Creamy Chicken Soup made as a cozy, dependable bowl with balanced seasoning and practical prep.
A Velvety Slow‑Cooker Chicken Soup That Does the Work for You
Simple pantry ingredients slow-simmer into a silky, bowl‑ready soup—tender shredded chicken, sweet carrots, and a touch of cream for a reliably cozy dinner.
This is the kind of soup that answers the “I need comfort and I don’t have time” dinner dilemma. A basic mirepoix of onion, carrot and celery gets a quick sauté to wake up the vegetables, then everything goes into the slow cooker with seasoned boneless, skinless chicken breasts and a bay leaf. Hours on low turn the chicken feather‑tender and the broth deeply flavored without any babysitting—what starts humble finishes luxurious and soothing. The aroma of thyme and garlic while it simmers is all the proof you need that simple ingredients add up to something warming and complete.
The finishing moves are what make it feel restaurant‑caliber yet still homey. Remove and shred the chicken, discard the bay leaf, then stir in a slurry of cornstarch and half‑and‑half to thicken the broth into a silky, clingy finish. Frozen peas get folded in at the end for a pop of color and sweetness, and a scattering of fresh parsley brightens each bowl. Season lightly at the start and adjust before serving so the flavors stay balanced after the long cook.
Practical notes: this soup makes excellent leftovers and freezes well, or keep the base and add cream and peas just before reheating for the freshest texture. Swap thighs for breasts if you prefer richer meat, or serve the soup over rice or with a chunk of crusty bread to sop up every last drop. With about 15 minutes active prep and 5–6 hours on low, it’s a dependable, hands‑off dinner that rewards patience with comfort in every spoonful.
Ingredients
How to Make Creamy Chicken Soup
- Trim and season the chicken breasts lightly with 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/2 tsp of the pepper; peel and slice the carrots, thinly slice the celery, and dice the onion.
- Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, add the onion, carrots and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and vegetables start to soften, about 4–5 minutes; add the garlic and dried thyme and cook 30 seconds more.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker, add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, bay leaf, remaining salt and pepper, cover, and cook on low for 5–6 hours (or on high for 3–4 hours) until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- When the chicken is done, remove it to a cutting board, discard the bay leaf, and shred the meat with two forks; return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch with 1/2 cup cold water until fully dissolved to make a slurry, stir the slurry into the hot soup, then set the cooker to high and let it cook 10–15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the broth thickens slightly.
- Stir in the half-and-half and frozen peas, then heat gently on low for another 8–10 minutes until warmed through (do not boil once dairy is added) so the soup becomes creamy and the peas are heated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed, then stir in the chopped fresh parsley just before serving for brightness.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm with crusty bread or crackers as desired.
Recipe Card
Creamy Chicken Soup
Creamy Chicken Soup made as a cozy, dependable bowl with balanced seasoning and practical prep.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 hr
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim and season the chicken breasts lightly with 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/2 tsp of the pepper; peel and slice the carrots, thinly slice the celery, and dice the onion.
- Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, add the onion, carrots and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and vegetables start to soften, about 4–5 minutes; add the garlic and dried thyme and cook 30 seconds more.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker, add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, bay leaf, remaining salt and pepper, cover, and cook on low for 5–6 hours (or on high for 3–4 hours) until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- When the chicken is done, remove it to a cutting board, discard the bay leaf, and shred the meat with two forks; return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch with 1/2 cup cold water until fully dissolved to make a slurry, stir the slurry into the hot soup, then set the cooker to high and let it cook 10–15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the broth thickens slightly.
- Stir in the half-and-half and frozen peas, then heat gently on low for another 8–10 minutes until warmed through (do not boil once dairy is added) so the soup becomes creamy and the peas are heated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed, then stir in the chopped fresh parsley just before serving for brightness.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm with crusty bread or crackers as desired.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 17
- Saturated Fat
- 3
- Sodium
- 660
- Fiber
- 2.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 9
- Protein
- 50
- Fat
- 12
- Cholesterol
- 140
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 399
- Sugar
- 6