Description
Comforting cheesy ranch chicken soup delights dinner tables with creamy midwest charm. Hearty ingredients blend perfectly, delivering warmth and satisfaction in each spoonful you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 4 cups cooked shredded chicken
Dairy and Cheese:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) heavy cream
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 to 4 cups baby spinach
- 4 to 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sliced green scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Render bacon pieces in a Dutch oven until golden and crispy, transferring the cooked bacon to a paper towel while preserving the rendered fat.
- Melt butter in the same pot over medium-high heat, sautéing onions until translucent for approximately 3 minutes, then quickly incorporate minced garlic and cook for an additional 20 seconds.
- Pour chicken broth into the pot, thoroughly deglazing the bottom to release any flavorful browned bits, then introduce all seasonings including garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, chives, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
- Elevate heat to bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce temperature to medium-low and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, developing rich flavor profiles.
- Incorporate diced chicken and cook for 5 minutes, then gradually whisk in cream cheese until completely melted, followed by shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until smooth and fully integrated.
- Add fresh spinach and cook for 2 minutes until slightly wilted, then stream in heavy cream and cook for an additional minute, removing bay leaf and adjusting seasoning as needed.
- Garnish with chopped scallions and reserved crispy bacon before serving the soup hot, ensuring a delightful textural contrast and enhanced flavor.
Notes
- Bacon Selection Choose thick-cut bacon for maximum flavor and crispier texture that holds up well in the soup.
- Vegetable Prep Dice onions uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent flavor distribution throughout the soup.
- Cheese Melting Technique Cut cream cheese into small cubes and gradually whisk to prevent clumping and create smooth, creamy consistency.
- Dietary Modifications Swap heavy cream with coconut milk for dairy-free version or use Greek yogurt for lighter protein-packed alternative.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 100mg