Imagine all the rich, comforting flavors of a classic white chicken lasagna, but deconstructed into a soul-warming, creamy soup. This White Chicken Lasagna Soup recipe is the ultimate comfort food, delivering that decadent taste you love without the layering and long bake times. It’s a one-pot wonder perfect for a busy weeknight, guaranteed to become a new family favorite. If you’re looking for a dish that feels indulgent yet is surprisingly simple to make, you’ve found it.
Why You’ll Absolutely Love This Recipe
- One-Pot Meal: Say goodbye to a sink full of dishes! Everything, from searing the chicken to simmering the soup, comes together in a single pot for effortless cleanup.
- Incredibly Creamy: A trifecta of cream cheese, Parmesan, and heavy cream creates a luxuriously smooth and rich broth that perfectly coats every noodle and piece of chicken.
- Quick & Easy: This recipe is ready in under 45 minutes, making it an ideal solution for weeknight dinners when you’re short on time but craving something special.
- Hearty & Satisfying: Packed with tender chicken, lasagna noodles, and a rich, cheesy broth, this soup is a complete and filling meal on its own.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This creamy soup uses simple, wholesome ingredients to create its signature flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces.
- Aromatics: Yellow onion and fresh garlic build the foundational flavor.
- Broth & Cream: Low-sodium chicken broth, heavy cream, and cream cheese create the luscious, creamy base.
- Cheese: Grated Parmesan and ricotta cheese add salty, tangy, and classic lasagna flavor.
- Pasta: Lasagna noodles, broken into smaller, soup-friendly pieces.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a touch of warmth.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach is stirred in at the end for a pop of color and added nutrients.
- Olive Oil & Butter: For sautéing the chicken and aromatics.
How to Make White Chicken Lasagna Soup Step-by-Step
Making this White Chicken Lasagna Soup is incredibly straightforward. Follow these simple steps for a perfect pot of creamy goodness.
- Sauté Chicken and Aromatics: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and cook until lightly browned. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Build the Broth: Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and onions, stirring to coat. Cook for one minute to remove the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
- Simmer the Soup: Bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the broken lasagna noodles, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the noodles are al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Make It Creamy: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the softened cream cheese until it has completely melted into the broth. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until the soup is smooth and creamy.
- Finishing Touches: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh spinach until it wilts. Serve immediately, topping each bowl with a dollop of ricotta cheese and a sprinkle of extra Parmesan.
Expert Tips for the Best Lasagna Soup
Want to ensure your soup is absolutely perfect? Here are a few tips from our kitchen:
- Don’t Overcook the Noodles: The noodles will continue to soften in the hot broth. Cook them just until al dente to avoid a mushy texture, especially if you plan on having leftovers.
- Use Freshly Grated Parmesan: For the smoothest, creamiest texture, grate your own Parmesan cheese. Pre-shredded cheeses often contain anti-caking agents that can make the soup grainy.
- Room Temperature Dairy: Allow your cream cheese and heavy cream to come to room temperature before adding them to the pot. This helps them incorporate smoothly and prevents the broth from curdling. For a different take on a creamy cheese sauce, check out this easy cream cheese alfredo.
What to Serve with Your Soup
While this White Chicken Lasagna Soup is a meal in itself, serving it with a simple side can complete the experience. We love pairing it with some delicious homemade garlic knots for dipping or a light, refreshing salad. For another hearty pasta dish, this chicken garlic parmesan pasta is always a winner.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
This soup makes fantastic leftovers! To store, allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, do so gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth or milk to thin it out if it has thickened too much. Avoid boiling, as this can cause the creamy base to separate.
White Chicken Lasagna Soup FAQs
Freezing soups with a cream or cheese base can be tricky, as they may separate upon reheating. For best results, prepare the soup base without the cream, cheese, spinach, or noodles. Freeze the base, and when you’re ready to serve, thaw, reheat, and then add the dairy, spinach, and freshly cooked noodles.
Yes! To adapt this for a slow cooker, sauté the chicken, onion, and garlic on the stovetop as directed. Transfer to the slow cooker and add the broth and seasonings. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Add the noodles in the last 30 minutes of cooking, and stir in the dairy and spinach just before serving.
The key is to cook the noodles just until al dente, as they will continue to soften in the hot broth. If you are sensitive to noodle texture or plan to have leftovers, you can cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl just before serving.
Absolutely. To make this soup gluten-free, simply use your favorite brand of gluten-free lasagna noodles and substitute the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.
This recipe is very flexible! You can substitute Italian sausage for chicken for a different flavor profile. For a lighter version, use half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream, though the soup will be less rich. Kale can also be used as a substitute for spinach.
More Comforting Recipes to Try
If you loved this creamy soup, you’ll surely enjoy our comforting classic chicken and dumplings or this rich and hearty French onion pot roast.
The Best White Chicken Lasagna Soup Recipe
White Chicken Lasagna Soup: The Creamiest, Easiest Recipe!
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and cook until lightly browned. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and onions, stirring to coat. Cook for one minute to remove the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the broken lasagna noodles, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the noodles are al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the softened cream cheese until it has completely melted into the broth. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until the soup is smooth and creamy.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh spinach until it wilts. Serve immediately, topping each bowl with a dollop of ricotta cheese and a sprinkle of extra Parmesan.
Notes
Customization: Feel free to add sautéed mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor and texture.
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