Creamy Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Chicken

Make this hearty, creamy broccoli and cheese and chicken soup to warm your body, soul and make you feel ‘all the feels’ this fall.

A perfect bowl of comfort.

That is what this soup is to me. In fact, I have always felt soup comforting. I’m not quite sure why, but my love for soup has preceded my love for all other foods. Though I have to say broccoli and cheese, I’m surprised how much I love that combination now. Growing up, you couldn’t pay me to eat broccoli, I detested it.

Now, I’m sitting here trying to grinding up my last amount before it spoils, as it MUST get used.

Frankly, I have made it a goal of mine to make more soup vs. succumbing towards just buying it. I remember always wanting to order the broccoli and cheese soup with a crostini at Cactus Club, and then they removed it from the menu and I was peeved. However, that’s not the reason I looked towards creating a recipe.

I want to control the ingredients, as well as just play around more with the flavours I always enjoy. Though I love soup, I often tinker with any version I bring home by adding salt, hot sauce, vegetables, an egg, or some interesting seasoning to make it “my own.”

I thought it was time I tested out my hand on creating a broccoli and cheese soup. My version…it’s made with milk, not cream. It also has a helping of shredded chicken…and garlic (if you are surprised there, well then you must not know how much I love garlic). Garlic and broccoli have a beautiful marriage in this soup. As for the milk vs. cream, using a rue-type technique you really do not lose out on the creaminess. I promise.

Ok, without further delay…here is a healthier, and fool-proof, version of broccoli and cheese soup with chicken.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Chicken

A hearty and warming soup full of garlic aroma, cheese and milk. A perfect bowl of comfort.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Soup

Equipment

• Pot
• Mini blender or small food processor

Ingredients

  

Soup Base

• 2 tbsp butter or non-hydrogenated margarine
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup low-fat milk 1% or 2% works best
• 1 cup chicken bone broth
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Chicken and Broccoli Mixture - To Add to Soup Base

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup broccoli minced
• 1 cup rotisserie chicken or baked chicken shredded and minced
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp harissa or chilli powder

Cheese

• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 1/2 cup shredded marble cheddar

Instructions

 

• Shred and mince the chicken in your mini food processor and set aside.
• Mince the broccoli and set aside.
• In a pan, add your olive oil, the chicken, the broccoli, onion powder, garlic, and chilli powder.
• Lightly sautee and remove from heat.
• Start on the soup base by sauteeing onion and garlic in the butter.
• Add the flour and mix well to make a rue.
• Once browned, add in the both milks and the chicken broth and whisk continously on medium heat.
• Once blended and warmed, add in the chicken and broccoli mixture and continue to mix.
• Add in water to thin the mixture slightly.
• Let come together to a light simmer, not boiling, and add the cheese.
• Continue to mix on low to medium heat.
• Once fully mixed in and no cheese or clumps are there, remove from heat. If you want you can further emulsify with a hand blender, however it's fine to leave as is (I enjoy it with bits of broccoili).
• Pour in a bowl and serve with garlic toast or as is.

Keyword broccoli and cheese, chicken soup

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

And if you like this recipe, you may want to check out my take on Broccoli and Cheese Rice. 

Yum!