Description

This Best Chicken Tomato Soup recipe is a quick and comforting meal perfect for busy weeknights. It uses simple pantry staples and leftover cooked chicken to create a creamy, flavorful soup in about 30-40 minutes. The soup features a smooth tomato base thickened with a flour roux, enriched with cream, and packed with tender shredded chicken, making it a satisfying dish that warms you from the inside out. Easy to make and adaptable with substitutions, this soup is ideal for using up leftover rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breast.

Ingredients

Scale

Soup Base

1 medium onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 carrot, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, freshly minced
2 tbsp olive oil (or any neutral oil like canola)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (King Arthur recommended)
28 oz canned whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt

Protein and Enrichment

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works great)
1/4 cup heavy cream (for extra richness and creaminess)

Instructions

Prepare Aromatic Base: Dice the onion into 1/2-inch pieces and carrot into 1/4-inch pieces, and mince the garlic to have all ingredients ready. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion and carrot, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent, helping develop a sweet and complex flavor base.
Create Roux and Add Tomatoes: Add the minced garlic to the vegetables and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant to release its flavor without burning. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables while stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes to form a light roux that coats everything, which thickens the soup. Pour in the canned tomatoes (crushing by hand if not already crushed) and stir thoroughly to combine.
Simmer the Soup: Pour in the chicken broth and add dried oregano, stirring well. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8-10 minutes. This allows the tomatoes to break down, the flour to thicken the soup evenly, and melds the flavors together while avoiding rapid boiling for better flavor retention.
Puree Soup for Smooth Texture: Carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender, filling only halfway to avoid splashing and burns. Blend each batch until completely smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Return the pureed soup to the pot, creating a silky, restaurant-quality texture that fully incorporates the vegetables.
Add Cream and Chicken, Season: Return the pot to medium heat, stir in heavy cream and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then add shredded cooked chicken. Stir frequently and heat for 2-3 minutes until the soup is steaming and chicken is warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed, adding salt gradually since cream affects salt perception.
Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve immediately. Enjoy the creamy, comforting blend of chicken and tomato flavors perfect for a satisfying meal.

Notes

When adding flour, whisk constantly to avoid lumps and ensure even thickening.
Use an immersion blender directly in the pot if you prefer safer blending without transferring hot soup.
Do not add heavy cream while soup is boiling to prevent curdling; reduce heat first.
For enhanced depth, roast tomatoes with olive oil for 20 minutes before adding to soup.
Adjust salt carefully at the end, as cream can mellow the saltiness.
Leftover rotisserie chicken or any cooked chicken (grilled, baked, poached) works well.
Store soup in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days; freezes well up to 3 months.
Reheat gently on stovetop or microwave at 50% power to avoid breaking the cream.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: chicken tomato soup, creamy chicken soup, easy chicken soup, stovetop soup, leftover chicken recipe, quick soup recipe, rotisserie chicken soup