Why You’ll Love This High Protein Chicken Soup

• Protein-Packed Powerhouse: Every spoonful is loaded with protein from blended cottage cheese, shredded chicken, hearty butter beans, and flavorful chicken broth. This unbeatable combination delivers an impressive 30g of protein per serving, making it a satisfying and nutritious meal.
• Unbelievably Creamy and Delicious: The secret to this soup’s creamy texture is the blended cottage cheese. Not only does it add a subtle tang that enhances the flavor, but it also creates a wonderfully creamy consistency without the need for heavy cream. It’s a healthier way to achieve that luxurious texture you crave.
• Perfect for Cold Weather Comfort: Is there anything more comforting than a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup on a cold winter day? This soup is the ultimate remedy for those chilly moments or when you’re feeling under the weather. It’s a hug in a bowl!

The Secret to High Protein Chicken Soup

What makes this chicken soup a protein superstar? It’s all about the strategic combination of ingredients! We’re talking about creamy blended cottage cheese, succulent chicken, protein-rich butter beans, and a hearty chicken broth base. These components work together to create a soup that not only tastes amazing but also provides a significant boost of protein in every serving – a truly winning combination!

Key Ingredients for Your High Protein Soup

• Rotisserie Chicken: This is a fantastic way to utilize leftover rotisserie chicken or even leftover cooked chicken breasts or thighs. You’ll need about 4 cups of shredded chicken, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand. Using rotisserie chicken significantly cuts down on cooking time and adds a delicious flavor.
• Fun Pasta: I personally love using mafalda pasta, which you see pictured in the photos, but the beauty of this soup is that you can use any pasta shape you prefer. Bow tie, penne, and rigatoni all work wonderfully. Choose your favorite and make it your own!
• Classic Soup Vegetables: A blend of traditional chicken soup vegetables, including carrots, celery, and onions, forms the flavorful foundation of this soup. These veggies infuse the broth with their natural sweetness and savory notes.
• Butter Beans: These creamy beans not only add a delightful texture to the soup but also contribute a substantial amount of protein per serving. If you’re not a fan of beans, feel free to omit them without significantly altering the recipe.
• Blended Cottage Cheese: This is the secret weapon for achieving a creamy texture and boosting the protein content. Add it right at the end, making sure to remove the soup from the heat first. Adding cold cottage cheese to hot soup can cause it to curdle. If that happens, don’t worry! Just keep stirring the soup until it becomes smooth again.

Easy Steps to Make Creamy High Protein Chicken Soup

1. Sauté the Veggies: In a Dutch oven or large pot, sauté the onion over medium-high heat until it starts to soften. Then, add the celery, carrots, and garlic and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Introduce the bundle of fresh thyme and chicken broth to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. This step builds the flavor foundation of the soup.
2. Add the Pasta: Add your chosen pasta to the same pot and cook until it reaches the al dente stage. This ensures the pasta has a pleasant bite and doesn’t become mushy in the soup.
3. Incorporate Chicken and Beans: Keep the pasta in the pot and add the shredded rotisserie chicken and butter beans. Reduce the heat to low. This is where the protein party begins!
4. Temper the Cottage Cheese: This step is crucial for preventing curdling! Remove about 2 cups of hot broth from the pot and whisk it together with the blended cottage cheese to temper it. Tempering gently raises the temperature of the cottage cheese, making it less likely to curdle when added to the hot soup.
5. Combine and Stir: Pour the tempered cottage cheese mixture back into the pot and stir gently to combine everything. The soup will now be beautifully creamy and packed with protein.
6. Serve and Enjoy: Ladle the creamy chicken soup into bowls and enjoy the warmth and deliciousness!

Serving Suggestions for Your Soup

This creamy chicken soup is fantastic on its own, but it’s even better when paired with some complementary sides. I personally love serving it with crusty bread for dipping, or if I have the time, with my high-protein dinner rolls. They’re incredibly delicious!

If you’re looking to add a fresh element to your meal, consider pairing the soup with a salad. My classic Caesar salad is a great option.

Storing and Reheating Your Creamy Chicken Soup

Storage: Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. This makes it perfect for meal prepping or enjoying leftovers throughout the week.

Reheating: Reheat the soup over medium heat on the stovetop until it’s warmed through. To minimize dishes, I often reheat my leftover soup in the same Dutch oven I originally cooked it in (a lifesaver when you have kids!).

Freezing Instructions

This soup is freezer-friendly! Let it cool entirely before pouring it into an airtight container or a freezer-safe zip-top bag. If using a bag, be sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Label the container with a “use by” date and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Delicious Soup Recipes to Try

If you enjoyed this high-protein creamy chicken soup, you might also like these other fantastic soup recipes:

• High Protein Marry Me Chicken Soup
• Chicken Wild Rice Soup
• 20 Minute Thai Coconut Dumpling Soup
• 30 Minute Creamy Pumpkin Soup
• Ultimate Chicken Soup
• Creamy Chicken Orzo Soup

High Protein Creamy Chicken Soup Recipe

Cozy, protein-packed chicken soup for chilly nights. This recipe uses cottage cheese for creaminess and packs 30g of protein per serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ large white onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, separated
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• A bundle of fresh thyme, tied with butcher’s twine
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 6 oz. pasta, any kind, I used mafalda
• 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 15 oz. butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup blended 2% cottage cheese

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Sauté the onion for 3-5 minutes or until it begins to soften.
   
2. Add the celery, carrots, and garlic to the pot and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the bundle of fresh thyme and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
   
3. Add the pasta to the pot and cook until the pasta is al dente. Keep the pasta in the pot and add the rotisserie chicken and butter beans to the pot. Turn the heat to low.
   
4. Remove 2 cups of broth from the pot and whisk the broth with 1 cup of blended cottage cheese to temper the cottage cheese. Add the mixture to the pot and stir to combine.
   
5. Serve when the soup reaches the desired temperature.
   

Tips & Notes:

• I used shredded rotisserie chicken because it is easy and delicious. However, you can cook chicken at home and shred it yourself.
• I highly recommend using Mafalda pasta because it is a fun pasta with texture. However, you can use any type of pasta you would like.
• In step #4, do not skip tempering the cottage cheese with warm broth. This will ensure that the cottage cheese does not curdle.

Nutrition:

Calories: 333kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 9g, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.