This simple Chicken Potato Soup is the perfect cure for chilly days. It's made in just 40 minutes with healthy ingredients. Enjoy while hot with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and green onion.
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🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Made with pantry staple ingredients. This hearty soup is made with just 11 simple ingredients, many of which are likely in your kitchen right now. It's the perfect comforting soup to make when you don't want to have to go grocery shopping for a bunch of new ingredients.
- No all-purpose flour. Many creamy, homemade soup recipes are made thick and creamy using a roux with all-purpose flour. Instead, this soup is made without flour and is thickened with the starches from the tender potatoes.
- Meal prep friendly. This soup will keep for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It's great for a healthy meal prep that can feed the entire family.
🥘Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pancetta - This creamy potato soup is made with pancetta and the fat leftover is used to sauté the mirepoix, making the base of the soup deep in flavor. If you have leftover pancetta, try my Instant Pot Minestrone Soup recipe next!
- Chicken thighs - If you've made some of my other chicken recipes on the site, you'll know I love cooking with chicken thighs. Their much more flavorful than chicken breast meat and are much less likely to dry out. If you're a novice chef, this chicken potato soup is the perfect beginner recipe.
- Potatoes - Yukon gold potatoes are creamier than russet potatoes and make the best creamy soup base. If desired, you can substitute peeled and diced red potatoes.
- Broth - I used my favorite chicken stock, but feel free to use vegetable broth if that's what you have on hand. You can also use a low-sodium broth for a lower-sodium soup. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste before serving.
- Cream - In order to make this chicken potato soup recipe paleo-friendly and Whole 30 compliant, I used full-fat coconut milk as the cream in my soup. If you are eating dairy, feel free to substitute heavy cream.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
🔪Instructions
Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta to the pot and cook until browned and crispy. Remove the pancetta from the pot and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess grease.
Step 2: Add the diced onions, carrots and celery to the same pot and cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add additional olive oil to the pot as needed to prevent sticking.
Step 3: Next, add the minced garlic, chicken thighs, potatoes, broth and herbs. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Remove the chicken, shred and return it to the pot. Stir the coconut milk or heavy cream along with the pancetta. Remove from the heat, then serve.
💭Recipe FAQs
Cooking the mirepoix for the full 5 minutes will allow the onion, celery, and carrot to brown and add richness to the base of the chicken potato soup. Additionally, finishing the soup with a bit of cream or coconut milk will add additional richness and make this soup broth creamy.
Yukon gold potatoes have a thin, palatable skin and can be added to the soup with skin on. I prefer the texture and creaminess of the potatoes without the skin - it makes the best creamy texture.
Yes, potatoes can be overcooked in the soup and become mushy and disintegrate in the soup. Once the potatoes are fork tender and easy to pierce without pressure, the potatoes are ready and the soup should be cooked through with tender chicken.
The chicken will be ready and safe to eat once the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reads 165 degrees F. For best results, use a meat thermometer to determine the doneness of the cooked chicken.
I have not tested a slow cooker version of the original recipe and unfortunately cannot advise. If you are looking for slow cooker recipes to make, you may enjoy my Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup, Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Tacos, or these BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders.
👩🏻🍳Chef Tips
- Cut the potatoes evenly. If the potatoes are cut in a wide arrange of sizes, they will cook unevenly. This can result in overcooked pieces and undercooked pieces. Take time to cut the potatoes evenly. If needed, check out this helpful post: How to Cut Potatoes into Cubes.
- Freeze leftover soup. If you are not able to eat all of the soup within 5 days, this soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. To do so, allow the soup to cool completely to room temperature, then transfer it to a freezer-safe jar, bag or container and seal it tightly.
🥗Serving
This chicken potato soup is hearty and nourishing enough to serve on its own with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese, green onions, fresh herbs and sour cream. It's the best soup to serve for a quick lunch or dinner on cold nights.
If you're looking for simple side dishes to pair with this comforting meal, you may enjoy these Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans, Air Fryer Frozen Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts.
More Soup Recipes
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📋 Recipe
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Chicken Potato Soup
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 (4 ounce) package of pancetta
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 celery sticks, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1 inch pieces
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup coconut milk, or heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally until browned and crispy.
- Remove the pancetta from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels to catch the grease.
- Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly softened. You may need to add more olive oil to the pot.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add in the garlic, chicken and potatoes.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pot and top with rosemary and thyme.
- Cover, bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken, shred and return it to the pot.
- Stir in the coconut milk and the pancetta. Turn off the heat.
- Serve topped with chives and shredded cheese, if desired.
Sarah's Tips
- Cut the potatoes evenly. If the potatoes are cut in a wide arrange of sizes, they will cook unevenly. This can result in overcooked pieces and undercooked pieces. Take time to cut the potatoes evenly. If needed, check out this helpful post: How to Cut Potatoes into Cubes.
- Freeze leftover soup. If you are not able to eat all of the soup within 5 days, this soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. To do so, allow the soup to cool completely to room temperature, then transfer it to a freezer-safe jar, bag or container and seal it tightly.
The cookbook is packed with easy-to-follow recipes that require only 6 ingredients to help you simplify your weeknights. Includes kitchen tips, ingredient swaps & grocery lists!
Kathy Craig says
Best soup! Great flavor, easy to make and hardy.
Kathy Craig says
Delicious! It was so tasty. Fan favorite!
Sarah Hill says
Hi Kathy, thanks for making the soup! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Kathy Craig says
Hi Sarah, do you bake the thighs first and then chop up in the soup? Thank you
Sarah Hill says
Hi Kathy! I actually made this soup the other night. I cook the chicken in the soup and then shred it and add it back in. Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