Cheesy Crack Chicken Soup (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
4 slices bacon, diced
02 -
1 tablespoon butter
03 -
1 small yellow onion, diced
04 -
3 cloves garlic, minced
05 -
4 to 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
06 -
½ teaspoon garlic powder
07 -
½ teaspoon onion powder
08 -
½ teaspoon dried dill weed
09 -
½ teaspoon dried chives
10 -
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
11 -
1 bay leaf
12 -
4 cups cooked shredded chicken
13 -
8 ounces package cream cheese, softened
14 -
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
15 -
3 to 4 cups baby spinach
16 -
¼ cup heavy cream
17 -
sliced green scallions, for garnish
# Instructions:
01 -
Cook diced bacon to a crisp in a Dutch Oven or soup pot. Remove bacon from pot with a slotted spoon, leaving bacon grease in the pot.
02 -
Add butter to the pot and melt over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and cook for 3 minutes; then stir in garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
03 -
Add chicken broth and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, chives, salt, and pepper.
04 -
Add bay leaf and bring to a boil; lower heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes.
05 -
Stir in shredded chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and whisk it continuously until completely melted and combined. Stir in the shredded cheese; whisk until melted and thoroughly combined.
06 -
Add baby spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and cook for 1 minute.
07 -
Taste the soup for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Remove the bay leaf.
08 -
Remove your crack chicken soup from the heat and top it with scallions and previously prepared bacon before serving.
# Notes:
01 -
If you prefer to use store-bought ranch seasoning mix, skip the garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill weed, and dried chives. Instead, stir in 2 teaspoons of the ranch seasoning.
02 -
Once the soup is done, taste it and adjust the seasoning if needed.
03 -
You can use rotisserie chicken for a quick shortcut.
04 -
The soup will thicken as it cools - add more broth if needed when reheating.