Chicken and Broccoli Cheese Soup

Name: Chicken and Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 onion (diced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); ½ cup butter; 1 cup flour; 8 cups chicken broth; 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces); 2 heads fresh broccoli ((or 2 bags of frozen broccoli)); 1 ½ teaspoons salt; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper; a couple shakes of hot sauce (optional); 1 cup milk; 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese; ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

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42 Comments

4.96 from 23 votes

This easy chicken and broccoli cheese soup is cheesy and hearty and easy to prepare on the stovetop in just a few simple steps.

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Fall is for soup, and this chicken and broccoli cheese soup recipe is the best soup recipe. Between all the creamy cheese, butter, and chicken, this is a chicken broccoli cheese soup that you won’t forget.

Who does not love a good chicken and broccoli cheese soup recipe?! Pretty much anything you put in a cheese soup, I am going to love it. Haha. With this broccoli cheese soup with chicken, you will be making it from scratch, without using Velveeta as the base. Don’t get me wrong, Velveeta is delicious, but I always tend to have extra cheese in my fridge, but I don’t always have Velveeta so it is nice to have a delicious chicken broccoli cheese soup recipe that does require it.

We have this recipe on repeat especially during these cold months as winter rolls in. You can make it up or even freeze it ahead of time!

A bowl of thick vegetable soup with herbs, topped with two slices of toasted bread, sits on a marble surface next to two black spoons and a napkin.

A pot of creamy broccoli cheddar soup with a wooden spoon, next to a plate of fresh broccoli florets.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To make our chicken and broccoli cheese soup, you need the following ingredients:

Onion, diced
Garlic, minced
Butter
Flour
Chicken broth
Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
Fresh broccoli
Salt
Garlic powder
Ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Hot sauce (optional)
Milk
Sharp cheddar cheese
Shredded parmesan cheese

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

A bowl of creamy soup with broccoli and croutons, served with toasted bread and a black spoon on a marble surface.

How to Make Our Chicken and Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

When you are ready to get started, get out your large saucepan and add in the onion and minced garlic over medium-high heat and saute them until they are nice and tender. This should only take a few minutes.
Then, add in the butter and flour over medium heat to continue to make your roux base for this cheese soup recipe. You want your roux to be bubbly and just starting to brown (and of course, it will smell amazing).
Once the roux is done, pour it into a large stock pot and pour the chicken broth on top, stirring everything together the whole time to avoid getting clumps and lumps in the broth.
After you have the broth fulling incorporated into the roux, add in the cooked chicken bites, chopped broccoli, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce (if you want it) and continue to cook everything together for about 35-40 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. NOTE: If you are using frozen broccoli it will cook up a little faster and give off a little more liquid than fresh broccoli.
Now, after the chicken and broccoli are perfectly cooked, stir in the milk, sharp cheddar cheese, and parmesan cheese.
Stir everything together until the cheeses are completely melted and then serve it with your favorite sides, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

A roux is a base for a lot of soups or casseroles that you make with fat and flour to create a thickening agent for your meal. While it does not contain complicated ingredients, however, the execution of the roux can be more complex because if you aren’t paying attention things might not turn out how you want. Bon appétit has a great informational article that is called “what is a roux and why do I keep messing mine up”. If you find that your recipes aren’t turning out the right way when you have a roux base, give it a read and get some ideas for the next time you need to make one.

I always love to top off my soups with one or more fresh ingredients since you can add even more flavor and of course, it makes them look even more like they are from a restaurant. Some of our favorite soup toppings include the following: sour cream, cheddar cheese, chives, green onions, croutons, oyster crackers, tortilla strips, and avocado.

A blue pot filled with creamy broccoli cheese soup, with a wooden spoon resting inside and broccoli pieces visible in the soup.

A ceramic bowl filled with creamy soup, featuring pieces of broccoli and bread slices, with a black spoon resting inside. Another similar bowl and a small dish of butter in the background.

Explore More Delicious Soup Recipes

Explore our collection of soup recipes made in the stovetop, slow cooker or Instant Pot. For more soup inspiration, check out our full list of soups.

