Garlic Parmesan Chicken Soup (Printable Version)

Tender chicken in velvety broth with garlic and Parmesan. Ready in 40 minutes for cozy weeknight comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Base

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

→ Chicken

04 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

→ Liquid & Dairy

05 - 4 cups chicken broth
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Optional Add-ins

11 - 2 cups fresh spinach or kale, roughly chopped

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh parsley, chopped
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to allow browning.
03 - Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink and begins to turn golden.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, add dried thyme and basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and flavors meld.
05 - Lower heat. Stir in heavy cream. Gradually add Parmesan cheese, about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly until smooth and creamy.
06 - If using spinach or kale, add to the pot and stir until wilted, approximately 1-2 minutes.
07 - Taste soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately while hot.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's the kind of soup that feels fancy enough to serve guests but honestly takes less effort than ordering delivery.
  • High in protein and naturally satisfying, so it keeps you full without the heavy feeling of something deep-fried.
  • The garlic and Parmesan combination is genuinely addictive—you'll find yourself making it monthly once you taste it.
02 -
  • Freshly grated Parmesan is not just pretentious—the starch in pre-grated versions actually causes visible clumping when you add it to hot cream, and there's no way to fix it once it happens.
  • Adding the Parmesan on too high heat will separate the cream and make it grainy, so genuinely lower your heat all the way down and stir like your life depends on it.
03 -
  • Mise en place actually matters here—having your garlic minced and chicken cubed before you start cooking means you're not scrambling when the onion is done and it's time to move to the next step.
  • Taste the broth by itself before you add anything else, because if it tastes thin or flavorless, your whole soup will reflect that disappointment no matter what else you do.
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