This is the soup I make when I want something that feels like it took effort but really just took a crock pot and twenty minutes of chopping. Chicken and potatoes go in together, cook low and slow all day, and by dinner the chicken shreds apart on its own and the potatoes have gone soft enough to smash right into the broth.
I started making it as a chicken version of my loaded potato soup, mostly because I had leftover chicken breasts and didn’t want two pots going. Turns out the chicken adds something the potato-only version doesn’t — more body, more staying power, and it turns a side soup into an actual dinner.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 5 lb bag potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 whole white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 1 fresh sprig thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
For topping:
- 1 cup grated cheddar
- Sour cream
- 12 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Chives, minced
Directions
- Add the chicken breasts, potatoes, chicken broth, onion, garlic, cayenne, and thyme to the crock pot. Cook on low for 7 hours.
- Pull the chicken out, shred it with two forks, and set aside.
- Lightly smash the potatoes in the pot with a potato masher — you want texture, not a puree.
- Stir the shredded chicken back in along with the sour cream, cheddar, and heavy cream. Mix well. If it’s thicker than you like, add a splash more heavy cream and let it warm through a few more minutes.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Add more cayenne if you want it with a little kick.
- Ladle into bowls and top with extra cheddar, sour cream, bacon, and chives.
Yield: 7 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 7 hours
A Few Things I’ve Learned Making This
- Don’t shred the chicken back in too early — pull it out, shred it, then add it back with the dairy at the end so it doesn’t dry out from sitting in heat for hours.
- If your potatoes are still firm at 7 hours, it’s usually because they weren’t cut small enough. Quarter-inch pieces, not chunks.
- Frozen hash browns work in a pinch if you’re out of fresh potatoes — just add them straight in, no need to thaw.
- I’ve made this with a can of cream of chicken soup swapped in for the heavy cream when I’m out of it. Cuts a step, changes the flavor a little, still good.
- Leftovers thicken up a lot in the fridge. Add a splash of broth or milk when you reheat it.
FAQ
Can I use frozen chicken instead of fresh?
Yes, just add an hour or so to the cook time and make sure it’s fully cooked through before shredding.
Can I make this with cream of chicken soup instead of heavy cream?
Yes — swap in a 10.5 oz can of cream of chicken soup for the heavy cream. It’s a shortcut a lot of people use and it works fine, just slightly different flavor and thinner texture.
Can I use frozen potatoes?
Yes, frozen diced potatoes or hash browns work well and cut your prep time down since there’s no peeling or chopping.
How long does this keep in the fridge?
About 4 days in an airtight container. It thickens as it sits — thin it back out with a little broth or milk when reheating.
Can I use a whole chicken instead of breasts?
Yes, a whole chicken works too — just pull the meat off the bone after cooking instead of shredding breasts, and discard the skin and bones before adding the dairy back in.