Garlic Parmesan Chicken Soup (Printable)

Creamy broth with tender chicken, aromatic garlic, and rich Parmesan. Ready in 40 minutes.

# 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

# How To Make It:

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 and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the 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 the heat and stir in heavy cream. Gradually add Parmesan cheese in 1/4 cup increments, stirring constantly until smooth and creamy.
06 - If using, add spinach or kale and stir until wilted, approximately 1–2 minutes.
07 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It delivers serious comfort without requiring you to stand over the stove for hours.
  • The Parmesan melts into the broth and creates this silky, luxurious texture that tastes way fancier than the effort involved.
  • You can adjust the creaminess and add greens or skip them depending on what you have in the fridge.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day when all the flavors have had time to become friends.
02 -
  • Add the Parmesan gradually on low heat and stir constantly, or it will seize up into gritty clumps instead of melting smoothly into the soup.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan is absolutely essential because the pre shredded kind contains anti caking agents that prevent it from melting properly.
  • Don't let the garlic brown when you're sautéing it or the whole pot will taste bitter and you'll have to start over.
03 -
  • Use a large enough pot so the soup doesn't crowd, which helps everything cook evenly and makes stirring easier.
  • Taste the soup before adding extra salt because both the broth and Parmesan are already salty, and it's easy to overdo it.
  • If you're making this for someone with dietary restrictions, swap the cream for coconut cream and use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan for a dairy free version that's still rich and satisfying.
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