This comforting homemade creamy chicken and mushroom soup is easy to make, full of veg, UPF free, and endlessly adaptable with no need to blend. It is a simple meal in a bowl that works well for batch cooking and freezing, and it tastes far better than anything from a can.
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup
Chicken and mushroom are a traditionally classic combination, as they pair so well together. Adding some cream makes it even better.
My tasty creamy chicken and mushroom soup recipe is packed with vegetables, is easy to make, endlessly adaptable and is a true meal in a bowl. So good you will be making this on repeat!
See also
- My slow cooker chicken gnocchi soup is an easy meal in a bowl
- Creamy chicken gnocchi is a delicious one pot
- Looking for more soup? Try a classic mushroom soup in your soup maker
- All my soup recipes
Homemade soup is on rotation in my kitchen, they are so easy to make, perfect for using up ingredients, far more economical than buying ready made and just better all round!
I’ll show you how to make the perfect chicken and mushroom soup, using the ingredients that you have in your kitchen.
Why make creamy chicken mushroom soup
- It’s a classic! Chicken and mushroom complement each other so well. Add cream for a rich and delicious soup.
- This recipe is quick and easy and largely hands off as well as no blend! About half an hour and it’s ready, and most of that is the soup cooking so you can get on with something else.
- Packed with vegetables, and adaptable – use what is in the fridge!
- Homemade is nearly always better and will be UPF free!
Chicken mushroom soup ingredients
- Chicken – I have used chicken thighs, but use any cut, or even leftover chicken.
- Onions, carrots and celery – this is the classic soffritto/mirepoix mix that is the base of so many recipes. You can buy it ready prepared frozen in the supermarket if you are feeling lazy.
- Mushrooms – I prefer chestnut mushrooms as they have more flavour, and contain more vitamin D, but any will do.
- Mixed herbs & bay leaf – I use a generic mixed herbs for this, but use your favourite blend. The bay leave makes a big difference to the flavour. I use them in soups, stews and when cooking rice. You can easily buy dried bay from most stores. If you have a bay tree or know someone who does, pick and dry at home (I put them on a piece of kitchen roll in an open plastic box and dry on the radiator).
- Stock – vegetable or chicken stock cube or pot made up with boiling water.
- Cream – I have used British double cream (48% fat). But use your judgement here. A thinner cream will also work – add less stock and use more cream.
- Garlic
- Flour – Regular baking / all purpose flour, self rising or not it doesn’t matter.
How to make creamy chicken and mushroom soup – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this chicken and mushroom soup recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Cut the chicken into small pieces. Sauté in half the olive oil in a non stick pan, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink and is starting to get some colour.
If you have leftover cooked chicken skip this stage.
Step Two – Prepare the vegetables. As this is a chunky soup that isn’t blended, you need to cut fairly evenly so the vegetables are all about the same size.
If you are using frozen soffritto allow to defrost.
Celery – trim and cut lengthwise, once or twice and into small pieces
Carrots – top and tail, peel, cut lengthwise and dice
Onion – top, tail, peel, and dice
Garlic – peel and chop
Mushrooms – cut in half and then slice
The exact amounts of vegetables do not really matter. Use what you have. Add a little more of one if you have a little less of another.
Sauté the prepared carrots, celery and onion in a heavy pot (which has a lid) in the remainder of the olive oil. Cook for 5-10 minutes until fragrant and the onions are starting to turn golden.
Add the garlic, mushrooms, herbs and bay leaf and cook for a few more minutes.
Step Three – Add the chicken to the pan, sprinkle over the flour and stir so it coats the ingredients and there are no lumps. Sauté for another two to three minutes or so to cook the flour.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
Take the time to cook the flour so the final soup does not taste floury.
Step Four – Slowly pour over the stock, stirring all the time. Because of the flour used to thicken the soup the mixture will initially be very thick, keep adding and keep stirring so there are no lumps.
If needed add a little more liquid so everything is almost covered.
Helen’s Pro Tip
Always always add a little less liquid to soup than you think you will need. It is very easy to add more, but less so to thicken the soup.
Step Five – Bring to a simmer, turn the heat right down and put the lid on. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are fall-apart soft and the chicken is tender.
Step Six – Stir through the cream and gently bring back to just below a simmer. Try not to let the soup boil to prevent the cream curdling. Check and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Serving suggestion
This creamy chicken and mushroom soup recipe serves 4–6 and makes a nourishing meal served with some bread or cornbread.
I like my soup garnished. Serve with some chopped parsley sprinkled over.
Variations
Once I have made a recipe a few times I like to mix it up, here are some ideas to vary the base recipe and to keep things fresh and interesting.
- Use some leftover chicken and skip step 1.
- Add a can of beans to the soup at step 4 – drained and rinsed haricot beans, butter beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans will all work well.
- Vary the vegetables. Diced peppers, peas and corn etc will all be good additions. Keep the onions and one of either the carrots or celery.
- Add a teaspoon of chicken seasoning for a more intensely flavoured soup
- Stir through a bag of spinach just before serving for another portion of vegetables.
- For some carbs, add some cooked rice or noodles a minute or two before serving
Storage
Fridge – Cool, cover and store for up to three days.
Freezer – Once cold, the soup can be packed into sealable containers and stored for three months.
If you are planning on freezing some of the soup then remove from the pot before adding the cream.
Gently reheat in the microwave in a Pyrex jug for easy lifting and pouring, or in a pan on the stove. Read more about how to freeze soup for extra hints and tips.
Hints and tips
- As this soup isn’t blended try to cut the vegetables into pieces of about the same size.
More delicious soup recipes
- Lentil and bacon soup – a satisfying, substantial classic
- Pinto bean soup – a meal in a bowl inspired by Mexican flavours.
- Carrot and coriander soup – zesty and delicious
- Find more soup recipes
Creamy Chicken Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken thighs (1)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 carrots (2)
- 2 sticks celery (2)
- 1 onion (2)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 250 g mushrooms (3)
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp flour (4)
- 500 ml stock
- 120 ml double cream
- black pepper and salt to taste
To serve
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
- Prep & cook the chicken – Cut the chicken into small pieces. Sauté in half the olive oil in a non stick pan, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink and is starting to get some colour. If you are using leftover chicken skip this stage.2 large chicken thighs, 1 tbsp olive oil
- Prepare the vegetables – Peel and chop the carrots, onion and celery into small pieces (about 1/2 cm / 1/4 inch) . You do not need to be too accurate, but try and keep pieces approximately the same size. Alternatively if you are using frozen ready made soffritto allow to defrost. Peel and shop the garlic, and slice the mushrooms.2 carrots, 2 sticks celery, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 250 g mushrooms
- Sauté the vegetables – Sauté the prepared carrots, celery and onion in a heavy pot (which has a lid) in the remainder of the olive oil. Cook for 5-10 minutes until fragrant and the onions are starting to turn golden. Add the garlic, mushrooms, herbs and by leaf and cook for a few more minutes.1 tsp mixed herbs, 1 bay leaf
- Add the flour – Add the chicken to the pan, sprinkle over the flour and stir so it coats the ingredients and there are no lumps. Sauté for another to to three minutes or so to cook the flour.1 tbsp flour
- Add the stock – Slowly pour over the stock, stirring all the time. Because of the flour used to thicken the soup them mixture will initially be very thick, Keep adding and keep stirring so there are no lumps. If needed add a little more liquid so everything is not quite covered. Always add a little less liquid than you think you will need to soup. It is easier to add some more at the end then to thicken a too thin soup. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat right down and put the lid on. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are fall apart soft and the chicken is tender.500 ml stock
- Add the cream & finish – Stir through the cream and gently bring back to just below a simmer. Try not to let the soup boil to prevent the cream curdling. Add salt and pepper to taste.120 ml double cream, black pepper and salt to taste
- Garnish & Serve – Stir through the chopped parsley and serveChopped parsley
Notes
- Chicken – I usually use chicken thighs as they have more flavour, but use any cut of chicken, even leftover.
- Carrot / Celery / Onion – You can use a frozen soffritto mix or vegetable base from the supermarket – this will have a finer cut – allow to defrost before frying and use about a cup and a half. Don’t worry too much about the exact quantities. Use what you have. If you have only a little of one add more of another.
- Mushrooms – I far prefer chestnut as they have more flavour, but any will do.
- Flour – white baking flour. Plain / all purpose / self rising – it does not matter. I would not use bread flour.
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