Description
A rich, creamy chicken soup that's hearty and satisfying, made with tender chicken, cheese, spinach, and a blend of herbs for maximum flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups chicken broth (preferably low‑sodium)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried dill
- ½ tsp dried chives
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 4 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Fresh dill, chopped (for garnish)
- Green scallions, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil or butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent (about 3 minutes).
- Add minced garlic and cook for 20‑30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add bay leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried chives, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in shredded chicken and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Add softened cream cheese and grated cheddar cheese. Whisk until cheeses are fully melted and incorporated.
- Add baby spinach and heavy cream. Simmer for about 3 minutes until spinach wilts and soup becomes creamy.
- Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh dill and green scallions.
Notes
- Use low‑sodium broth to control salt level.
- Softened cream cheese blends more easily into the soup.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half‑and‑half or full‑fat coconut milk.
- Spinach can be replaced with kale or other leafy greens.
- For extra protein, add a whisked egg towards the end and stir to create egg ribbons.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (~1 cup)
- Calories: ≈ 280 kcal
- Sugar: ≈ 1‑2 g
- Sodium: ≈ 550‑700 mg
- Fat: ≈ 21‑24 g
- Saturated Fat: ≈ 10‑11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ≈ 8 g
- Trans Fat: ≈ 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: ≈ 4‑5 g
- Fiber: ≈ 1 g
- Protein: ≈ 20 g
- Cholesterol: ≈ 90 mg