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Questions & Reviews

Jenn says:

This soup sounds so comforting and delicious.
Cathy says:

Thanks so much for the recipe! I'm going to try it tonight. My sister says, "You always are making new recipes." It's true, because I love trying your recipes and usually have everything in the house to make your new ones. Biggest hits so far were your sweet and sour chicken, ranch chicken taquito recipe, and cheesy vegetable soup. My kids are flexible so they please everyone.
Kelly says:

I made this last night & everyone in my family loved it! Brought leftovers to work to share and everyone there loved it too! Will be making this one again. Thank you!
Tiffani says:

My family loves this soup. I usually make it when I have spinach that will soon go bad. I ass it in there for a few extra nutrients and no one realizes they're eating it :)
Krystal says:

Have you ever tried making a double batch & freezing the rest for a meal at a later date? just curious to know if it freezes well?
carly says:

just made this on sunday. it's fantastic. i skipped the chicken, but it turned out great. have been eating it all week! will be making again soon for sure! thanks for the great find!
Barb says:

hi there- love you blog/recipes, etc.... I am wheat intolerant, what would you replace the flour with in this recipe? There is a whole cup which is a lot for any other thickener, just wondering if you had any thoughts. I love Broccoli Cheese Soup, but it's been a long time. Warmly, Barb
Jenny Burggraf says:

Use gluten free flour (I have Celiac Disease and always "alter" recipes)
Janet says:

I made this for lunch on Saturday, without the chicken. I cut the recipe in half as it was just lunch for four of us, and there wasn't a drop left! Very yummy - thanks!
Kristina says:

Thanks. Made it and its is yummy. Added carrots, peas and some sweet bell pepper.
Kasey says:

I just made this soup on this cold, snowy Sunday. It was incredibly good! I was a little worried about how it would turn out as my roux was a little clumpy, but I could not have been more impressed. I plan on making this recipe again and again, thank you so much ladies!
Cloey says:

Hi, wonder if I need to cook this ( after adding chicken and broccoli) on medium high heat or medium low before adding milk and cheess, thanks!
Cyd says:

You add the milk and cheese at the very end and stir in until the cheese is completely melted.
Candee says:

Soup worth making!
emily says:

Im sick today and all I want is some broccoli and cheese soup. I didnt feel like making it but its so easy. I used frozen broccoli and frozen diced chicken so it only took maybe 30 minutes to put together which was awesome. I added way more cheese and I used a gluten free flour and it turned out great, I was worried about using the whole cup of flour but it turned out just right. I also always spice things a little more than directed. Always to taste. It was a fast and delicious soup.
Julie Johnson says:

I just thought I'd get back on here tonight to tell you that I made this for dinner & it was THE BEST broccoli soup I've ever had & the 1st I've ever made! I loved the kick the cayenne pepper gave & the how hearty the chicken made the soup. It was double awesome because I was able to feed 8 people & still have some leftovers, which I will enjoy for my lunch tomorrow! :) The 8 people consisted of 4 adults (2 of which are starving college aged boys) & 4 children. We enjoyed it with French bread & a small salad. Talk about a hit! Thank you, Julie
Jen says:

This looks awesome :-) I'm wondering if I can make this in the crockpot with frozen chicken breast?
Joanie Steptoe says:

I'm wondering the same but with uncooked frozen boneless thighs
Jamie says:

I just made this soup. I always wanted to make broccoli soup and it was so easy. Thank you!
Hyde says:

This recipe was incredible, like seriously the best. I admit I made a few small tweaks though. I used chicken thighs instead of breast, I added julienned carrots, and I omitted the hot sauce and cayenne because my man hates spicy stuff. Even though it turned out amazing I would love to stick closer to the recipe next time by adding the spicy elements since I personally love spicy stuff.
Hyde says:

I brought mine to a boil after adding broccoli and chicken and then simmered on low for the remaining 50 minutes before stirring in milk/cheese.
Chad Hattie says:

With a bit o left over bacon from breakfast, this recipe became amazing! Thank you.
MaeMae says:

Not fair! You didn't explain why.
Shelley says:

Can this soup be stored in freezer?
Cyd says:

This soup does pretty well when you freeze it because it's not heavy cream based. Freeze in covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Always stir well when reheating frozen soup.
Corinne says:

