Easy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
With easy prep and a simple stovetop method, this Easy Chicken Pot Pie Soup tastes like a classic recipe but without the work. It's a creamy, comforting soup paired with cheesy puff pastry cutouts, perfect for curling up with on a chilly night.
Recipe Quick Guide
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Creamy, savory, comfort food.
- 🕒 Total Time: 50 minutes
- 🥄 Texture: Rich, creamy broth with hearty chunks of chicken, potatoes, and vegetables
- 👩🍳 Best For: Cozy family dinners, chilly nights, and classic comfort-food cravings
- 💡 Pro Tip: Bake the cheesy puff pastry cutouts while the soup simmers so they stay crisp and ready to serve right on top.
Summarize & Save This Content On
With all the traditional flavor but half the work, this chicken pot pie soup recipe is comfort in a bowl, kind of like this sausage gnocchi soup. Made with cooked chicken and easy seasonings, the soup comes together in under an hour and tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep.
I love that you can skip the effort of crust-making and instead top your bowls of soup with simple puff pastry cutouts for total coziness but minimal effort. The result is a practical weeknight dinner with comfort-food flavor; this beef ravioli soup is like that, too.
Why This Recipe Works
- Cutouts Not Full Crust: One of the best parts about this creamy chicken soup is that it's served with puff pastry cutouts and not a full crust. This saves a ton of time and effort in the kitchen.
- Creamy: Thanks to the blend of half-and-half and potatoes, this soup has a deliciously creamy texture that's great to cozy up with.
- Make ahead: The soup is as tasty the next day as it is freshly made. And since you're not serving it in a crust, the puff pastry cutouts don't become soggy. Meaning, it's great for making in advance.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Cooked Chicken: You need cooked, preferably shredded, chicken for the soup to come together, as in my chicken paprikash soup. Though you can easily prep this in advance, rotisserie chicken works perfectly and saves you some time.
- Broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth if you're grabbing it from the store so that you can adjust the seasonings yourself. Of course, instant pot chicken broth works beautifully too.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes work best to ensure the soup comes out creamy, not watery.
- Frozen Puff Pastry: Used to make the cutouts, make sure it's thawed before you need it. So, let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Dietary Modifications & Variations
- Protein: This creamy pot pie soup is perfect after the holidays because you can substitute the chicken for leftover turkey, too.
- Dairy-Free: To make this soup free from dairy, you'll need to use vegan butter for the base as well as vegan cheese for the puff pastry cutouts. Lastly, swap out the half-and-half for canned coconut milk.
- Gluten-Free: This soup recipe itself is naturally gluten-free (so long as you double-check your chicken broth). To make the cheesy cutouts gluten-free, simply use gluten-free puff pastry.
How to Make Easy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Learning how to make chicken pot pie into a soup is pretty simple, as the prep time is minimal. Part of this is because you'll be making the puff pastry cutouts at the same time the soup is cooking, so you're saving time overall.
Step 1: Sauté the Veggies. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat and then add the onions, carrots, and celery, cooking them until soft.
Step 2: Season. Add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and rosemary to the pot and give it a stir. Cook for roughly 5 minutes until the juices from the mushrooms have evaporated.
Step 3: Thicken the Base. Mix the flour into the vegetables and stir them frequently for 2 minutes until the flour begins to develop a nutty aroma.
Step 4: Add Broth. Pour the chicken broth into the pot along with the salt, pepper, and potatoes. Mix until everything is combined and increase the heat to bring the soup to a simmer. Continue simmering until the potatoes are tender.
Step 5: Add Remaining Vegetables. Stir the chicken, peas, and corn into the soup, then bring it back to a simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 6: Make it Creamy. Add the half-and-half, along with the chopped parsley, and cook until heated through.
Step 7: Taste Test. Give the soup a taste and adjust it as needed with salt and pepper.
Step 8: Prep the Pastry. While the soup is cooking, prep the puff pastry by mixing the egg whites, water, and seasonings in a small bowl.
Step 9: Spread the Base. Unfold the sheet of puff pastry onto a lined baking sheet. Brush the egg mixture on top and sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.
Step 10: Make the Cutouts. Begin to cut the sheet with cookie cutters and place them onto a lined baking sheet.
Step 11: Bake Until Golden. Bake in a preheated oven until the puff pastry has risen and is almost golden.
Step 12: Serve the Soup. Serve the soup in a large bowl, topped with parsley and the cheese puff pastry cutouts on top.
Lyn's Top Tips
- Cutting the puff pastry: Whether you are using a knife or cookie cutters, make sure to press straight down and do not twist the cutter. This is so that the puff pastry rises evenly when baked.
