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This healthy Cream of Chicken Soup can be made both dairy free and gluten free. I love using this creamy soup recipe as a canned cream of chicken substitute for the condensed soup you’d normally buy in grocery stores. It’s quick and easy to make, and tastes delicious.
I like finding ways to lighten up all of those delicious cream soup recipes. I’m not a fan of processed foods, especially when there is an easy way to make the recipe from scratch. This is a great recipe to use in a casserole because it contains less ingredients than the typical can of cream of chicken soup.
Where’s the recipe?
Here at My Crazy Good Life, we are writing recipes that anyone can make. If you’re new to the kitchen, you’ll want to read the post below before making this recipe. I’ve added detailed cooking instructions, tips for making the recipe and swapping ingredients, and even healthy eating information if you’re on a special diet.
If you’ve been cooking for a while you might want to get straight to the recipe. Just scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the printable recipe area, complete with ingredient amounts and to-the-point instructions.
Ingredients in this healthy soup recipe
I love the simple ingredients in this recipe–no extra oils, sugars, or preservatives.
- Shredded chicken: You can use homemade rotisserie-style chicken for this recipe, cooked and shredded chicken breast, or store bought rotisserie chicken. In a pinch you could even use leftover chicken.
- Olive oil: I prefer to use unprocessed oils instead of highly processed oils like vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Flour: You can use regular flour, whole wheat flour, or a gluten free flour option. I recommend adding it slowly to the recipe, as this measurement is approximate.
- Balsamic vinegar
- Chicken stock or broth: It’s really easy to make your own if you’re making your own chicken. If using store bought, be sure to grab low sodium.
- Almond milk: Unsweetened and unflavored is best for this recipe. Any other dairy-free milk works, too. Canned coconut milk will cause this recipe to taste like coconut, so I’d stick to the refrigerated carton.
- Salt and pepper, to taste I don’t typically add salt to my recipes so that you can add your own according to your tastes and dietary needs.
How To Make this Cream of Chicken Soup on the Stove
I think the easiest way to make this recipe is right on the stove top:
- Sauté your shredded chicken with olive oil over medium heat until tender, then add in your add balsamic vinegar and flour (or flour substitute). The flour in this recipe is what gives the soup a thicker and creamy consistency. Add it slowly and stir often to keep it from clumping.
- Pour chicken broth and the chicken and vinegar mixture into a large pot.
- Add almond milk, and allow liquids to come to a rolling boil (also called a simmer or low boil.)
- Turn down the heat and allow to simmer and thicken for 8-10 minutes.
Instant Pot Instructions
This recipe is easy to make in the Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker!
- Press the Sauté button and add the chicken and olive oil to your pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add in the balsamic vinegar and slowly add flour, stirring while you add it.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pot.
- Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Once the pot is finished cooking, quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Quick releasing the pressure means that you’ll manually move the valve from Sealing to Venting, and a lot of steam will come out. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and slowly add the almond milk to the pot.
- If needed, press the Sauté button again and allow to thicken for a few minutes.
Recipe Tips and Common Questions
- I love freezing this recipe in an airtight container or freezer bags. Canned cream soups were a pantry staple for our family for years, and now my homemade cream soups are a freezer staple for us.
- This recipe is a healthy substitute for any canned “cream of” soup. Feel free to substitute the chicken for mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, or any other soup you need.
- If you’re looking for something a little extra, add cooked vegetables or fresh thyme to this recipe.
Why is this a healthy cream of chicken soup?
This cream of chicken soup is actually made without using heavy cream, and doesn’t contain any of the preservatives that the store bought creamy soups have.
How should I eat this chicken soup?
This homemade Cream of Chicken Soup recipe makes a great base for casseroles, but you can also eat it by itself. It’s a creamy, warming, and filling soup recipe that is a healthier substitute for other store bought soups. If you’re eating this soup by itself, I highly recommend adding some cooked egg noodles, it’s delicious!
Healthy Eating Plans
- 21 Day Fix/Portion Fix: Counts for the entire recipe are 4 teaspoons and 2 red containers. Per 1 cup serving, container counts are 3/4 teaspoon and 1/3 red container. I give you the counts for the entire recipe so it’s easier for you to recalculate it if you change something.
- 2B Mindset: This is an excellent lunch option when paired up with your choice of fresh or steamed vegetables. You could even add the vegetables right into the soup!
- Weight Watchers: 1 serving (recipe makes 6) equals 1 point on the 2023 Plan when using unsweetened almond milk and fat free chicken broth. If by chance you’re still using Smart Points, this recipe counts as 2 Smart Points.
More Healthy Soup Recipes
Healthy Cream of Chicken Soup
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- Kitchen Knife
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups chicken breast cooked and shredded
- 3 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ¼ cup flour or any substitute you like
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups almond milk unsweetened, unflavored
Instructions
Stovetop:
- Sauté your shredded chicken with olive oil over medium heat until tender, then add in your add balsamic vinegar and flour (or flour substitute). Add it slowly and stir often to keep it from clumping.
- Pour chicken broth and the chicken and vinegar mixture into a large pot.
- Add almond milk, and allow liquids to come to a rolling boil.
- Turn down the heat and allow the soup to simmer and thicken for 8-10 minutes.
Instant Pot:
- Press the Sauté button and add the chicken and olive oil to your pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add in the balsamic vinegar and slowly add flour, stirring while you add it.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Once the pot is finished cooking, quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and slowly add the almond milk to the pot.
- If needed, press the Sauté button again and allow to thicken for a few minutes.
Notes
Healthy Eating Plans:
- 21 Day Fix/Portion Fix: Counts for the entire recipe are 4 teaspoons and 2 red containers. Per 1 cup serving, container counts are 3/4 teaspoon and 1/3 red container. I give you the counts for the entire recipe so it’s easier for you to recalculate it if you change something.
- 2B Mindset: This is an excellent lunch option when paired up with your choice of fresh or steamed vegetables. You could even add the vegetables right into the soup!
- Weight Watchers: 1 serving (recipe makes 6) equals 1 point on the 2023 Plan when using unsweetened almond milk and fat free chicken broth. If by chance you’re still using Smart Points, this recipe counts as 2 Smart Points.
Nutrition
Make This Recipe?
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What can we substitute Almond milk with??
Any other milk that you prefer :)
I love that this is made with real ingredients. Thanks for sharing this healthy alternative!
Loved that I could use almond milk in this! The flavor is so good!
I am a huge fan of cream of chicken soup.
Here in Chicago we call it “Sunday soup” as all the local restaurants serve it on Sunday with rice.
I used to buy it by the quart on Sundays, now I can make batches of it myself.
I recommend squeezing a little lemon into it as you eat it, that really helps bring out the fresh flavors.
Thank you for this great recipe!
Ohhhh I didn’t know this about the soup bring called Sunday Soup! I love it. And thanks for the tip about the lemons <3
I would like to use this recipe to substitute for a can of condensed cream of chicken soup in a chicken and rice recipe. Do you know how much of this I would use? Thank you!
I’d start with a small can and keep an extra set aside to add at the end, if needed.