I made this soup tonight and it was amazing! Award winning soup. I loved it! Absolutely perfect! Thank you for sharing.
Anita says:

Currently making this soup. I’d recommend editing the instructions to include heat setting and also to melt the butter first before adding the flour. I just added it at the same time and tried to save it... this was my first time making a roux. I will see if this comes out okay or not considering how the roux was messed up. I needed more directions for heating as well which thankfully I found in the comments, but it should already be part of the directions.
Carey Hathaway says:

I tried this recipe. What am I supposed to sauteing the onion and garlic in? The butter? And there was so much flour in that 1/2 c. of butter that there was NO letting it get bubbly, it was so thick, more like a paste that I had to add more butter or liquid so that it wouldn't burn. And I must say that 8 cups of chicken broth is NOT NEAR enough liquid for all of the thickness that all of that flour had going on! I had to use a HUGE stock pot and keep adding liquid. Not to mention all of the cheese floated to the bottom of my pot and burned!!!! It could be a good recipe, but I think you left some stuff out!
Naomi Jessop says:

I stumbled across this recipe and decided to make it. It is SO SO delicious! Definitely worth making. Thanks so much.
Charity says:

I made this tonight and everyone loved it! I used Perdue shortcuts grilled chicken and frozen broccoli. I think I made the mistake someone else mentioned of not melting my butter before adding the flour, but I fixed it when adding the broth to the roux slowly. My husband doesn’t do straight milk and I was all out of unsweetened almond milk, so I used a can of cream of chicken soup (yes I know it has milk in it). I used cheddar and mozzarella, but the cheddar had trouble melting and was quite globby. Not sure what I did wrong. Overall, it was delicious! All 3 kids ages 3,9,11 liked it! Paired with Cheddar Bay Biscuits. Yum yum!
Lynze says:

This soup is amazing and makes it to my menu at least once a month. It is so easy to whip up in a pinch and I love the leftovers for lunch. Great as a guest meal too whenever we have pop ins. :)
Sheela says:

This turned out amazing! I threw in a bit of cajun seasoning because I didn't have cayenne or hot sauce, used frozen broccoli, and skipped the parmesan. It was easily as good (or better) than a soup in a restaurant. Tons of leftovers to enjoy too! Thanks for the awesome recipe - it hit the spot! 🙂
Momma Cyd says:

We are so glad to hear that you liked the soup! This one is easy and delicious!
Christine Duerksen says:

This is my go-to Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe. My husband is the same way and likes meat in his soups so he loved that but I also added some cooked rice to give it some more "stuff" and it is a hit.
Marlene says:

This is the best broccoli cheddar soup I've ever had!! It's definitely going to be put into meal plan rotation. My family loved it!!
Momma Cyd says:

Thanks Marlene. We are so glad you liked this soup!
Lisa H. says:

I'm a Louisiana girl - been making roux my whole life. I was a little concerned with the butter to flour ratio - I grew up learning that you use a 1 to 1 ratio of flour and oil/butter. But I powered ahead, and while it didn't get bubbly (it was too thick for that), it did brown up a bit, and it made the soup wonderfully creamy and thick enough. I was also worried that it might be the consistency of wallpaper paste when I reheated, but it was not. It reheats beautifully and tastes better the second day! I followed the recipe largely as written. I used heavy cream instead of milk, and I tend to season a bit more generously than most recipes - we like it zesty around here. It fit in my 5-quart Dutch oven just fine, and it was a really good pot of soup. I served it with some homemade beer bread. Great meal for a cool evening!
Lisa H. says:

Forgot to add - I did use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. I find they have a bit more flavor. I also used fresh broccoli - I like that I can control the size of the bites of broccoli in the soup when I use fresh.
Amber says:

This a really good soup! The only thing I will do the next time I make it will be cut back on the salt. I will probably add some shredded carrots too for more veggies!
Callan says:

What is the serving size on this?
Momma Cyd says:

It can serve up to 8 people. But you can have the serving size be whatever works best for the size and ages of your family/group. It's a hearty soup.
Jeannette Whiting says:

This is the only broccoli cheddar soup I’ve ever liked. I think adding the chicken really makes the difference. I used rotisserie chicken and medium instead of sharp cheddar. Put this in my regular rotation.