Chicken Mac and Cheese Soup (Macaroni Soup)

This Chicken Macaroni Soup is about to be your new favorite comfort food! I’ve combined delicious, creamy chicken soup with cheesy macaroni to create the perfect dish: Chicken Mac and Cheese Soup. A big bowl of cheesy soup is exactly what you need this fall and winter season!

Macaroni Soup (Chicken Mac and Cheese Soup)

Macaroni Soup is made with chicken, lots of cheese, veggies, and shell pasta. The base has the creamiest texture, while the pasta and veggies give it a heartiness to fill you up. And we’re serving it with the perfect side, cheesy crostini. This toasted bread with a layer of melted cheese goes so well with mac and cheese soup!

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Chicken Macaroni Soup

4.53 from 574 votes

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Author: Becky Hardin

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Macaroni Soup is about to be your new favorite comfort food! It’s the perfect mac and cheese recipe in soup form, with chicken and veggies thrown in for good measure. You're going to want to eat a bowl of this every day!

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Ingredients 

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For the Toasted Cheesy Crostini

• ▢ 1 French baguette cut into 1-inch slices
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ ½ cup shredded cheese cheddar or Italian blend
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For the Soup

• ▢ 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 3 cups cooked chicken
• ▢ Kosher salt to taste
• ▢ freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ stick
• ▢ 3 carrots cut into ⅛-inch slices
• ▢ 1 rib celery cut into ⅛-inch slices
• ▢ 1 yellow onion diced
• ▢ 4 cups chicken stock
• ▢ ¼ cup semi-dry or dry white wine one you like to drink; optional
• ▢ 1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ▢ ¾ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ ½ pound small shell pasta uncooked
• ▢ 2 cups whole milk or half-and-half
• ▢ ½ cup shredded Gruyére cheese
• ▢ 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
• ▢ ½ cup shredded Cheddar blend cheese
• ▢ chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
• ▢ smoked paprika or grated nutmeg optional

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Instructions 

For the Toasted Cheesy Crostini

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
• Place the baguette slices on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle them with oil.
  1 French baguette, 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Bake for 10 minutes, then turn each piece over and bake another for another 5-10 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.
• When ready to serve, set the oven to broil.

  Top each crostini with a mound of cheese and sprinkle (very lightly) with crushed red pepper flakes.
• Broil 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and has a little color on top.
• *NOTE: If not using crostini to top the soup, add ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper to the soup. This will add a little “kick” to the soup but won’t make it spicy.

For the Soup

• Pat the chicken breasts dry using paper towels and sprinkle both sides of the breasts with salt and pepper.
  2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
  
• Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil simmers, add the butter and the chicken breasts. Cook the chicken breasts for 3 minutes or until the pan-side is golden brown.
  2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• Flip the breasts over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer the breasts to a plate and set aside.
  
• Add the carrots and celery to the still-hot Dutch oven and, if needed, add 1-2 tablespoons more oil. Cook the vegetables for 3 minutes, stir occasionally.

  Add the onions and cook for another 3 minutes or until the onion has softened and is translucent.
  3 carrots, 1 rib celery, 1 yellow onion
  
• Slowly add the chicken stock, while stirring to deglaze the pan, and add the wine. Stir well. Bring the stock to a boil.
  4 cups chicken stock, ¼ cup semi-dry or dry white wine
• Add the thyme, nutmeg, mustard, and pasta. Stir well and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup for about 30 minutes. The pasta should be cooked through and the broth thickened.
  1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, ¾ tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ pound small shell pasta
  
• While the soup simmers, cut or shred the cooked chicken breasts.
  
• After 30 minutes, turn the heat to medium and add the milk and cut chicken breasts.
  2 cups whole milk
  
• Bring the soup to just below boiling and immediately reduce the heat to low. Cook the soup 10 minutes or until it has thickened slightly.
• When it is the desired consistency (soup-ish but not stew-ish), add the cheeses and stir until cheese has melted.
  ½ cup shredded Gruyére cheese, 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese, ½ cup shredded Cheddar blend cheese
  
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and top with one or two Toasted Cheesy Crostini (depending on the size).
• Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Sprinkle lightly with smoked paprika or grated nutmeg. Serve and enjoy!
  chopped fresh parsley, smoked paprika or grated nutmeg

Video

Becky’s Tips

• I prefer to use skinless boneless chicken, chicken tenders and thighs are other alternatives. You can also use shredded chicken.
• Swap chicken with Ground beef or ground turkey if desired.
• Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 742kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 37gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 1138mgPotassium: 775mgFiber: 4gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 5901IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 557mgIron: 3mg

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

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Chicken Macaroni Soup Step by Step

Prepare cheesy crostini: Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment. Take 1 French baguette and cut it into thick slices. Place the baguette slices on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle them with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Bake for 10 minutes, then turn each piece over and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. When ready to serve, set the oven to broil. Top each crostini with a mound of cheese and sprinkle (very lightly) with crushed red pepper flakes.

Broil 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and has a little color on top.

NOTE: If not using crostini to top the soup, add ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper to the soup. This will add a little “kick” to the soup but won’t make it spicy.

Prepare the Chicken: First place 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts on the wooden board and pat them dry. Season your chicken breasts with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

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Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, add the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and the seasoned chicken breasts.

Cook the chicken breasts 3 minutes or until the pan-side is golden brown. Then removed from the pot and set aside.

Make the Soup: To the same dutch oven, add 3 sliced carrots and 1 rib sliced celery. If needed, add 1-2 more tablespoons oil. Cook the vegetables 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the 1 yellow onion and cook another 3 minutes or until the onion has softened and is translucent.

Slowly add 4 cups chicken stock, while stirring to deglaze the pan, and add ¼ cup semi-dry or dry white wine. Stir well. Bring the stock to a boil.

Once vegetables are boiling, add 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, ¾ tablespoon Dijon mustard, and ½ pound small shell pasta. Stir well and bring back to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup about 30 minutes. The pasta should be cooked through and the broth thickened.

Cut the chicken and add in soup: While the soup is simmering cut or shred the chicken breasts.

After 30 minutes, turn the heat to medium and add 2 cups whole milk and cut chicken breasts.

Bring the soup to just below boiling and immediately reduce the heat to low. Cook the soup 10 minutes or until it has thickened slightly.

When it is the desired consistency (soup-ish but not stew-ish), add ½ cup shredded Gruyére cheese, 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese and ½ cup shredded Cheddar blend cheese and stir until cheese has melted.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and sprinkle lightly with smoked paprika or grated nutmeg.

How to Store

Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. Pasta will keep absorbing the liquid and soup may be thicker after a day or two. Adjust the consistency by adding chicken stock or cream as needed. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan over the stovetop.

I do not recommend freezing this soup.

Serving Suggestion

Macaroni chicken soup is a complete meal in itself but to make it more filling add some Pull Apart Cheesy Bread or some veggies like Roasted Vegetables. When I prepare this soup during the holidays, I pair it with Garlic Pull Apart Rolls!

I love having hearty, crusty bread to serve with soups because I’m a big fan of dipping too!

more soup recipes to try

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Matzo Ball Soup

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tuscan Chicken Soup

Cowboy Stew

Butternut Squash Soup

Bacon Beer Cheese Soup

Pasta e Fagioli Soup