This recipe is inspired by a chicken dish from Ree Drummond. It’s one of my favorite dinners (link below)! I love nothing more than a hearty soup, so of course I had to find a way to turn her creamy spinach and red pepper chicken into a satisfying soup. The solution – Creamy Chicken Florentine Soup! Yum!

a bowl of creamy chicken Florentine soup on a counter next to bowls of seasoning, fresh basil and parmesan

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

olive oil, divided
boneless chicken (any kind)
salt and pepper
yellow onion, diced
garlic, minced
plum tomatoes, diced
jarred roasted red peppers, diced
chicken broth
baby spinach
cream cheese, softened
heavy cream or half and half
Optional:
- fresh basil
- grated parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning

Get the full printable instructions with measurements at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Step-by-Step Directions:

Step 1: Cut chicken up into 1 cubes and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Heat 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Brown chicken for 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the chicken and any juice to a clean dish.

cubes of chicken being seasoned with salt

Step 2: Reduce the heat to medium and add another 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. Add the onion to the pot and sauté for a couple of minutes. Don’t worry if the bottom of the pot looks like it’s getting browned. That adds to the flavor in the next step. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute or until fragrant, then add in the diced tomatoes and peppers. Stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

tomatoes and red peppers being added to pot with onions and garlic

Step 3: Return the chicken and any juice to the pot and stir in chicken broth. Heat to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.

broth being poured in to soup pot with chicken and vegetables

Step 4: Cut softened cream cheese into cubes and place in a bowl. Remove about 1 cup of broth from the soup and whisk in to the cream cheese until it’s smooth and creamy. Pour it back in to the pot and stir in spinach. Cook for a few minutes, until spinach is wilted.

broth being poured in to a bowl with cream cheese

cream cheese and broth mix being poured back in to soup pot

Step 5: Slowly pour in heavy cream while stirring. Ladle hot soup into bowls and serve with a crusty slice of bread. Top with grated parmesan and fresh basil, let cool a bit and enjoy!

Tips:

Make quick work of the fresh basil by rolling a few leaves tother and cutting into strips with clean scissors.
I use bone broth for the extra protein and flavor, but any chicken broth or stock will work.
Short on time? Skip browning the chicken and veggies and add an extra 15 minutes to the cook time for a mostly hands off dinner.

Creamy Chicken Florentine Soup

This chicken Florentine soup boasts chunks of chicken in a creamy, flavorful broth with spinach, red pepper and tomatoes!

Beth

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
1 ½ lb boneless chicken (breasts, thighs, or tenders)
salt and pepper (to taste)
½ yellow onion (diced)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
3 plum tomatoes (diced)
⅓ jarred roasted red peppers (diced)
4 cups chicken broth
5 oz baby spinach
4 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 cup heavy cream (or half and half)

Optional Toppings:

fresh basil
grated parmesan cheese
Italian seasoning

Instructions

Cut chicken up into 1 cubes and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Heat 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Brown chicken for 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the chicken and any juice to a clean dish.
Reduce the heat to medium and add another 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. Add the onion to the pot and sauté for a couple of minutes. Don't worry if the bottom of the pot looks like it's getting browned. That adds to the flavor in the next step. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute or until fragrant, then add in the diced tomatoes and peppers. Stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Return the chicken and any juice to the pot and stir in chicken broth. Heat to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
Cut softened cream cheese into cubes and place in a bowl. Remove about 1 cup of broth from the soup and whisk in to the cream cheese until it’s smooth and creamy. Pour it back in to the pot and stir in spinach. Cook for a few minutes, until spinach is wilted.
Slowly pour in heavy cream while stirring. Ladle hot soup into bowls and serve with a crusty slice of bread. Top with grated parmesan and fresh basil, let cool a bit and enjoy!