Spinach Artichoke Chicken Soup

If you’ve checked out any of my recipes on this blog, you know I love a good appetizer. I also love to do twists on appetizers to change things up, which is how this Spinach Artichoke Chicken Soup came about. The dip version of this is creamy, flavorful and oh-so-good, so the challenge was to create that same flavor in a soup.

What makes it so delicious, is that it combines creamy, savory and earthy flavors in a way that feels comforting and somewhat indulgent. Adding chicken provides protein, making it feel more like a meal rather than just a bowl of soup. The secret is, while it has some creamy texture, it’s not over-the top because we used a bit of Greek yogurt and then relied on the cheeses for additional creaminess. A hidden time-saver is the use of a store-bought rotisserie chicken, which adds additional flavor. This recipe is perfect any time of the year. I love that it is so easy to make and reheats well for lunch or dinner.

Prepping the Ingredients

Did I mention that this recipe is easy to make? Start by using a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef to chop the yellow onion.

You can use the same 7-5/8″ Petite Chef to chop the carrots and fresh parsley, while also using it to mince the three garlic cloves.

Take a 5″ Petite Santoku and chop the fresh thyme.

Drain the artichoke hearts and, using a 4″ Paring Knife, quarter the artichoke hearts.

To prepare the rotisserie chicken, simply peel off the skin and remove the meat from the bone. Then, use a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef knife to chop up the chicken or use two Stainless Dinner Forks to shred it.

Making the Soup

Over medium heat, heat the olive oil in a large stock pot. Add the onion and carrots and cook for approximately five minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Add in the fresh thyme, garlic, paprika, chipotle powder, salt and pepper and cook for an additional minute to toast the spices. Add both the chicken broth and lemon juice to the vegetable and spice mixture and bring a boil.

Add in the shredded chicken and simmer for five minutes, allowing the chicken to warm up and absorb the broth flavors.

Next, add in the artichoke hearts and Greek yogurt, stirring everything to combine. Gradually add in a half cup of the Gruyere cheese and half cup of the Parmesan cheese, cooking until the cheeses melt. Approximately two to three minutes. Continue to stir during this process. Note, we recommend using Gruyere cheese because of its creamy texture. While using cheddar cheese is an option, it tends to clump so if you have your heart set on using cheddar, we recommend adding it as a topper.

Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Four cups may seem like a lot, but the spinach will reduce significantly. I tend to add more than four cups, simply because I love spinach.

Once the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the spinach is wilted, serve the soup garnished with parsley and additional Gruyere and Parmesan on top.

This Spinach Artichoke Chicken Soup did not disappoint. All the ingredients came together to create a warm, hearty and somewhat luxurious meal. There’s something about the combination of spinach and artichoke that just works. It’s the ultimate comfort food in soup form.