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This chunky, hearty Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup is packed with protein and tender vegetables, all enveloped in a rich, creamy, and super flavorful cheesy broth. It’s then topped with crispy bacon for an extra delicious touch!
Be sure to check out my Panera Autumn Squash Soup Recipe and my Zuppa Toscana Soup if you love cozy fall soups.
Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I don’t know about you, but I literally forget soup exists in the spring and summer. But once that first leaf falls, I transform into cozy fall recipe mode, and I want all the soups, pastas, pumpkin, and squash recipes I can get my hands on. I’m surprised it’s taken me this long to do my own rendition of broccoli cheddar soup. There are lots of recipes out there, but if you’ve been following my blog, you know I’m all about flavor! This soup is absolutely bursting with it, and I can’t wait for you to try it!
Most of us first fell in love with broccoli cheddar soup at Panera Bread, much like their Autumn Squash Soup. In this recipe, I elevate the flavor with a variety of spices and herbs and load it up with chicken and bacon, which transforms this from an appetizer to a hearty meal. Serve it up with buttered sourdough toast for the perfect meal.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients
Here is what you’ll need to make this delicious cozy soup recipe! (Be sure to review the recipe card below for measurements.)
Broccoli – just the florets, cut into small bite-sized pieces so you’re sure to get some in each bite.
Carrots – you probably didn’t notice that there are julienned carrots in most bowls of broccoli cheddar soup.
Cheese – cheddar cheese that’s freshly shredded off the block. You can get creative with aged cheddars, smoked cheddars, or spicy blends like pepper jack, habanero jack or similar.
Aromatics – we’ll use onion, shallots, and garlic for maximum flavor.
Protein – boneless/skinless chicken breasts and bacon. You can use rotisserie chicken to save time.
Soup Base – a combination of chicken stock, milk, and a little cream.
Seasonings & Flour – garlic and onion powder, dried thyme, sazon seasonings, salt, and pepper for the soup, and an all-purpose poultry seasoning for the chicken.
Butter – just a little butter for sauteing our onion and garlic.
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook the diced chicken until it’s cooked through, about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add diced bacon and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon and most of the bacon grease, leaving 1 tablespoon behind.
- To the bacon drippings, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook the onions, shallots, and garlic together until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle over the soup seasonings and flour and stir for about 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock, milk, and cream, whisking continuously. Stir in the carrots and broccoli. Turn heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
- Add the chicken back into the pot, stirring to incorporate. Add the cheese in portions, stirring after each addition until the cheese melts. To serve, top each bowl with a pinch of cheese and crispy bacon.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this cheesy, decadent soup as an appetizer or as a hearty meal since it’s packed with protein. I love to pair it with a sandwich (like my Starbucks Grilled Cheese Sandwich) or with a salad to lighten it up.
I absolutely adore serving toasted and buttered sourdough for dipping, it’s like croutons, only better!
Broccoli Cheese Soup Pro Tips
Low and Slow – it’s essential to simmer the soup and avoid boiling it. This will result in the soup “splitting” where the dairy curdles and gets grainy.
Scrape the brown bits – after the chicken and bacon have cooked in the pot, we sauté the aromatics. Be sure to scrape up all the browned bits to impart lots of flavor into the soup.
No bagged cheese – shred the cheese off the block for better meltability.
Use a rotisserie chicken – if you want to save time, shredded chicken is tender, delicious, and cuts down on prep and cooking time.
Looking for More Cozy Recipes?
Panera Autumn Squash Soup
Zuppa Toscana Soup
One-Pan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
Pumpkin Alfredo with Hot Honey
Better Than Olive Garden’s Chicken Alfredo
Crockpot Hamburger Potato Casserole
I hope you enjoyed this Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe! I look forward to your questions and feedback below.
Please be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking using hashtag #badbatchbaking if you made this recipe and I will feature you on my story! Plus, I LOVE to see your baking accomplishments.
Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breasts cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose poultry seasoning
- 6 strips bacon diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2.5 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese* shredded
- 3 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup julienned carrots
soup seasoning
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 packet sazon
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook the diced chicken until it's cooked through, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add diced bacon and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon and most of the bacon grease, leaving 1 tablespoon behind.
- To the bacon drippings, melt butter. Cook the onions, shallots, and garlic together until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle over the soup seasonings and flour and stir for about 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock, milk, and cream, whisking continuously. Stir in the carrots and broccoli. Turn heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
- Add the chicken back into the pot, stirring to incorporate. Add the cheese in portions, stirring after each addition until the cheese melts. To serve, top each bowl with a pinch of cheese and crispy bacon.
This soup is full of so much flavor! You are going to love this recipe.