Ingredients
Scale
- 4 slices bacon diced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 white onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 5 cups chicken broth preferably low-sodium
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp dried chives
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Fresh dill chopped for garnish
- Green scallions sliced for garnish
Instructions
- Start with the bacon: Cook your diced bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy. It’ll take about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it though—nobody likes burnt bacon! Once it’s crispy, remove it with a slotted spoon, but leave the fat behind. That’s flavor gold right there.
- Sauté the onions and garlic: Add the butter to the bacon fat (I know, it’s getting decadent already) and toss in your diced onions. Cook them for about 3 minutes until they turn soft and translucent. Then add the minced garlic—just a quick 20 seconds to bloom its flavor. Be careful not to let it burn!
- Deglaze with broth: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up all those browned bits at the bottom of the pot. That’s where all the flavor hides! Toss in the bay leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, dill, chives, salt, and pepper. Let the whole thing simmer for about 5 minutes to marry all those wonderful flavors.
- Add the chicken: Stir in your shredded chicken and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. This is where the chicken absorbs all the tasty broth.
- Cheese time!: Now for the best part—whisk in the cream cheese and cheddar until they’ve melted and the soup turns creamy and smooth. It might look a little lumpy at first, but just keep whisking, and it’ll all come together.
- Finishing touches: Stir in the baby spinach and heavy cream, letting it simmer for about 3 minutes. The spinach will wilt down beautifully, and the heavy cream makes everything extra luscious.
- Serve and garnish: Remove the bay leaves, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and ladle the soup into bowls. Top with crispy bacon, fresh dill, and sliced green scallions.
Notes
Serving it up
When it comes to serving this soup, I love to lean into comfort. Grab some crusty bread for dunking, or even better, serve it in a bread bowl if you’re feeling indulgent! A sprinkle of extra cheddar on top wouldn’t hurt either. For a side dish, a crisp salad with a lemony vinaigrette balances out the richness of the soup beautifully.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner