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The best Easy Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Soup – a delicious, hearty, creamy and broccoli cheese soup with tons of shredded chicken flavor that the whole family will love!
Naturally low carb cheesy chicken broccoli soup that is paleo and keto diet compatible.
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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe – my goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help everyone better understand the processes we use – and why!
Table of contents
Easy Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Soup
This cheesy broccoli soup is packed with super delicious shredded chicken for a hearty, filling soup you won’t be able to get enough of.
It’s a take off my popular Creamy White Chicken Chili with broccoli -and it’s absolutely packed with flavor.
This cheesy soup is naturally low carb, crazy comforting, and really filling – and it fits into a keto diet.
If you’re looking for a delicious keto chicken and broccoli soup, you’re in the right place!
I could eat this decadent soup every night and never get bored – it is just so easy and delicious, kind of like my keto broccoli pesto.
And if you want, you can toss all the ingredients in a slow cooker and heat for 4 hours on low, too! SO EASY! Be sure to look for the slow cooker instructions below.
If you’re looking for an easier, quicker broccoli and cheddar soup, be sure to check out my Instant Pot Keto Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe.
How To Make Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Soup
Use the best chicken for soup. This recipe uses my Best Boiled Chicken Recipe Ever as the chicken for this dish.
While the name isn’t the tastiest, this easy boiled and shredded chicken is a knockout for flavor and SO versatile in recipes.
This is a recipe you’ll want to bookmark for years to come – don’t forget to check it out (and really – you’ll be shocked how easy and foolproof it is for perfect, juicy shredded chicken with almost no cleanup!)
Get the Best Boiled Shredded Chicken Recipe Ever here.
For another knockout chicken soup, please try my homemade chicken noodle soup, or this creamy white chicken chili.
Using Frozen Broccoli in Soup. If using frozen broccoli in this soup, be sure to let it thaw fully before adding. I personally love to use frozen riced broccoli along with some crowns – they cook faster since freezing helps to break down some of the vegetable’s structure – and the broccoli the stores around me has had lately lacks the vibrant green I love!
Ps- if you want to try a different broccoli in your soup, this 10 minute broccolini recipe is a knockout and would be great chopped up in a more artisan style soup!
Tips to Perfect Cheesy Broccoli Soup & FAQs
Store it properly. If you’re wanting to whip up a big batch of this soup, and freeze for later, you’re in luck. This soup freezes fabulously – it is simple to toss in the freezer and reheat when you want a rich and comforting dinner. There are a couple tips to help freeze and reheat this soup for perfect cheesy chicken and broccoli soup every time:
- Package soup in Ziploc bags closest to the amount you will use for one serving.
The smaller the bag, the more evenly the soup will freeze and prevent ice crystals from forming, making your soup less than appetizing when you reheat.
This also helps you reheat faster and more evenly. - Let soup thaw naturally. It tastes best when you pop in a pan to jut heatt to boiling hot, rather than cooking from frozen.
- If cooking from frozen, I put the frozen soup in a pot with about 1/4 cup water and boil until hot – just be sure to stir occasionally and make sure nothing burns.
If heating this way, I find it is best to keep the lid on your pot. - Don’t save frozen leftovers for over three months.
Find the right cheese. To make this soup perfectly smooth and velvety, there is a bit of a process and a couple choices to make in what kind of cheese you use.
First and foremost, you need to pick a cheese that melts well – and isn’t too dry or oily. For soups, I like to use cheddar, mozzarella, a creamy pepper jack, and – Velveeta. I know Velveeta isn’t healthy or natural or low calorie – in any way – but it makes for perfect melting and incorporating into soup.
With natural cheeses, you neeed to stir carefully and incorporate well so it doesn’t clump or burn on the bottom of the pan – but velveeta mixes in magically with no effort. Of course, if you are watching your diet to only eat natural foods, go for the cheddar – but if you’re just looking for something super easy, creamy, and cheesy – go ahead and use the Velveeta.
Recipe FAQ’s
Absolutely, You can use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store – simply remove skin and shred.
Yes, this soup is easy to make in the Instant Pot. Sautee vegetables and be sure to deglaze bottom of pan well so there are no stuck on bits.
Add all ingredients to soup but cheese and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
Quick release and stir in cheese until melted, serve immediately.
Using frozen broccoli works fine in this soup. If you have any problems be sure to scroll up to my tips for using frozen broccoli.
To make this soup in a slow cooker, dump the ingredients in and cook on low for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure its well mixed and not burning on the bottom of the cooker.
Stovetop tastes best, but your slow cooker will do just fine. If you can brown vegetables before adding to the slow cooker, it will taste the best – browned vegetables = tons of flavor!
What To Serve With Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This cheesy chicken broccoli cheddar soup is incredibly delicious – especially with a dunkable bread or breadsticks alongside!
Whether you want some carby-goodness to soak up the cheesy broth, or some savory and delicious veggies to go along side, I have the best side dishes for this broccoli cheddar soup below:
- Easy No Knead Bread
- Easy Garlic Knots
- Jalapeno Cheese Bread
- Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocados
- Oven Roasted Asparagus
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Soup Recipe
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Easy Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 8 oz broccoli crowns, riced
- 1 stalk broccoli, diced
- 48 oz chicken stock
- 8 oz cheddar cheese or velveeta
- 4 oz heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- In a large pot, let butter melt on medium high until foamy.
- Add onion and let brown and soften, about 6 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add garlic and shallot and cook until just fragrant and soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add in riced broccoli crowns and diced broccoli stock, toss and let cook until bright green and shiny – slightly soft – about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in stock and velveeta and bring to a rapid boil.
- Reduce heat to simmer 10 minutes.
- Turn heat off and stir in heavy cream, parmesan, salt, and pepper whisking as you add into the soup.
- Return to medium heat and let simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as you like.
- Add the pre-cooked boiled chicken to the soup and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sweet C’s Favorites
If you love this easy broccoli and cheese soup recipe, please check out some of my other favorites.
Many are low carb, all are quick, easy, and full of flavor!
The cheesy chicken brocolli soup recipe doesn’t show you when to add the CHICKEN!
Woops! You add the chicken at the very end. Thanks for pointing that out, I have updated it on the recipe.
This is a keeper! My son, who’s not a broccoli fan, even enjoyed it. I threw in tons of garlic and onions. This hit the spot on a cool, late-Autumn evening. Thank you!
Hi I like to know what kind of stock are you talking about it don’t say.
thank you. I love it make it.
Chicken stock, or you can use vegetable stock if you prefer.
This food turned out pretty good overall. I would go a little less on the onions or let them cook a little longer. The soup also turned out a little thinner then I would have liked, but it was overall good!
I used real cheddar and it turned out terrible. A watery mess with goops of unblended cheese that stuck to the broccoli and spoon and pan. Not even edible.