The thing that really makes this the best chicken soup for me is the silky texture. Creamy is always more comforting!
  • Homemade. Making soup from scratch is well worth the effort for ultimate flavor.
  • Family favorite. This recipe has been a favorite in my family for the longest time, and now it’s been a reader favorite for years too!

Variations

I love to add potatoes to this creamy chicken soup. When wanting to bulk things up a bit, I bake or steam a couple of Yukon Gold potatoes until tender, chop them into 1” cubes, and add them to the soup right before serving! I also love this soup spooned over a baked potato for a unique and delicious twist.

close up view into a pot of homemade chicken soup
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How to Store and Reheat

I always let homemade chicken soup cool to room temperature before storing. Pour it into an airtight container, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

I like to reheat on the stovetop, simmering and stirring until fully heated through. I always stir in a bit of heavy cream to revive the creaminess.

How to Freeze Chicken Soup

This creamy chicken soup recipe actually freezes really well, so add it to your list of freezer meals! After it has cooled, I pour it into an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze up to 3 months. I also pour portions into resealable bags and freeze flat on a tray. That is a great way to give this meal as a gift to new moms or a family that you want to help with meal planning.

When ready to serve, I thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.

I do not recommend freezing if you’ve added potatoes to the soup like I talked about above.

Serving Suggestions

I’ve found that the creamy texture of this easy chicken soup recipe makes it perfect for pairing with breads to help scoop or soak up the broth. I love to serve it with skillet bread, rosemary focaccia, cheddar bay biscuits, or homemade naan.

three-quarters view into a bowl of creamy chicken soup with vegetables.

More Chicken Soup Recipes We Love

5-Star Reviews

  • “I found this recipe several years ago and I’ve made this soup several times since. It’s so good!” – Catie
  • “Oh my goodness! This is the best soup in the world! I served it on a cold wintry night with crusty bread and it hit the spot.” – Carolyn
  • “This is my favorite soup ever! I’ve made it so many times and every time I make it for someone, they say it tastes like a very rich, exquisite soup like something you would get at a fancy restaurant! It is so amazing!!!” – Kim

Step by Step

How to make Creamy Chicken Soup

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Recipe Card

Creamy Chicken Soup Recipe

4.72 from 219 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 8 bowls
Author: Susie Gall
featured creamy chicken soup
This homemade creamy chicken soup recipe is super creamy and filled with flavor. It's the most comforting bowl of soup you'll ever eat!
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Ingredients 

For the Roux

For the Soup

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 6 carrots peeled and cut into ⅛-inch slices
  • 2 ribs celery cut into ⅛-inch slices
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • ¼ cup dry or semi-dry white wine
  • cups half-and-half
  • 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 3 dried bay leaves
  • teaspoon herbs de Provence
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric optional
  • ½ teaspoon ground paprika optional
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • 5 cups cooked chicken cubed or shredded – rotisserie chicken works well (see note)

Optional Garnishes

Instructions 

For the Roux

  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan then sprinkle the flour on top. Whisk quickly until well combined. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the roux turns light golden brown. Slowly, while whisking, add 1-cup chicken stock to the roux and whisk vigorously until smooth. Remove the roux from the heat and set it aside while combining other ingredients.
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

For the Soup

  • In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil over Med-High heat. Add the carrots and celery, sauté 5 minutes; stir occasionally. Add the diced onions and cook 3 additional minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds – just long enough for the garlic to bloom.
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 6 carrots, 2 ribs celery, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 clove garlic
    carrots, onions and celery in a pan.
  • Slowly add 1 cup of broth while scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze the pan. Add the rest of the broth and the wine, the roux and stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir often..
    3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, ¼ cup dry or semi-dry white wine
    a pot with a yellow liquid in it.
  • Reduce the heat to low and add all other ingredients except the garnishes.
    3½ cups half-and-half, 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, 3 dried bay leaves, 1½ teaspoon herbs de Provence, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 5 cups cooked chicken
    a pot with a yellow liquid in it.
  • Simmer 15 minutes then taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. This is the time to add salt or pepper, if desired. Continue to simmer the soup until it thickens, about 30-45 minutes more, or to the desired consistency.
    chicken noodle soup in a pan with a wooden spoon.
  • Discard the bay leaves.
  • Garnish with sprinklings of shredded Gruyere and fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread.
    Freshly shredded Gruyere cheese, Chopped fresh parsley

Video

Becky’s Tips

  • Creamy Chicken Soup is delicious served over baked potatoes.
  • A variation: Potatoes are delicious added to this soup. I like to bake or steam a couple of Yukon Gold potatoes until tender, chop them into 1” cubes and add to the soup right before serving.
  • If the soup doesn’t thicken to your liking, add 2 tablespoons cornstarch to ¼ cup cold milk/cream, stir and add it to the soup. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes, stir often. Reduce heat to LOW and simmer until desired thickness.
  • Creamy Chicken Soup freezes well. It will keep up to 3 months. Be sure no potatoes are added before freezing.
  • We love to use shredded rotisserie chicken in this soup. It makes things quick and easy. Do not use smoked rotisserie chicken because it will change the overall taste significantly.
Serving: 1bowlCalories: 444kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 26gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 166mgPotassium: 538mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 8408IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 153mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Creamy Chicken Soup Step by Step

Make a roux: Heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium saucepan, then sprinkle the flour on top. Whisk quickly until well combined. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the roux turns light golden brown. Slowly, while still whisking, add 1 cup of chicken stock, and whisk vigorously until smooth. Remove the roux from the heat and set it aside.

roux in a pan.

Sautee vegetables: In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add 6 carrots (peeled and cut into 1/8 inch slices) and 2 stalks of celery (cut into 1/8 inch slices), then sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the diced onions (1 yellow onion) and cook 3 additional minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add 1 clove of minced garlic, and cook 30 seconds (just long enough for the garlic to bloom).

carrots, onions and celery in a pot.

Add liquid and deglaze: Slowly add 1 cup of chicken broth while scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any browned bits of veggies. Then add the rest of the broth (2 cups) and 1/4 cup of a dry white wine. Stir in the roux and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often.

Add the rest of the ingredients: Reduce the heat to low and add all other ingredients. 3 1/2 cups of half and half; 2 tablespoons of chicken base granules; 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper; 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley; 3 dried bay leaves; 1 1/2 teaspoons of Herbs de Provence; and 5 cups of cooked chicken (shredded or cubed).

Simmer the soup: Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, then taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Continue to simmer the soup until it thickens to your desired consistency, about 30-45 minutes more.

cream of chicken soup in a pot with a wooden spoon.

Serve: Once it’s done, discard the bay leaves, garnish with sprinklings of shredded Gruyere and fresh parsley, and enjoy!

What is a roux?

A roux is a simple mixture that combines equal parts flour and fat (like butter or oil) and is briefly cooked. This mixture is used to thicken liquids, like soups or sauces.

What’s the best kind of chicken to use in chicken soup?

Use chicken that has already been fully cooked. A rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken, shredded chicken, or cubed chicken all work fine in this recipe. If you are cooking something fresh for this recipe, try this pan-seared chicken breast.

How do you thicken chicken soup?

We use a roux to thicken the soup base. If the soup doesn’t thicken to your liking, add 2 tablespoons cornstarch to ¼ cup cold milk/cream, stir, then add it to the soup. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes, stir often. Reduce heat to LOW and simmer until it reaches your desired thickness.

How do you make chicken soup creamy?

Half and half is my secret ingredient to make the creamiest chicken soup recipe.

How long do you cook chicken soup on the stove?

Let the soup simmer anywhere from 45-60 minutes, until it reaches your desired thickness and consistency.

Meet Susie Gall

Susie Gall is Becky's mom and a seasoned recipe developer and home cook. Everyone who tastes Susie's food says it's the best they have ever had. Susie has been cooking for family and friends for over 60 years. You can find more of her amazing recipes on her food blog, Simply Sated.

4.72 from 219 votes (157 ratings without comment)
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268 Comments
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Melissa
Melissa
November 2, 2023 4:22 pm

Best soup every 😋 love it5 stars

Melissa
Melissa
December 30, 2023 4:40 pm
Reply to  Melissa

I posted comment before I typed my comment.
Anyhoo, I’ve made this soup countless times, it is AMAZING!!!

Catie
Catie
October 8, 2023 4:18 pm

I found this recipe several years ago and I’ve made this soup several times since. It’s so good!5 stars

Samantha Marceau
October 9, 2023 10:04 am
Reply to  Catie

We love to hear that, Catie!

Travis Boudreaux
Travis Boudreaux
September 21, 2023 6:32 pm

Very easy recipe and the soup turned out so flavorful, probably the best thing I’ve cooked so far. I didn’t have half and half so I subbed with a 75/25 mix of heavy cream and milk, turned out spectacular.

The one oddity I did notice is that the recipe calls for wine to deglaze vegetables you have sauteed in a generous amount of fat. I uses the wine anyways for acidity but I’m not sure I’ve ever needed to deglaze onions and celery haha5 stars

Samantha Marceau
September 22, 2023 9:19 am

Hi Travis, any time you are sautéing something, it can create browning in the pan. The wine is mostly to add acidity to the dish, but it can also help scrape up any of those browned bits!

Tamara G. Suttle
Tamara G. Suttle
September 3, 2023 11:09 pm

Becky, your patience with the incivility in some of these comments is remarkably above and beyond!

These people seem glaringly clueless to the amount of time, efforts, and expense it takes to build and maintain a blog like yours.

And, they act as if you owe them something!

Kudos to you – for your kindness and this awesome recipe, too!5 stars

Samantha Marceau
September 5, 2023 9:11 am

Thanks so much for your kind words, Tamara!

Samantha Marceau
May 22, 2023 9:00 am

Hi, this recipe comfortably serves 8!

Jason
Jason
May 3, 2023 9:42 pm

Great soup. Great with some french bread with butter.5 stars

Samantha Marceau
May 4, 2023 9:22 am
Reply to  Jason

Happy to hear you enjoyed it, Jason!

Johanna Hildebrand
Johanna Hildebrand
March 23, 2023 7:57 am

I am going to make a strong suggestion that the turmeric and Paprika be sautéed with the vegetables rather than added in with liquid. This will permit the rawness be cooked out. Very rich and delicious otherwise.

Andrea
Andrea
March 22, 2023 4:41 pm

This soup is fantastic! We’ve already made it three times. I was a bit confused why the roux calls for stock while the soup calls for broth but we made it once with broth in both and it wasn’t quite as good so from now on I’ll use both like the recipe says.5 stars

Carolyn
Carolyn
March 14, 2023 9:57 am

Oh my goodness! This is the best soup in the world! I served it on a cold wintry night with crusty bread and it hit the spot. Didn’t have Gruyere cheese so omitted it but can’t wait to try it next time! Thank you for sharing!5 stars

Andrea
Andrea
February 27, 2023 11:30 am

This soup is wonderful. I was hesitant to spend so much money buying all the herbs and seasoning but as it turns out we’ll be making this soup often.5 stars