Chicken Florentine Soup
Chicken Florentine Soup is a comforting, creamy, and delicious recipe made with fresh veggies and shredded chicken in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil not extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 medium carrot peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups (1 liter) low sodium chicken stock
- 2 (650 g) chicken breasts boneless and skinless, about 1.5 lb
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream double cream in the UK
- ½ cup (43 g) shredded parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch cornflour in the UK, mixed with 2-3 tablespoons of water
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and melt butter in a dutch oven over medium heat until the butter has melted.
- Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for about 3 minutes until they start to soften. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Pour the chicken stock into the pot. Increase heat to bring it to a boil.
- Add the chicken breasts, salt, black pepper, and dried thyme. Reduce heat to a simmer.
- Partially cover the pot and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Remove the chicken breasts from the pot, and shred using 2 forks, your hands (when the chicken cools enough to handle with your hands), or with a mixer.
- Pour in the heavy cream and add shredded parmesan. Mix well and allow the soup to come back to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water and add it to the soup to thicken it. Stir in the shredded chicken.
- Add the spinach leaves and let them wilt for 2-3 minutes. Taste the soup and adjust salt or pepper as needed. Serve warm with crusty bread.
Video
Notes
- Freshly Shred the Cheese: Pre-shredded parmesan cheese won't melt as well as cheese that you've grated from a wedge yourself. It's also cheaper this way, and it tastes better.
- Adjust the Amount of Cream: Some recipes for chicken florentine soup call for up to 2 full cups of heavy cream. I tried it that way and felt that it was way too much. Add a little bit extra cream if you like, but you really only need a cup or so to make your soup rich and silky.
- Use a Thermometer: Check to be sure that the internal temperature of the chicken breasts is 165°F (74°C). At this temperature, it's fully cooked. Going much past this point will result in dry, overcooked meat.
- Try a Shortcut! Instead of cooking chicken breasts for this soup, use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken that you have in the fridge.
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 1051mg | Potassium: 912mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5109IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 2mg