Garlic Parmesan Chicken Soup (Printable)

Creamy, protein-packed comfort food with tender chicken, garlic, and Parmesan in a velvety broth ready in 40 minutes.

# What you 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

→ 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 let it brown.
03 - Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and 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 fully cooked and flavors have melded.
05 - Lower heat and stir in heavy cream. Gradually add Parmesan cheese about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and creamy without clumping.
06 - If using spinach or kale, add to the pot 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 cheese. Serve while hot.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy but comes together faster than takeout arrives.
  • The Parmesan melts into the broth and creates this silky, almost luxurious texture that coats every spoonful.
  • You can make it lighter or richer depending on your mood and what's in the fridge.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle in.
02 -
  • Add the Parmesan slowly and keep the heat low, or it will turn into a gritty, separated mess instead of melting smoothly.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan is the secret; pre-shredded cheese won't melt the same way and you'll end up with clumps floating in your soup.
  • Don't skip the simmering step after adding the broth; it's what makes the chicken tender and the flavors come together.
03 -
  • Use a good-quality chicken broth or homemade stock; it's the backbone of the flavor and you'll taste the difference.
  • If the soup gets too thick, thin it out with a little extra broth or cream rather than water, so you don't dilute the flavor.
  • Grate your own Parmesan fresh from a block; it melts smoother and tastes sharper than anything that comes pre-shredded.
Go back