One-Pot Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup (High Protein)
Rich and cheesy chicken broccoli cheddar soup gets its creamy texture from partially blended broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots, with tender pieces of vegetables left in every spoonful. Shredded chicken and sharp cheddar make it hearty enough for dinner with 39 grams of protein per serving, all without heavy cream.
Servings: 6
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
Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 1513mg | Potassium: 1166mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5295IU | Vitamin C: 116mg | Calcium: 385mg | Iron: 2mg
