Description
A comforting and creamy soup rich with Cajun spices, perfect for cozy evenings and gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (for chicken)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (for chicken)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (for chicken)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, finely diced
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (for soup)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare chicken: Pat dry and cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Toss with Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Set aside for brief marination.
- Chop vegetables: Dice the yellow onion, celery, and green bell pepper.
- Mince garlic & measure spices: Mince your garlic and combine the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
- Prepare garnish: Chop fresh parsley and thinly slice green onions. Set aside.
- Sear chicken: Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until golden brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Make roux: Reduce heat to medium and melt butter in the pot. Whisk in flour, cooking until achieving a light golden color, about 3-5 minutes.
- Sauté aromatics: Add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper to the roux. Sauté for 7-10 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add garlic & spices: Stir in minced garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant. Add the seasoning mix, cooking for another minute.
- Deglaze & add broth: Gradually whisk in one cup of chicken broth, scraping the browned bits. Whisk in the remaining broth gradually.
- Simmer soup: Return seared chicken to the pot and add the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, covering and cooking for 20-25 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning: Remove the bay leaf and taste. Adjust salt, pepper, or cayenne as desired.
- Add cream: Remove from heat and slowly stir in heavy cream until fully combined. Avoid boiling.
- Garnish & serve: Ladle soup into bowls, garnishing with parsley and green onions. Serve immediately.
Notes
This soup can be made ahead for better flavor. It can also be customized with different vegetables or protein options.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 130mg