Description
A creamy, comforting soup that comes together in just 30 minutes. Packed with protein and vegetables, this healthy chicken soup feels indulgent but is secretly good for you. Perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets (about 4–5 cups)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 6 cups chicken broth (low-sodium recommended)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf (optional, but adds great depth)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free option
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant.
- Add the entire head of cauliflower florets, the whole chicken breasts or thighs, chicken broth, thyme, rosemary, and the bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and easily shreds with a fork.
- Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred it into bite-sized pieces. Remove the bay leaf from the pot.
- Using an immersion blender, carefully blend about half of the soup directly in the pot until smooth and creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer about half of the soup to a stand blender, blend until smooth, and then return it to the pot.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream (or coconut milk) and warm through. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
Don’t overcook the chicken or it can become tough. The blending step is essential for creating the creamy texture without flour. For dairy-free version, use full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 75mg