Chicken Broccoli Cheese Soup with Rice
A creamy, comforting chicken and broccoli soup made with cream cheese, shredded Mexican cheese, and cooked rice.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1/2 cupbutter
- 1/2 cupcelery ,diced
- 1/2 cuponion ,diced
- 1/4 cupall-purpose flour
- 6 cupschicken broth
- 3 cupschopped cooked chicken
- 2 clovesgarlic ,minced
- 3 cupsfresh broccoli ,chopped
- 1 8-ozpackage cream cheese
- 4 cupsshredded Mexican cheese blend
- 3 cupcooked rice
- salt and pepper ,to taste
Instructions
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, melt ½ cup butter over medium heat. Add ½ cup diced celery and ½ cup diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes.
- Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook the flour.
- Gradually whisk in 6 cups chicken broth, adding a little at a time and whisking until smooth. Increase heat and bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the mixture has slightly thickened, about 3–5 minutes.
- Add 3 cups chopped cooked chicken and 3 cups chopped fresh broccoli to the pot. Simmer, uncovered, until the broccoli is tender, about 6–8 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Cut the 8-oz package cream cheese into cubes and add them to the pot, stirring until the cream cheese is mostly melted and incorporated.
- Stir in 4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend until fully melted and smooth. Add 3 cups cooked rice and stir to combine; heat just until the rice is warmed through, about 2–3 minutes. Keep heat low to prevent the cheeses from separating.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- 6-qt Slow Cooker
Notes
I used rotisserie chicken for the cooked chicken in this soup.
Can use any cooked rice you prefer. Brown, jasmine, basmati, white.
I used a Mexican cheese blend. Feel free to use any cheese you prefer.
For a gluten-free soup, substitute corn starch for the flour.
Can use fresh or frozen broccoli.
To make this in the slow cooker, melt the butter and flour in a saucepan. Whisk in broth and bring to a boil. Transfer to the crockpot and add the remaining ingredients. Cook on LOW until warm.
If making in the slow cooker you can use raw chicken breasts instead of cooked chicken. Cook soup on low until chicken is cooked. Shred with two forks. Add back to the crockpot and serve.
You can freeze the leftovers for a quick meal later. Cool soup and freeze in plastic containers or freezer bags. To reheat, thaw and heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add chicken broth if the soup is too thick.
If making this exclusively as a freezer meal, leave out the cooked rice and add it when you reheat the soup.
Can use any cooked rice you prefer. Brown, jasmine, basmati, white.
I used a Mexican cheese blend. Feel free to use any cheese you prefer.
For a gluten-free soup, substitute corn starch for the flour.
Can use fresh or frozen broccoli.
To make this in the slow cooker, melt the butter and flour in a saucepan. Whisk in broth and bring to a boil. Transfer to the crockpot and add the remaining ingredients. Cook on LOW until warm.
If making in the slow cooker you can use raw chicken breasts instead of cooked chicken. Cook soup on low until chicken is cooked. Shred with two forks. Add back to the crockpot and serve.
You can freeze the leftovers for a quick meal later. Cool soup and freeze in plastic containers or freezer bags. To reheat, thaw and heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add chicken broth if the soup is too thick.
If making this exclusively as a freezer meal, leave out the cooked rice and add it when you reheat the soup.