This Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Soup is perfect for a cold autumn day. The flavors are oh-so comforting, and the crunchy bread makes it all the more delicious. It tastes delicious no matter what time of day, but it will truly make you feel like snuggling up by the fire!
You can make this dish vegetarian-friendly by just omitting the chicken and bacon, and swapping out the chicken stock for vegetable stock.
Okay, so I’m not a HUGE fan of soups, but if it contains sourdough bread (Um, like this amazing Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Soup) or crispy grilled cheese with it like this Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, I’m totally in!!!
The only downside is…You’ll wish you had a bigger bread bowl!!
Grab these ingredients and let’s begin!
▪ Chicken Tenderloins
▪ Broccoli
▪ Bacon
▪ Sharp Cheddar Cheese
▪ Muenster Cheese
▪ Yellow Onion
▪ Sourdough Boule Bread
▪ Butter
▪ Heavy Cream
▪ AP Flour
▪ Chicken Stock
▪ Olive Oil
▪ Salt + Pepper
Clean and cut your broccoli florets into 1/2-1 inch pieces depending on how you prefer it. I like mine a little on the larger size for that extra texture it brings to the soup.
Fresh broccoli is always best for taste and texture, but if you prefer frozen be sure to fully thaw the broccoli before adding it to the soup to prevent extra liquid and soggy broccoli.
Sharp cheddar is ideal for this soup because it’s high in moisture and has a low melting temperature; these qualities add some smooth, creamy texture that blends well with the chicken and broccoli.
Muenster cheese is a semisoft cheese that is higher in fat which makes it a great melting cheese that brings that creamy coziness to the soup. You can substitute the muenster cheese with another semisoft cheese like Havarti cheese.
Get out that Air-Fryer and season your chicken tenderloins with 1 tsp each of salt + pepper. Set the temp to 400F and air fry for 8 minutes or until fully cooked and easily shreds. Once cooked, roughly shred the chicken and set aside to add in later.
Don’t have an Air-Fryer, no worries! Just preheat your oven to 425F and cook for 10-15 minutes or until fully cooked and easily shreds with a fork.
In a large skillet pan over medium heat, cook the bacon for about 3-5 minutes until crispy and easily crumbles. Drain excess oil on a paper towel, crumble and set aside. Leave that bacon grease in the pan!
Add the onions and butter to the pan and cook with the bacon grease for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are browned and soft.
Sprinkle in the flour and mix to coat the onions. This will act as a thickener to thicken the soup as it cooks.
Pour in your chicken stock and broccoli, and bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil, lower heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 6-7 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
Set aside 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese for topping. Add in the heavy cream, sharp cheddar cheese, and muenster cheese mixing as you go to fully melt the cheese. It will take a few minutes for the cheese to fully melt and blend in with the rest of the soup. Salt + Pepper to taste.
Once the cheese has fully melted, add back in the cooked shredded chicken and crumbled bacon. Keep warm over low heat while you prep the bowls. If you are not using boule bread, you can just let it sit over low heat for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Hollow out the sourdough boule bread by cutting the top off and pulling all the soft bread out. Make sure to not make it too thin or it will get too soft and leak.
** Save the soft inside part of the bread to make bread crumbs later. It’s super easy to do and they taste amazing!
Pour your soup in and cover with the remaining cheese. Brush the outside crust of the bread with olive oil and broil in the oven for 4-5 min until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Got some soup left over?
Store your leftover Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Soup in an air-tight food-safe container for up to 3 days in the fridge. The boule bread will get too soggy so discard the boule bread before storing your soup. Reheat the soup in the microwave until warm throughout.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenderloins
- 2 tsp Salt + Pepper each, plus more to taste
- 4 slices bacon or 1/4 cup of pre-cooked bacon bits
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 tbsp AP flour
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 lb broccoli florets cut into 1/2 in pieces
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz muenster cheese shredded, or other semisoft cheese like Havarti
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 sourdough boule bread hollowed out to form a bowl (save inside bread for bread crumbs later)
Instructions
- Season your chicken tenderloins with 1 tsp each of salt + pepper. Using an Air-Fryer, set the temp to 400F and air fry for 8 minutes or until fully cooked and easily shreds. Once cooked, roughly shred the chicken and set aside to add in later.No Air-Fryer - Preheat your oven to 425F and cook for 10-15 minutes or until fully cooked and easily shreds with a fork.
- In a large skillet pan over medium heat, cook the bacon for about 3-5 minutes until crispy and easily crumbles. Drain excess oil on a paper towel, crumble and set aside. Leave that bacon grease in the pan!
- Add the onions and butter to the pan and cook along with the bacon grease for 2-3 minutes or until onions are browned and soft.
- Sprinkle in the flour and mix to coat the onions. This will act as a thickener to thicken the soup as it cooks.
- Pour in your chicken stock and broccoli, and bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil, lower heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 6-7 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
- Set aside 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese for topping. Add in the heavy cream, sharp cheddar cheese, and muenster cheese mixing as you go to fully melt the cheese. It will take a few minutes for the cheese to fully melt and blend in with the rest of the soup. Salt + Pepper to taste.
- Once the cheese has fully melted, add back in the cooked shredded chicken and crumbled bacon. Keep warm over low heat while you prep the bowls. If you are not using boule bread, you can just let it sit over low heat for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
- Hollow out the sourdough boule bread by cutting the top off and pulling all the soft bread out (Save that inside bread!). Make sure to not make it too thin or it will get too soft and leak.
- Pour your soup in and cover with the remaining cheese. Brush the outside crust of the bread with olive oil and broil in the oven for 4-5 min until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
