This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Rich, cheesy, and creamy enough to coat every spoonful, this Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup is how I turn classic broccoli cheddar soup into a full dinner. I blend most, but not all, of the broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots so the vegetables give the broth body while leaving little bites behind, then finish it with milk and sharp cheddar instead of heavy cream. Tender shredded chicken brings each bowl to 39 grams of protein and everything cooks in one pot.
Table of Contents
Why I Blend Most of the Vegetables, But Not All
Broccoli cheddar soup is one of my favorite things to order with a sandwich, but at home I wanted the soup itself to feel like dinner. Adding chicken gives each serving 39 grams of protein, while broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and onion add about 5 grams of fiber.
How much you blend makes a big difference. Blend everything completely smooth and you lose those little bites of broccoli that make it feel like broccoli cheddar soup. Blend too little and the broth stays thinner than I like. I’ve found that blending about three-quarters of the vegetables gives me the best balance. The vegetables add body to the broth, but there are still tender pieces in every spoonful.
A few other things that make this version work well:
- 39 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving. Between the chicken, cheddar, milk, and vegetables, each bowl has enough protein and fiber to work as a full meal.
- It’s a full meal in one pot. The chicken cooks in the same pot before the soup comes together, so you get protein, vegetables, and a creamy cheddar broth without making anything separately.
- No heavy cream needed. Milk, sharp cheddar, and the blended vegetables create a rich, creamy broth without relying on heavy cream.
A Few Ingredients That Make a Difference
Most of the ingredients are straightforward, but a few choices make a noticeable difference in how quickly the soup comes together and how smooth and cheesy the broth turns out.
- Chicken: I use thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they cook quickly and evenly in the same pot before I start the soup. If you already have rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken, skip the first cooking step and stir it in after blending the vegetables.
- Sharp cheddar: Sharp cheddar gives me the strongest cheese flavor without needing an excessive amount. I recommend shredding it from a block so it melts smoothly into the broth. Pre-shredded cheese can leave the texture a little less silky.
- Milk: I use 2% milk because it gives the broth enough richness without making it overly heavy. Whole milk works well if you prefer an even richer soup.
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I cook the chicken first and set it aside while I make the broth. That way, I can blend the vegetables to the texture I want before adding the shredded chicken back in. Here’s how it comes together:
- Cook the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Season the thin-sliced chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper, then cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, until the thickest part reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate to rest.
- Soften the vegetables. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot, followed by the onion, garlic, and carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the broccoli and cauliflower. Cover and cook for another 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer until fork-tender. Pour in 3 cups of chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes. The vegetables are ready when a fork slides easily into the broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.
- Add the milk and cheddar gently. Reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the milk. Add the cheddar a little at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding more. Avoid letting the soup boil once the cheese goes in.
- Blend most of the soup. Remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend about three-quarters of the vegetables. Stop when the broth looks creamy but small pieces of broccoli and carrot are still visible. If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a little extra broth.
- Add the chicken back. Shred or roughly chop the rested chicken, then stir it into the soup. Warm over low heat for 3-4 minutes, just until everything is heated through. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.
Jamie’s Tips
How to Keep the Chicken Tender and the Cheddar Broth Smooth
A few small details make a big difference in the final texture, especially with thin chicken breasts and a cheese-based broth.
- Even out the chicken before cooking. Thin-sliced breasts can still have thicker ends, so I pound those spots slightly before they go into the pot. That helps the chicken cook at the same rate instead of drying out the edges.
- Keep the heat low once the dairy goes in. Milk and cheddar don’t need a hard boil. Gentle heat helps the cheese melt smoothly instead of separating or turning grainy.
- Thin with broth rather than milk. Add a splash of broth if the soup gets too thick. It loosens the texture without watering down the cheesy flavor or making the broth feel overly milky.
Meal Prep and Storage
This soup thickens as it sits, so leftovers will usually be a little thicker the next day. I usually add a splash of broth when reheating to bring it back to a consistency I like.
- Prep ahead: Chop the onion, carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower and shred the cheddar up to a day ahead. Keep the vegetables and cheese in separate covered containers in the refrigerator.
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat gently: Warm the soup over low heat, stirring often, until heated through. Avoid a hard boil, which can make the cheddar broth separate or become grainy.
- Adjust the consistency: If the soup has thickened in the refrigerator, stir in extra broth a tablespoon or two at a time until it reaches the texture you want.
- Microwave: Heat individual portions in short intervals, stirring between each one so the soup warms evenly without overheating the cheese.
More Cozy Soup Recipes
If you’ve made and loved this Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comments below!
One-Pot Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup (High Protein)
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken, sliced thin or purchase thin-sliced cutlets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 tbsp flour, optional for thickening
- 3/4 cup milk, 2%
- 1 large broccoli head, about 4-5 cups
- 1 small cauliflower head, about 3 cups
- 3-4 cups chicken broth, start with 3, add additional if too thick
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded from a block
Instructions
- In a sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp oil on medium heat and cook chicken breast until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes on each side. While the chicken is cooking, season with a pinch or so of salt and black pepper.
- Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Shred chicken and roughly chop.
- Heat another 1 tbsp of oil to the pan and add onion, garlic, and carrots. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add broccoli and cauliflower, cover, and allow to cook for 6-7 minutes while covered, stirring occasionally.
- Add chicken broth, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Add milk slowly while stirring, and then bring back to a simmer. Note: If you want a thicker soup, whisk 2 tbsp of flour into milk before adding milk.
- Stir in cheese slowly, allowing to melt into broth.
- Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup. It should be about 75% blended and creamy with some chunks of veggies here and there.
- Add chicken back to the soup and let simmer for another 3-4 minutes until heated evenly.
- Top with extra cheddar cheese and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- Shortcut option: Use rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken to save time. Skip the chicken-cooking step and stir it in after blending the soup.
- Use freshly grated cheddar. Cheese grated from a block melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese and helps keep the broth silky.
- Blend to your preferred texture. Blending about three-quarters of the vegetables gives the broth plenty of body while leaving small pieces of broccoli and carrot intact.
- Adjust the thickness with broth. If the soup gets thicker than you like, add extra broth a little at a time rather than more milk so the cheddar flavor stays concentrated.
- For leftovers: The soup thickens in the refrigerator. Reheat gently over low heat and add a splash of broth as needed to loosen it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
This was delicious! Will definitely be making again!! And felt really healthy with all those veggies!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed 🙂 I love how it’s so full of veggies too!
Do you have any suggestions to make this recipe if one does not have an immersion blender?
You can transfer the mixture to a regular blender and blend that way- I would just be careful to not fully fully blend it and leave a little bit chunky for texture :). You can also try using a potato masher at that step- I would let the veggies cook for a little bit longer so that they’re extra soft. The texture won’t be identical using that method but I’m sure will still be very delicious!
Delicious! We wanted a little more “cheesy” flavor (we are WI cheese heads), so I added some nutritional yeast to my bowl! 👩🏼🍳 😘
Yay! I bet that was delish 🙂 I like to add some grated parm or more cheddar on top for sure 🙂
I really wanted to love this! I think I must have messed something up. I couldn’t get the texture creamy-its was just really gritty I feel like from the broccoli? Any tips on how I could improve for next time I will definitely try it again.
I wonder if the broccoli just needed to be cooked down a bit! It’s not a completely smooth texture because some of the veggies are left unblended but it should still have a creamy feel to it for sure. If you didn’t add the flour this time, I would add flour to thicken the broth a bit next time.
Can you make this in crock pot?
I haven’t tried myself!
Really good! Super cheesy and filled with veggies. I also added a cup of white beans for some extra fiber. Will make again!
Made this last night and it was so good!
Thanks Amy!!
This is so yummy! I do not like broccoli or cauliflower so I was skeptical. I love it!
Will definitely make again.
Could frozen cauliflower rice replace the head of cauliflower?
The texture would be a little different I think but it would work!
This was so easy, and the outcome was as good as it sounded! So yummY!
One of my absolute favorites!