- Timing: You want to start pulling the puff pastry out of the freezer and preheat the oven as soon as you start the soup. Then, make the cheesy cutouts while the soup is simmering. This saves you time and makes it so that everything is finished at the same time and ready to serve.
- Seasoning: Salt and pepper really bring out the classic taste of this soup. So, adjust the amounts after you give it a taste test to really make the flavor pop.
- Storing: Let the soup cool fully before storing it in an airtight container. If you plan to freeze it, leave extra room at the top for it to expand. Store the soup and the cheesy puff pastry separately. In the fridge it will stay fresh for 3-4 days and in the freezer it keeps for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Let the soup thaw overnight in the fridge if it's frozen. Then, reheat it on the stove over low to medium heat until warmed through. If it thickens up from the fridge, add a splash more broth or half-and-half to thin it out. You can reheat the puff pastry in the oven on low.
Soup-er Toppings & Serving Suggestions
This easy soup can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, even more comforting than the last. Below are a few of our favorites:
- Swap out the puff pastry with cornbread croutons or enjoy with some homemade cheese biscuits on the side.
- Pair the soup with your favorite garlic bread and a Caesar salad for a full meal.
- Top the soup with crispy, cooked bacon for a more savory profile.
Recipe FAQs
The soup should naturally thicken due to the flour added to the vegetables. If it doesn't thicken enough to your preference, ladle some hot soup into a separate bowl and mix in another tablespoon of flour until smooth. Then pour it back into the soup and continue simmering until it thickens.
Yes, you can freeze this soup. Once cooled, place the soup in an airtight container or freezer bag, making sure to leave room in the container for the soup to expand. Stored like this, it will stay fresh for up to 2 months.
Absolutely! This soup is very make-ahead friendly. You can cook the soup up to 2-3 days in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator. The flavors actually get cozier as they sit. I suggest holding off on preparing the puff pastry until just before serving, so it stays crisp and golden. Reheat the soup gently on the stove, while the puff pastry bakes.
If you don't have puff pastry on hand, there are plenty of easy substitutes that still give this soup that classic pot pie feel. Baked cheesy biscuits or crescent rolls work well and can be served on the side or broken over the soup just before eating. Pie crust cutouts are another great option and deliver a more traditional pot pie flavor, even though they aren't quite as flaky as puff pastry. For a quick pantry solution, crackers or oyster crackers add a satisfying crunch without any extra prep. Crusty dinner rolls, bread, or breadsticks are also perfect for dipping and soaking up the creamy broth.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup carrot coins about 2-3 carrots, sliced into thin pieces
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 cups sliced white mushrooms
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 2 large Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
- 4 cups shredded chicken Cooked chicken (such as rotisserie)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ⅔ cup half-and-half
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
Cheesy Puffy Pastry Cutouts
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed at room temperature for 30 minutes
- 1 egg white
- 2 teaspoons water
- ½ teaspoon everything but the bagel seasoning
- 1 pinch of salt
- ⅛ teaspoon mustard powder
- ⅔ cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the butter and heat until melted. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, for 6-7 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
- Add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and cook for 5 minutes or until the mushroom juices have evaporated and the mushrooms turn golden.
- Stir in the all-purpose flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes until the flour smells nutty.
- Stir in the chicken broth, salt, black pepper, and potatoes until well combined. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring the soup to a simmer, reduce to medium, and cook for 12-14 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Stir in the chicken, peas, and corn. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the half-and-half and chopped parsley and cook for 1-2 minutes until heated through.
- Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley and the cheesy puff pastry cutouts on top.
Cheesy Puff Pastry Cutouts
- While the soup simmers, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Line an unrimmed or shallow-rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the sheet of puff pastry and place it on the parchment.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg white, water, bagel seasoning, salt, and mustard powder until combined.
- Brush the egg white mixture onto the puff pastry. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese and cut the sheet into 8-16 squares or your desired shape using small cookie cutters. Be careful to cut straight down, not twisting the knife or cutter, so the puff pastry rises when baked.
- Carefully spread the puffy pastry pieces on the baking sheet so they are at least ½ inch apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the puff pastry is risen and the cheese is golden.
- Remove from the oven and enjoy warm with bowls of soup.
Recipe Tips
- Portioning the puff pastry: They do tend to spread out as they bake, so you'll want to place them on a prepared pan at least ½ an inch apart so that they don't blend together.
- Shredded chicken: Bites of shredded chicken work best for the soup, as it helps create a thicker texture. If you have cooked breasts, though, you can cube them instead. Just make sure to keep the pieces small and bite-sized.
- Cooking mushrooms: It's important to cook the mushrooms until all their juices have been released and evaporated. This is what helps keep the soup creamy and not watery.
