Creamy Chicken Soup made as a cozy, dependable bowl with balanced seasoning and practical prep.
Velvet-Smooth Slow-Cooker Chicken Soup
A slow-simmered, hands-off soup that turns everyday chicken breasts, pantry herbs, and a little half-and-half into a deeply comforting, silky bowl.
This is the kind of bowl Ember Pot and Cam Torres lean into: slow, sensible cooking that rewards you with layered flavor. The broth finishes velvety thanks to half-and-half and a touch of cornstarch, while shredded, fork-tender chicken and softened carrots and celery give you the comforting body you want on a chilly night. The first spoon is warm, creamy, and quietly savory—thyme and a bay leaf anchor the broth, and a scatter of fresh parsley at the end brightens each bite.
A small sauté of onion, carrots and celery in olive oil before the slow cooker step makes a big difference: those caramelized edges and the quick bloom of garlic add sweet, savory depth you won’t get from throwing everything in raw. From there it’s hands-off—chicken, broth, the aromatics and seasoning go into the slow cooker for 5–6 hours on low (or 3–4 on high) until the breasts are tender enough to shred easily with two forks.
Half-and-half and a cornstarch-thickening finish is what gives this a rich, glossy mouthfeel without feeling heavy. Stir or whisk the cornstarch into a little cold liquid first so it blends smoothly, then incorporate it into the hot soup with the cream to avoid lumps. Fold in frozen peas near the end for brief sweetness and pop, and finish with chopped parsley for a fresh lift.
This soup is wonderfully practical: make it for a laid-back weeknight, ladle into containers for easy reheating, or double the batch and freeze portions for future busy days. Serve with crusty bread or simple crackers, and expect leftovers that taste even better as the flavors continue to marry.
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