Ingredients

Butter – unsalted butter is used to sauté the vegetables until tender. If you’d like to take it up a notch, feel free to replace the butter for a few pieces of thick-cut bacon: roughly chop, cook until crispy over medium heat, then remove and set aside until the end!

Onion, Celery, and Carrots – aka “mirepoix”. This is a very common base for soups that provides flavor, texture, and nutrients. Some grocery stores carry a pre-chopped mirepoix in the produce section, which would save quite a bit on prep time.

Garlic – adds a subtle nutty flavor. Use fresh cloves or even pre-minced jarred garlic. If using fresh, I love my garlic press.

Seasonings: Paprika, Salt and Pepper – keeping the seasonings simple allows the “cordon bleu flavors” such as the dijon and swiss cheese to really shine.

Chicken Broth – the base for our soup. Vegetable broth may be used as a substitute. Water may also be used, but the broth won’t be as flavorful and you’ll need to add additional seasonings.

Heavy Cream – helps thin out the soup while also creating a rich and creamy flavor. Want to lighten it up? Try half-and-half or even whole milk instead!

Dijon Mustard – chicken cordon bleu is traditionally served with some sort of dijon mustard sauce, so adding a couple tablespoons directly into the soup really makes this taste like the classic dish!

Chicken – any simply seasoned plain chicken will work in this recipe. We used a store-bought rotisserie to keep things very simple. Whatever you use, you’ll need 4 cups chopped chicken. Leftover holiday turkey would also work beautifully here!

Ham – adds a chewy texture and delicious smoky, salty flavor. Feel free to use pre-cubed packaged ham to keep things easy. Or use your leftover holiday ham!

Cream Cheese – use full-fat cream cheese that has been cubed and softened to room temperature for the best results. Full-fat cream cheese gives the best rich, tangy flavor. Cubing and bringing it to room temperature ensures that it melts fully and evenly into the soup.

Swiss Cheese – freshly grated swiss cheese is used to garnish the soup, because you can’t have chicken cordon bleu without swiss cheese! I like using it as a garnish vs stirring it into the soup, so people can add as much or as little as they like, because swiss cheese has such a strong flavor. Not a swiss cheese fan? Use your favorite cheese like cheddar or mozzarella instead. A little sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan never hurt anyone either!

Croutons – store-bought or homemade croutons are used to garnish the soup to replicate the crispy exterior you’d typically find when eating chicken cordon bleu!

How to make

Melt butter in a large stockpot, add in onion, carrots, celery, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper, then cook until the carrots have softened.

Stir in the chicken broth, cream, dijon mustard, chicken, ham, and cream cheese, then cook until hot.

Taste and re-season, if necessary, then spoon into bowls and serve with shredded Swiss cheese and croutons!

How to store

Leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

I don’t recommend freezing dairy based soups like this, because the dairy (heavy cream, cream cheese) will likely separate when thawed.

– Jennifer

Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup

Ingredients

How to make

What to serve with chicken cordon bleu soup

How to store