Description
Creamy chicken parmesan soup delivers Italian comfort right to your kitchen, blending hearty marinara with tender chicken and melted cheese. Slow-cooker magic creates a one-pot wonder you’ll crave on chilly evenings, making dinner both simple and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Liquid Base:
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cheese:
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Optional Additions:
- 1 cup cooked pasta
Garnish:
- Fresh parsley
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Gently layer chicken, aromatic herbs, and robust seasonings into the slow cooker, creating a flavor-rich base for the soup.
- Pour chicken broth and tomato components over the ingredients, ensuring everything is well-submerged.
- Allow the mixture to simmer slowly at low temperature (6-7 hours) or high temperature (3-4 hours) until chicken becomes exceptionally tender and easily pulls apart.
- Carefully deconstruct the chicken using two forks directly within the crockpot, transforming it into delicate, bite-sized shreds.
- Enrich the soup’s texture and taste by incorporating creamy Parmesan and velvety heavy cream, stirring thoroughly to integrate.
- Add pre-cooked pasta and let the soup gently meld together for an additional 20 minutes on low setting, allowing flavors to harmonize.
- Ladle the steaming soup into serving bowls, garnishing with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of extra Parmesan cheese for an elegant finishing touch.
Notes
- Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the most tender and easy-to-shred meat in this comforting soup.
- Customize the soup’s consistency by adding more or less chicken broth depending on your preferred thickness.
- Swap heavy cream with half-and-half or milk for a lighter version, or use dairy-free alternatives for lactose-intolerant guests.
- Add extra vegetables like zucchini or spinach during the last hour of cooking to boost nutritional value and create a more complex flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 184 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 823 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg