Creamy Potato and Chicken Soup

Name: Creamy Potato and Chicken Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. chicken breast with bone ((shredded, leftover turkey works great too)); 2 tsp. salt; ½ tsp. black pepper; 3 bay leaves; ½ onions; 6 potatoes; 4 tb. salted butter; ½ cup half-and-half cream; ¾ lb. cremini mushrooms; 1 tb. avocado oil; ½ cup vermicelli noodles; 1 tb. ghee; 3 cups chicken broth; 2 tsp. salt; ¼ tsp. white pepper; ¼ cup chopped parsley

November 27, 2024
by Iman

Cuisine: Lebanese
Difficulty: Easy

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Prep Time

15 mins.
Cook Time

45 mins.
Serving

6
Ready In

1 Hour

After a big feast, it’s hard to imagine cooking another massive meal. But what about those leftover mashed potatoes sitting in your fridge? Instead of reheating them or making another casserole, why not turn them into something warm and comforting like this Creamy Potato and Chicken Soup?

What is in Creamy Potato and Chicken Soup?

My mom made this soup for us growing up and it was always a huge hit with us. This soup is very kid-friendly, my kids will eat 2 bowls in one sitting! This easy soup uses potatoes for its main ingredient making it the perfect way to use up leftover mashed potatoes or you can make fresh mashed potatoes if you didn’t have them on your holiday table. It’s the perfect meal for the days following the holiday when you want something satisfying but simple.

In this recipe, I boiled and shredded chicken breast, but you can absolutely swap the chicken for leftover turkey as well. You can also keep it vegetarian and leave the protein out as well. The soup also has mushrooms and vermicelli noodles.

How to make Creamy Potato and Chicken Soup

To start out, I like to cook the chicken with aromatics, so I can also get a flavorful broth to also use in the soup. In a separate large pot, I boiled my cubed and washed potatoes to make some fresh mashed potatoes since I did not have any on hand. I make the mashed potatoes using half and half cream, butter, and salt. Once the chicken has cooked I set it aside to cool and later on shred into small bite-size pieces. I drained the chicken broth and set it aside.

Once the mashed potatoes are prepared and ready, I slowly add about 1 cup of chicken broth to start (you will need more later as the soup thickens.) In a separate skillet or pot, I sauteed about ¾ lb. of brown sliced mushrooms until softened then added to the soup. I also sauteed ½ cup of vermicelli noodles in 1 tb of ghee and also added to the soup. You want the noodles a light brown, not too dark. We use vermicelli a lot in Lebanese cooking so I always have on hand, if you do not you can substitute for any small noodles.

Add the shredded chicken as well and let the noodles cook in the soup and let all the flavors combine for about 10 minutes. From here, you will notice the soup has thickened up quite a bit, so add more chicken broth. I added 2 more cups. Season with salt and white pepper as needed. Lastly add chopped parsley for color and let simmer for 5 more minutes before serving.

STEP 1

In a medium-sized pot, add the chicken with enough water to fully cover the chicken, 2 teaspoons of salt, half an onion, bay leaves and some black pepper.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.

STEP 2

Once the chicken is done, remove it from the pot and set aside to cool. Reserve the chicken broth for later. Once cooled, shred the chicken into small bite-sized pieces and set aside.

STEP 3

While the chicken is cooking, place your cubed potatoes another pot. Fill with water, salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, until soft and easily pierced with a fork.

STEP 4

Drain the potatoes, then mash them.

Add the half-and-half cream and butter to the mashed potatoes and whisk the ingredients.

Quick Tip

If you’re using leftover mashed potatoes, just give them a stir in a pot to loosen them up a bit.

STEP 5

In the pot with the mashed potatoes, slowly pour in about 1 cup of the reserved chicken broth, stirring as you go to incorporate.

The mashed potatoes should blend into the broth, creating a smooth base.

STEP 6

Wash and slice your mushrooms. In a large skillet or pot, add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and the sliced mushrooms to the pot and sauté for about 7-10 minutes, until the mushrooms release their moisture and become golden brown.

Add the mushrooms to the soup.

STEP 7

In the same pan you cooked the mushrooms, heat 1 tbsp. ghee (or butter) over medium heat.

Add the vermicelli noodles and sauté them for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until they turn a light golden brown (but be careful not to burn them).

Once toasted, add the vermicelli to the soup pot.

STEP 8

Add the shredded chicken to the soup and bring everything to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Let the soup cook for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine and the noodles to cook through. As the soup thickens, gradually add more chicken broth (about 2 cups), adjusting the consistency to your liking.

STEP 9

Add and stir in the chopped parsley for added color and freshness.

Season the soup with 2 teaspoons of salt and ¼ teaspoon of white pepper. Let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.