Garlic Parmesan Chicken Soup (Printable)

Creamy soup with tender chicken, garlic, and Parmesan in a velvety herb-infused broth.

# What You Need:

→ Base

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

→ Chicken

04 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

→ Liquid & Dairy

05 - 4 cups chicken broth
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Optional Add-ins

11 - 2 cups fresh spinach or kale, roughly chopped

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh parsley, chopped
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to brown it.
03 - Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook 5-7 minutes while stirring occasionally until no longer pink and beginning to turn golden.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, add dried thyme and basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 10-15 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and flavors develop.
05 - Lower heat to minimum. Stir in heavy cream and gradually add Parmesan cheese in 1/4 cup increments, stirring constantly until smooth and creamy.
06 - If using spinach or kale, add it now and stir until wilted, approximately 1-2 minutes.
07 - Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish generously with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours on it but comes together in less time than most sitcom episodes.
  • The Parmesan melts into this dreamy, savory richness that coats every spoonful without feeling heavy.
  • You can throw it together on a Tuesday and still feel like you cooked something special.
02 -
  • Add the Parmesan on low heat and stir constantly or it will seize up into grainy clumps instead of melting into the soup.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan melts beautifully, but the pre-shredded stuff has coatings that make it separate and get weird.
  • If your soup gets too thick as it sits, just thin it out with a splash of broth or cream when you reheat it.
03 -
  • Cut your chicken into even cubes so they cook uniformly and you don't end up with some pieces dry and others underdone.
  • Let the soup sit for five minutes off the heat before serving so the flavors settle and the texture smooths out even more.
  • If you're doubling the recipe, don't double the salt and seasonings automatically, taste as you go because it can get too salty fast.
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