Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Soup

This year I’ve been on a soup making kick. I’ve always preferred baking over cooking. Mostly because everyone loves what I bake and when I cook a big meal there is always someone who doesn’t like sauce on their chicken, or it won’t eat those vegetables, or will only exist on chicken nuggets, macaroni & cheese, and air. I still get those complaints when I make soup, but I don’t care. I love how the house smells as the soup is coming together and I enjoy adding all the ingredients and coming up with something so comforting and delicious.

I’ve made this Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Soup several times and it’s a hit. I love its creamy cheesy deliciousness. As much as I’m enjoying making these soups from scratch, I’m also a girl who loves any shortcut in the kitchen that will save me some time. Every week I buy a rotisserie chicken from Wegmans and use it in different recipes. For only $4.99, it’s a bargain and a time-saver. You can cook a couple of chicken breasts to add to the soup, but I’ll just cut up some of the rotisserie chicken.

Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Soup

1 medium onion – diced

2 to 3 cloves of garlic – minced

1 stick of butter

1 cup of flour

1 tsp garlic powder

black pepper to taste

8 cups of chicken stock

2 cups cooked chicken breast – diced into bite size pieces

2 heads of broccoli – chopped into bite size pieces

1 cup half & half

2 cups of cheddar cheese – shredded

3/4 cup parmesan cheese – shredded

In a large pot melt the butter and add the diced onions and garlic for 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent, stirring frequently. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, until it makes a nice roux. Add the chicken stock, chicken, and broccoli. Add pepper and garlic powder. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. Just before serving, add the cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, and half & half. Stir until the cheese is melted and enjoy!

Most recipes call for salt, but I don’t add any to this soup. Between the chicken stock and cheeses, this is salty enough for me. Last week I added 2 cups of mushrooms that were in the fridge and they were a great addition to the soup. I also admit to not being exact in my cheese measurements. More cheese is never a bad thing.