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This is like a super cozy chicken pot pie in soup form, minus any stress about baking a crust. It's super creamy, loaded with soft veggies and chunky chicken, and perfect to warm up with when it's chilly. All the pot pie goodness, but just toss it in one big pot—way quicker.
Why Pick This Soup
Craving chicken pot pie but don’t want to bother with rolling out dough? This hits the spot. Creamy broth, tender veggies, soft chunks of chicken—it’s everything you want in one bowl. You’ll spend way less time in the kitchen making this. Toss in whatever leftover veggies you find, too. Nothing weird in here—you’re in charge of every bit that goes in.
What Goes In
- Parsley: A good handful, chopped up fresh
- Heavy Cream: 1 cup
- Corn: 1 cup, any style—frozen or canned
- Frozen Peas: 1 cup
- Chicken: 3 cups cooked, shredded up
- Potatoes: 2 large, diced
- Black Pepper: Freshly cracked tastes best
- Salt: Start out with a teaspoon
- Chicken Stock: 6 cups, low sodium
- Flour: 1/3 cup, regular all-purpose
- Garlic: 3 cloves, smashed and diced
- Mushrooms: 8 oz, sliced up
- Celery: 3 stalks, chopped small
- Carrots: 2–3 hearty ones, sliced up thin
- Yellow Onion: 1 big one, chopped tiny
- Butter: 4 tablespoons, real stuff
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How You Throw It Together
- Prep everything:
- Chop up your veggies first. Get your butter and tools out. Open up the cans. Measure out what you need.
- Crank up the stove:
- Get the biggest pot heated up and melt the butter. Drop carrots, celery, and onion in. Cook about 7 minutes, stirring so it doesn't stick, until onions go see-through.
- Load in flavors:
- Add the mushrooms and the garlic. Mix for another 5 minutes till mushrooms shrink down and brown up.
- Get it thick:
- Sprinkle over your flour and keep that spoon moving for 2 minutes. Should start smelling delicious and a little nutty.
- Pour in liquids:
- Slowly pour in chicken stock, stirring all the time so you don’t get flour clumps. Toss in potatoes, pepper, and salt right after.
- Let it simmer:
- Bring it to a bubble then drop the heat low. Rest the lid halfway on. Give it about 15 minutes. Stick a fork in a potato—they should be fork-tender.
- Final touches:
- Stir in the chicken, peas, and corn. Splash in the cream and add that chopped parsley. Let it cook 5 more minutes. Keep scraping the bottom, nothing should stick there.
- Quick taste check:
- Give it a try. Needs salt? Add a pinch or two. Want it peppery? Now’s the time. If too thick, loosen up with more hot broth.
- Ladle up:
- Scoop it into bowls while piping hot. Top with extra parsley. Some folks throw crackers in, too.
Make It Awesome
Chop all potatoes down around the same size or some go mushy. Get your onion super soft for more mellow flavor. When putting in flour, keep stirring so you don’t build up lumps. Drizzle the stock a bit at a time to keep it smooth. Don’t let it boil once you tip in the cream or it gets weird. Keep tasting here and there so you know when it’s just right.
Choosing Tasty Parts
Go for yellow potatoes—they turn creamy fast. Skip canned mushrooms and stick with fresh if you can. Buying chicken already cooked (like those rotisserie ones) is a shortcut and tastes awesome. Crunchy, fresh carrots bring sweetness. Use real butter for the best flavor. Low-salt broth lets you add salt just how you like it.
Mixing It Up
Need a heartier soup? Toss in more flour at the beginning. If you’re after a lighter broth, add extra stock. In a rush? Dice everything smaller. Want bigger bites? Leave stuff chunky. For a richer bowl, splash in more cream. Trying to lighten it up? Swap out the cream for milk.
Troubleshooting
Soup too watery? Stir a spoonful of flour into cold water, mix that in. Looking a little dense? Add hot broth slowly. Potatoes still hard? Let it simmer longer. If you see sticking or burning on the bottom, drop the heat and stir well. Cream looking wonky? Lower the temp. Not getting enough flavor? Add salt little by little.
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Fridge Life
Let it cool for a couple hours before sticking it in the fridge. Keeps fine in a sealed container about 4 days. Gets thicker every day in there—that’s totally fine. Add a little more broth when reheating. Warm over low so it doesn’t catch or boil. Give it a stir while it heats. Skip freezing if there’s cream inside—it’ll probably get grainy.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I prep this in advance?
Absolutely! Make it 2-3 days ahead. Store it airtight in the fridge. Warm it up slowly, stirring so it stays smooth. Too thick? A splash of broth or milk will fix it. Great for meal preps—cook Sunday, enjoy Wednesday. Pro tip: save toppings like crackers for when you're ready to eat.
- → What tweaks make it lighter?
Want to make it healthier? Trade cream for milk (even skim works). Use only half the butter and swap in olive oil. Skip starchy potatoes and toss in extra celery or carrots. Cauliflower works great as a low-carb thickener. Using chicken breast instead of thighs also cuts down on richness without losing flavor!
- → Soup’s a bit runny—help?
No worries! Stir in a flour-and-broth mix or cold cornstarch slurry while cooking. Mashing some potatoes into the soup thickens it naturally. Still too thin? Blend a bit of the soup separately and add it back in. Or just simmer longer with the lid off—keep stirring!
- → How can I make it vegetarian?
Easy swap! Replace chicken with hearty veggies like mushrooms or white beans (drained). Firm tofu cubes also work—just brown them first. Use veggie broth instead of chicken, and bump up the herbs like sage or thyme. Some folks love adding fresh peas and corn for extra flavor and texture!
- → Does this freeze well?
Freezing works great! Let it cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers or bags with some room to expand. Keeps well up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating slowly. Stir often and add milk if it feels thick. Cream holds up better than milk when freezing, so plan ahead!
Conclusion
Enjoyed this dish? Try these:
- Rich Chicken Stew: Thick, slow-cooked comfort
- Just-Veggies Pot Pie: No meat, all cozy
- Creamy Chicken Rice: More filling, less liquid
- Chicken Veggie Bake: Topped with crispy crumbs