Creamy Chicken Potato Soup Recipe

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This one-pot chicken and potato soup is the definition of comfort food. It combines tender chicken, creamy potatoes, and smoky bacon in a velvety broth for hearty meal that's ready in under an hour.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: bowls

Calories: 695kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Dutch Oven

Ingredients

6 slices bacon chopped into small strips
1 small onion chopped
3 carrots chopped
3 ribs celery chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning *
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large Russet potatoes peeled and cubed**
4-5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups shredded cooked chicken ***
¾ cup heavy cream room temperature

Optional Toppings:

chopped fresh parsley or chives

Instructions

Add the bacon to a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Fry until crispy, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, but leave the grease in the pot.
6 slices bacon
To the same pot with the bacon grease, add in the onion, carrots, celery, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour to coat.
1 small onion, 3 carrots, 3 ribs celery, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Add the potatoes and chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
2 large Russet potatoes, 4-5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Stir in the shredded chicken, bacon, and heavy cream. Taste and add in more salt and pepper if needed.
3 cups shredded cooked chicken, ¾ cup heavy cream
Ladle into bowls, and top with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley or extra bacon pieces to serve.
chopped fresh parsley

Notes

*For a quick replacement, mix is equal parts dried sage, thyme, and marjoram.

**Yukon Gold also work well. For a firmer potato that holds its shape better, opt for Red Bliss.

***Any leftover chicken works, or use store-bought rotisserie chicken. To cook raw chicken breasts directly in the soup, add 2 whole chicken breasts to the pot at the same time as the broth and potatoes. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until 165°F, then shred directly in the soup.

Tips:

If your bacon rendered a lot of grease (more than about 2 tbsp), you can drain out the excess to prevent an oily soup.
Once you add the flour, let it cook and dry out for a minute or two before adding the broth. This helps remove the raw flour taste.
When you add the broth, use a wooden spoon to vigorously scrape the bottom of the pot. This releases all those yummy browned bits into the soup.
Start checking the potatoes around the 10 minute mark, especially if you cut them into smaller chunks. Once easily pierced with a fork, they are ready.
This soup should have a slightly thick consistency, somewhere between a soup and a stew. For a thinner consistency, add more broth. For a thicker consistency, mash some of the potatoes with a potato masher.
Ladle a small amount of the hot soup broth into the cream, stir it, and then pour the mixture into the pot to temper it and prevent curdling.
Optionally reserve some of the cooked bacon pieces for topping individual bowls of soup to keep them a bit crispier.
Right before serving, stir in 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice or a splash of dry white wine to brighten it up.
Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.

Alternative Cooking Methods:

Crockpot: Crisp the bacon and sauté the vegetables (onions, carrots, celery) in a pan first to develop flavor, then add them to your slow cooker with the potatoes, seasonings, and 4 cups of broth. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours (or HIGH for 3-4 hours), stirring in the cooked chicken and heavy cream during the final 30 minutes of cooking.
Instant Pot: Use the "SAUTÉ" function to crisp the bacon and soften the vegetables. Stir in the flour and potatoes, then add the broth and pressure cook on "HIGH" for 10 minutes with a quick release. Once finished, stir in the cooked chicken and cream, using the residual heat to warm them through.

Storage: Store chicken and potato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition