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A bowl of creamy million dollar soup topped with crispy bacon, shredded cheddar and sliced green onions

Million Dollar Soup

A rich, creamy chicken soup with potatoes, cream cheese, sharp cheddar and crispy bacon, made in one pot in under an hour.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup base
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (40 g)
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth (950 ml)
  • 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes (680 g)
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (680 g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Creamy finish
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened and cubed (226 g)
  • 1 cup half-and-half (240 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar freshly shredded (200 g), plus more for topping
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced

Method
 

Build the soup
  1. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
  2. Add the butter, onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
  3. Stir in the garlic, thyme and smoked paprika for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  4. Slowly whisk in the broth. Add the potatoes, chicken, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer partly covered for 18 to 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and the potatoes are tender.
  5. Transfer the chicken to a board and shred it with two forks.
Finish
  1. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream cheese until completely smooth.
  2. Stir in the half-and-half, Dijon and shredded chicken. Turn off the heat and add the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until melted.
  3. Stir in half the bacon, adjust the seasoning and serve topped with the remaining bacon, extra cheddar and green onions.

Notes

Pasta version: Replace the potatoes with 8 ounces of small pasta and 1 extra cup of broth, cooking the pasta in the soup until tender.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days and reheat gently to 165°F (74°C), adding broth as needed.
Nutrition is an estimate per serving.