Description
This Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup is a rich and comforting recipe made from scratch using fresh vegetables, chicken, and a creamy broth base. Perfectly thickened with a roux of butter and flour, it combines tender chicken, peas, and flavorful seasoning for a hearty and satisfying soup. Served with crispy homemade croutons, it makes a delicious, nourishing meal that is easy to prepare in about 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 50 g / 3.5 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup / 75 g flour
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ small brown onion, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, diced
- ½ red capsicum/bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 small celery stick, diced
- 2 cups / 500 ml chicken stock/broth, preferably low sodium
- 3 cups / 750 ml milk, any fat %
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 1 cup cooked chicken, diced or shredded
Croutons
- 2 slices white bread, cut into cubes
- Olive oil spray
- Salt
Instructions
- Saute Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion and minced garlic clove and cook for about 2 minutes until they become partly translucent but are not browned.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the diced carrot, celery, and finely chopped red capsicum. Cook for 1 minute until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Make the Roux: Add the unsalted butter to the pot and let it melt. Once melted, whisk in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to incorporate the flour and cook out its raw taste.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly until the flour is fully incorporated. Then add the milk and mix well. Season the soup with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, and black pepper. Finally, add the cooked chicken and frozen peas to the pot.
- Simmer and Thicken: Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom. Let it thicken over about 4 to 5 minutes without letting it boil.
- Adjust Seasoning & Serve: Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with homemade croutons and fresh thyme if desired.
- Prepare Croutons: Spray the bread cubes generously with olive oil spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5 minutes or until golden and crunchy.
Notes
- This recipe is an updated homemade version replacing the traditional canned condensed cream of chicken soup, providing fresh flavor with longer-lasting leftovers.
- For a heartier meal, add cooked noodles or rice and additional vegetables into the soup.
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When reheating, add a little water if the soup is too thick.
- Nutritional info based on 4 servings, excluding croutons. Each serving is approximately 1¾ cups.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 3/4 cups
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
