Hearty & Healthy: One-Pot Cheesy Chicken Potato Soup (No Cream!)

Embrace cozy comfort food without the guilt with this incredible one-pot Cheesy Chicken Potato Soup. Bursting with flavor, packed with tender chicken, wholesome potatoes, and fresh spinach, this soup offers a surprisingly creamy texture without a single drop of heavy cream or milk. It’s a healthy, satisfying meal perfect for chilly evenings, achieved through a clever blending technique that utilizes the natural starchiness of potatoes. Get ready to warm your soul and nourish your body with this easy-to-make, family-friendly recipe!

The Ultimate Winter Comfort: Warm Up with Healthy Soup

As the temperatures drop and winter truly settles in, there’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of soup to chase away the chill. I remember those snowy January days vividly – the kind that make you want to stay bundled up indoors, especially if you have the luxury of working from home. Gone are the days of braving icy roads and treacherous commutes just to show up at the office. One time, a particularly nasty ice storm turned my driveway into a veritable skating rink, making leaving the house a dangerous endeavor. While I was able to work remotely, the next day brought a stern lecture from my boss about his own perilous journey over a mountain to reach work. Good for him, I thought. I, on the other hand, prioritize not risking my life for a commute.

This personal experience only reinforced my appreciation for warm, comforting meals that are easy to prepare and enjoy from the safety and warmth of home. When the snow falls and the wind howls, my culinary cravings immediately turn to soup. However, while I appreciate a rich, indulgent meal from time to time, January often marks a shift towards healthier eating habits after the holiday season. The challenge then becomes: how do you create a truly comforting, creamy soup that feels decadent but is actually light and nutritious?

The Secret to Unbelievably Creamy Texture (Without Cream!)

This is precisely the question that led to the development of this Cheesy Chicken Potato Soup. Despite its luxurious, creamy appearance and deeply satisfying taste, it contains absolutely no cream or milk. Many people assume that achieving a rich, velvety soup texture requires heavy dairy, but I’m here to tell you that’s simply not true! The secret lies in harnessing the natural power of potatoes.

Instead of relying on fattening dairy products, we use pureed potatoes as a natural thickener. Think about your favorite fluffy mashed potatoes; now imagine that same delightful consistency, but thinned out slightly to a perfect soup consistency. By blending a portion of the cooked potatoes directly into the broth, we create an incredibly smooth, thick, and satisfying base. This not only makes the soup healthier by reducing fat and calories, but it also infuses it with a deeper, more authentic potato flavor. You might have heard of using potato flakes for thickening, but I find that fresh, cooked potatoes offer a superior texture and flavor profile that truly elevates this dish.

Why This Cheesy Chicken Potato Soup is a Healthy Choice

Initially, crafting a “healthy potato soup” wasn’t my go-to culinary challenge. However, with the new year often bringing resolutions for healthier eating, I was inspired to create a recipe that debunked the myth of potatoes being an unhealthy food. And this Cheesy Chicken Potato Soup does exactly that!

Potatoes, especially Russet varieties which are ideal for this soup due to their high starch content, are a nutritional powerhouse. They often get a bad rap, but when prepared healthily, they are incredibly beneficial. A single medium potato can provide an impressive 45 percent of your daily vitamin C, making it a fantastic immune booster, particularly during cold and flu season. Beyond that, potatoes contain more potassium than a banana, which is crucial for heart health, blood pressure regulation, and muscle function. They are also a good source of dietary fiber, especially if you leave some skin on, aiding in digestion and promoting satiety.

This recipe also incorporates lean chicken breast or thighs, providing an excellent source of protein vital for muscle repair and overall body function. And let’s not forget the vibrant fresh spinach! Spinach wilts beautifully into the soup, adding a significant boost of vitamins A and K, iron, and antioxidants, without overpowering the cheesy potato flavor. Together, these ingredients create a balanced, nourishing, and incredibly flavorful meal that supports your wellness goals without feeling like “diet food.” It’s truly a delicious way to start the new year right and maintain healthy eating habits!

Tips for Making, Storing, and Reheating Your Soup

Making this Cheesy Chicken Potato Soup is surprisingly straightforward, but a few tips can ensure your results are consistently perfect:

• Choosing the Right Potatoes: Russet potatoes are highly recommended for this recipe due to their high starch content, which helps achieve that creamy, thick consistency when pureed. Waxy potatoes won’t thicken as effectively.
• Blending Hot Liquids Safely: When blending hot soup, always be cautious. Only fill your blender halfway, start on a low speed, and gradually increase. Remove the cap from the blender lid (or open the vent) and cover it with a kitchen towel to allow steam to escape and prevent pressure buildup. This prevents hot soup explosions!
• Achieving Desired Thickness: The pureed potatoes will naturally thicken the soup significantly. If you find it too thick after adding the reserved potato mixture and cheese, simply thin it out with a little extra chicken broth or water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
• Adding Flavor Depth: Don’t skip scraping up the “fond” (browned bits) from the bottom of the pot after cooking the chicken and softening the vegetables. This adds a rich, savory depth of flavor to your broth.
• Variations: Feel free to experiment! You can add other vegetables like corn or peas, swap out cheddar for a different cheese like Monterey Jack, or add a pinch of smoked paprika for an extra layer of flavor. For a vegetarian version, simply omit the chicken and use vegetable broth.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

One of the best things about this soup is how well it keeps. Thanks to the pureed potatoes, any leftover soup will thicken considerably in the refrigerator overnight, becoming almost stew-like in consistency. Don’t be alarmed by this – it’s perfectly normal!

To reheat: simply transfer your desired portion to a saucepan on the stovetop or a microwave-safe bowl. Add a splash or two of extra chicken broth or water to reach your desired consistency, stir it up well, and then gently reheat until warmed through. This method ensures your soup is just as creamy and delicious the next day.

Ready to dive into a bowl of this wholesome goodness? This Cheesy Chicken Potato Soup is more than just a meal; it’s a hug in a bowl, a testament that healthy eating can be incredibly delicious and satisfying.

Cheesy Chicken Potato Soup

Yield:
4 servings

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
40 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour

This healthy one-pot Cheesy Chicken and Potato Soup with spinach is a creamy potato soup made without cream, thanks to the magic of the blender.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast or 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces and seasoned with salt
• 1/2 cup diced white or yellow onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 3 cups chicken broth or stock
• 1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed (roughly 2 large potatoes)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste (preferably kosher)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 cups fresh spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 green onion, chopped

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook for 4 minutes then flip and cook until no longer pink in the middle, another 3-5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and keep warm.
2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to any meat drippings left in the pan. Once hot, add onion, carrot, and a big pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
4. Slowly stir in some of the broth, scraping up any brown bits left on the bottom of the pan, then finish stirring in the rest of the broth. Bring to a boil.
5. Once boiling, add the potatoes and salt. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook until soft, roughly 10-12 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the potato, carrot, and onion mixture.
6. Add half of the soup to a blender then puree for 30 seconds (be very careful as hot liquid expands when blended). Add the rest of the soup then puree until smooth.
7. Pour the soup back into the pot and bring to a boil. If it’s too thick, thin it out with some broth.
8. Stir in the cheese and spinach. Cook until cheese has melted and spinach has wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, reserved potato mixture, and chicken. Taste and adjust for salt then garnish with green onion.

Recommended Products

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• Dutch Oven

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Explore More Delicious Potato Dinner Recipes

If you loved this Cheesy Chicken Potato Soup, you’re in for a treat! Potatoes are incredibly versatile and form the base for many comforting and hearty meals. Discover more ways to enjoy this beloved vegetable with these fantastic recipes that are sure to become family favorites:

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