Grilled Chicken Parmesan Soup (Printable)

Hearty Italian-inspired soup with grilled chicken, tomatoes, herbs, and melted Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.

# What You Need:

→ Soup Base

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 large carrot, diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
09 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Finishing

13 - 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
14 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
16 - 1 cup garlic croutons or toasted bread cubes

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Grill for 6-7 minutes per side until fully cooked and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Allow to rest, then dice or shred into bite-sized pieces.
03 - In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
05 - Stir in the grilled chicken and simmer for an additional 5 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Just before serving, stir in half of the Parmesan and mozzarella until fully melted.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with remaining cheeses, fresh basil, and a handful of garlic croutons.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The grilled chicken adds a smokiness that regular boiled chicken can't touch, making every spoonful feel restaurant-quality without the fuss.
  • It comes together in under an hour, so you can serve something warm and impressive without spending your whole evening in the kitchen.
02 -
  • If you don't let the chicken rest after grilling, all the juices escape into the cutting board instead of staying in your soup, so patience for those 2 to 3 minutes actually matters.
  • Stirring the cheese in slowly instead of dumping it all at once keeps the soup from becoming a separated, greasy mess, and the difference is honestly night and day.
03 -
  • Don't let the soup boil aggressively once you've added the cheese, because high heat breaks down the proteins and makes it separate into grainy solids and oily liquid.
  • Toasting your bread cubes yourself in a skillet with a little garlic and olive oil gives you croutons that actually taste intentional instead of store-bought and forgettable.
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