Creamy Chicken Mushroom Soup
This homemade chicken mushroom soup is built on a properly sautéed base with deeply browned cremini mushrooms, tender chicken, and a velvety cream-finished broth thickened with a simple flour roux. No canned soups, no shortcuts — just rich, savory comfort in about 45 minutes.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot - at least 5-quart / 4.7L capacity
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle - for serving
- Instant-read thermometer - optional but helpful
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts - 680g, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 16 oz cremini mushrooms - 450g, cleaned and sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion - diced
- 3 stalks celery - diced
- 2 medium carrots - peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - divided
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth - 1.2L
- 1 cup heavy cream - 240ml
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.5 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper - plus more to taste
- fresh parsley - chopped, for garnish
- crusty bread or dinner rolls - for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Dice onion, celery, and carrots into 1/4-inch pieces. Mince garlic. Slice mushrooms 1/4-inch thick. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until deeply golden. Stir and cook 2-3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate.
- In the same pot, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, and carrots for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle flour evenly over vegetables and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste, coating everything evenly.
- Slowly pour in chicken broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle boil, add seasoned chicken, reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 15-18 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F.
- Stir reserved browned mushrooms and heavy cream into the soup. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 5 minutes to warm through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately with crusty bread or dinner rolls on the side.
Notes
- Don't crowd the mushrooms — cook in two batches if needed so they brown rather than steam.
- Scrape up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pot when adding broth for maximum flavor.
- Season at every stage — a pinch of salt with mushrooms, vegetables, and at the end builds layered flavor.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer after adding cream — a rolling boil can cause the cream to break.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months — whisk well while reheating to restore smooth texture.
- Reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth if the soup has thickened too much.
- Substitute chicken thighs for breasts for a richer flavor (add 3-5 minutes cooking time).
- For a dairy-free version, use olive oil instead of butter and full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
- Add 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice with the broth and simmer 35-40 minutes for a wild rice variation.