Description
Hearty Creamy Crack Chicken Soup brings comfort and indulgence to your dinner table with its rich, savory blend of tender chicken, creamy broth, and irresistible flavors. Each spoonful promises warmth and satisfaction, inviting you to savor this soul-soothing culinary delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein Ingredients:
- 4 slices bacon (diced)
- 4 cups cooked chicken (shredded)
Dairy and Cheese Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 white onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 5 cups chicken broth (preferably low-sodium)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
Garnish:
- Fresh dill (chopped)
- Green scallions (sliced)
Instructions
- Render bacon in a pot over medium heat for 5 minutes until crisp and golden. Extract bacon pieces with a slotted spoon, preserving the rendered fat for subsequent cooking.
- Melt butter into bacon drippings, then incorporate diced onions. Sauté for 3 minutes until translucent and softened, developing a fragrant base.
- Introduce minced garlic and quickly stir for 20 seconds, avoiding burning to prevent bitter undertones.
- Deglaze the pot with chicken broth, scraping accumulated browned bits from the bottom to capture concentrated flavor essence.
- Incorporate seasonings including bay leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, and chives. Season with salt and pepper, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
- Fold in shredded chicken and continue simmering for an additional 5 minutes, allowing ingredients to harmonize.
- Gradually whisk cream cheese and cheddar into the liquid, stirring continuously until completely melted and creating a luxurious, velvety texture.
- Gently integrate baby spinach and heavy cream, simmering for 3 minutes until spinach wilts and cream warms through.
- Discard bay leaves and fine-tune seasoning. Garnish each serving with reserved crispy bacon, fresh dill, and chopped green scallions for vibrant presentation.
Notes
- Crisp the bacon slowly to render out maximum fat, creating a flavor-packed base that elevates the entire soup’s depth and richness.
- Whisk cheeses gradually and off direct heat to prevent clumping and ensure a silky, smooth texture without graininess.
- Replace baby spinach with kale or Swiss chard for added nutrition, or use frozen spinach if fresh isn’t available, just squeeze out excess moisture before adding.
- Skip the potatoes and use cauliflower rice as a lighter alternative, or reduce overall carbohydrate content by using less broth and more cream.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg