Chicken Caesar Soup

The next time you’re out to eat and your server asks whether you’d like soup or salad with your meal, ask if they have chicken Caesar soup so you can officially answer, “Both!” This recipe delivers all the great flavor of a traditional Caesar salad in the form of an irresistibly creamy, soul-warming soup.

Beyond all the essential ingredients for a homemade Caesar dressing—Parmesan, lemon, garlic, anchovy—you’ll also find potatoes and a whole head of romaine lettuce. But don’t worry; there aren’t any soggy, wilted greens here. After being roasted in the oven to intensify its flavor, the romaine is pureed to a silky-smooth consistency with the rest of the soup. Then it’s all finished with tender pieces of rotisserie chicken.

This soup recipe is a great way to transition away from winter comfort food, and to say hello to the bright, fresh flavors of spring. A “salad” has never tasted this cozy.

Chicken Caesar Soup Ingredients

• Romaine lettuce: Roasting or grilling romaine boosts its flavor and makes it slightly sweet.
• Olive oil and butter: These two fats are used to roast the romaine and saute the aromatics.
• Aromatics: A duo of onion and garlic provides tons of flavor to the base of the soup.
• Anchovy paste: Anchovy paste is a key ingredient in any chicken Caesar salad recipe. It gives the dressing a boost of umami flavor that’s a little salty, a little fishy and a little bit funky.
• Dijon mustard: Just a small amount of this condiment adds acidity and zippy bite to the soup.
• Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce is often made with anchovies. Adding it to the chicken Caesar soup brings another layer of umami.
• Salt and pepper: This classic combo enhances the soup’s flavor and add a subtle peppery bite.
• Potatoes: Potatoes help make this soup thick, creamy and velvet-smooth.
• Chicken stock: You can use homemade chicken broth or your favorite supermarket brand.
• Heavy whipping cream: A small pour of heavy cream helps make the chicken Caesar soup supremely rich and creamy—just like the dressing.
• Parmesan cheese: You can’t have a Caesar recipe without plenty of Parm. One full cup is melted directly into the soup, and then every serving is finished with a shower of extra cheese.
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice is added at the end of cooking to lend brightness and a light citrus flavor that cuts through the richness of this heavenly soup.
• Rotisserie chicken: Using rotisserie chicken is a shortcut that keeps the preparation of this chicken soup as easy as possible. If you have any left over, there are plenty of ways to turn rotisserie chicken into dinner.
• Croutons: Boxed croutons are perhaps the most important ingredient in the whole recipe. Enjoying every bite of this soup with a cheesy, garlicky crouton is an essential part of what makes it taste like the iconic salad.

Directions

Step 1: Roast the romaine

Place the romaine halves, cut side down, on a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Drizzle them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast them for 10 to 12 minutes or until they’re lightly caramelized. Let them cool, then roughly chop them. Set them aside.

Editor’s Tip: For a little smokiness, you could also try using grilled romaine for this chicken Caesar soup.

Step 2: Saute the aromatics

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook it until it’s softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, Dijon mustard, anchovy paste, Worcestershire, pepper and salt, and cook them until they’re fragrant, one to two minutes.

Step 3: Add the potatoes and stock

Add the potatoes and chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, and cook the mixture until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.

Editor’s Tip: For extra fiber and nutrition, consider leaving the potatoes unpeeled. If you puree the soup with a good-quality immersion blender, the skins will be nearly imperceptible in the finished soup.

Step 4: Puree the soup

Add the roasted romaine lettuce, then use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it’s completely smooth.

Editor’s Tip: You can transfer the soup in batches to a high-powered blender to puree if you do not own an immersion blender.

Step 5: Add the cheese, cream, lemon and chicken

Add the heavy cream and Parmesan, and stir the soup until the cheese is melted. Stir in the lemon juice. Place the pot back on the stovetop, and add the rotisserie chicken. Cook the soup until the chicken is heated through, three to four minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 6: Garnish the soup

Ladle the soup into bowls, and top it with croutons, additional Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve the soup immediately.

Chicken Caesar Soup Variations

• Prep homemade croutons: Packaged croutons keep this recipe quick and convenient, but you could also make homemade croutons instead.
• Use another type of chicken: Any simply seasoned chicken recipe will work in this chicken Caesar soup. Feel free to use leftover poached chicken breasts or grilled chicken in place of rotisserie chicken.
• Make it with raw romaine: To simplify the recipe, you can skip roasting the romaine if desired. The soup will taste slightly different, but will still be delicious. Stir in the chopped romaine just before the potatoes are done cooking. Then puree the soup as directed.
• Hold the anchovies: If you don’t wish to cook with anchovies, you can simply omit them from the recipe. If you do so, increase the amount of Worcestershire sauce by 1 teaspoon (using 2 teaspoons total) to compensate.

How to Store Chicken Caesar Soup

Leftover chicken Caesar soup should be refrigerated in an airtight food storage container. Due to the dairy and potato content, freezing the soup is not recommended.

How long does chicken Caesar soup last?

Chicken Caesar soup is best enjoyed within three to four days.

How should you reheat chicken Caesar soup?

Creamy soups that contain a lot of dairy are best reheated slowly over low heat to preserve their texture. Warm it in a saucepan, stirring occasionally, until it’s hot. Alternatively, you may microwave chicken Caesar soup on a reduced power setting in one-minute increments until it’s heated through.

Chicken Caesar Soup Tips

What else could you add to chicken Caesar soup?

If you’d like a bit more bulk, consider adding a few handfuls of chopped baby spinach. For added texture, you could remove a portion of the cooked potatoes from the soup before blending them smooth and add them back to the soup with the chicken before serving.

Can you make gluten-free chicken Caesar soup?

Sure! Gluten-free croutons are available at most supermarkets these days. Alternatively, roasted chickpeas are often used in place of croutons on salads, and would taste great on this soup, too.

What should you serve with chicken Caesar soup?

Chicken Caesar soup can be paired, ironically, with a green side salad of your choice. It would also taste great paired with a warm, gooey panini or a loaf of homemade garlic bread.