Description
Transform your favorite Italian-American Chicken Parmesan into a luscious, hands-off soup. Tender chicken, savory tomato sauce, and melty cheese simmered slowly to perfection in a creamy broth for a comforting meal with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8 oz cream cheese, full-fat, softened and cubed
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup small pasta (e.g., ditalini, orzo), cooked separately
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Dice onion and mince garlic. Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear seasoned chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add diced onion and minced garlic to the bottom of the slow cooker. Place seared chicken breasts on top. Pour in crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, dried oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper. Stir gently to combine seasonings.
- Secure the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is incredibly tender and easily shreddable. Avoid opening the lid frequently.
- Once cooked, carefully remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker. Shred them into bite-sized pieces using two forks, then return all of the shredded chicken to the soup in the slow cooker.
- Add the softened, cubed cream cheese directly into the hot soup. Stir gently but thoroughly until the cream cheese has completely melted and is smoothly incorporated, creating a rich consistency.
- Pour in the heavy cream and add about two-thirds of the grated Parmesan cheese (reserve the rest for serving). Stir until the Parmesan has melted into the soup. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt, pepper, or Italian seasoning) to your preference.
- While the soup is finishing, cook your chosen small pasta (such as ditalini or orzo) separately according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta well.
- Ladle generous portions of the hot soup into individual serving bowls. Add a spoonful or two of the cooked pasta into each bowl. Sprinkle generously with the remaining grated Parmesan cheese and tear a few fresh basil leaves over each serving for garnish. Serve immediately, pairing wonderfully with crusty or garlic bread.
Notes
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg