Creamy Chicken Parmesan Soup (Printable Version)

Velvety chicken soup with Parmesan, vegetables, and Italian herbs for a warm, satisfying meal.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

06 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
07 - 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes

→ Spices & Seasonings

08 - 1½ tsp Italian seasoning
09 - 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
10 - ½ tsp black pepper
11 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Dairy

12 - 1 cup heavy cream
13 - ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pasta

14 - ¾ cup small pasta (ditalini, elbows, or gluten-free alternative)

→ Garnish

15 - ¼ cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Place chicken breasts or thighs in the slow cooker. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, celery, minced garlic, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to distribute ingredients evenly.
02 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 6 hours or HIGH setting for 3½ hours until chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
03 - Transfer cooked chicken to a clean cutting board. Using two forks, shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir into the soup.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. If using pasta, add it now. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20–25 minutes until pasta is tender and cheese has melted.
05 - Taste soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired. Ladle into individual bowls and top with chopped fresh basil or parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Its basically Chicken Parmesan in soup form, which feels like discovering a loophole in the comfort food rules
  • The slow cooker does absolutely all the heavy lifting while you go about your day
  • That moment when the cream and Parmesan hit the hot broth and suddenly the whole house smells like an Italian grandmother's kitchen
02 -
  • The soup continues to thicken as it sits, especially if you added pasta, so dont panic if it looks thinner than expected right after adding the cream
  • Half and half works in a pinch, but the soup wont have that same velvety restaurant quality mouthfeel
  • If youre making this ahead, cook the pasta separately and add it when reheating so it doesnt turn into mush
03 -
  • Brown the chicken in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker for deeper flavor
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the pre-shredded stuff, which contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting

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