This creamy chicken and potato soup simmers seasoned chicken thighs with vegetables and herbs for a one pot dinner that reheats beautifully all week.
If your weeknight dinners keep turning into the same three meals, this chicken and potato soup is one pot, mostly hands-off, and makes enough for dinner plus lunches. Chicken thighs get seasoned with herbs de Provence and browned first, then leeks, carrots and celery soften in the same pot, and white wine lifts every browned bit off the bottom.
From there, it simmers while the potatoes turn tender. The idea for this chicken and potato soup recipe came from a roast chicken and leek dish I had while spending time in France, which is why the herbs go on the chicken and not in the broth.
I've spent a lot of time developing and testing soup recipes, and this one deserved a little extra attention. I wanted to recreate the combination of flavors I remembered from Normandy while making it approachable enough for an easy weeknight dinner. After working through the seasoning, cooking method, and ingredients, I'm really happy with how it turned out. It brings together those familiar French-inspired flavors in a hearty soup that's easy enough to make at home.
Why You'll Love This Chicken and Potato Soup Recipe
- One pot, one cutting board. The chicken browns, the vegetables soften and the soup simmers in the same Dutch oven so cleanup is a pot and a knife.
- Chicken thighs that survive reheating. Thighs stay tender and shred easily, which means day three tastes like day one instead of dry and stringy.
- Built on real flavor, not just cream. Herbs de Provence toast on the chicken, the white wine reduces by half, and a tablespoon of lemon juice at the end keeps the cream from tasting flat.
Key Ingredients
A full list of ingredients and amounts are in the printable recipe card. These are the ones worth knowing about before you shop.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs- They brown well, shred easily, and stay tender.
- Herbs de Provence- Goes on the chicken, not in the broth, so it toasts in the pan and flavors everything after it. You could use a dried Italian herb blend in a pinch.
- Leeks- sweeter and softer than onion, and the reason this tastes like the French dish it originated from. Slice thin and rinse well since grit hides between the layers.
- White wine- Something you'd drink like Sauvignon blanc. It deglazes the pot and reduces into the backbone of the broth.
- Russet potatoes- Peeled and cut small so they cook through in 20 minutes.
- Heavy cream and lemon juice- Both go in at the end. The cream keeps it smooth, the lemon keeps it from tasting flat.
How to Make Chicken and Potato Soup
- Season both sides of chicken with Herbs de Provence and spices. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Then add the seasoned chicken thighs and brown for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan. Next, add the butter, once melted add the leeks, carrots, celery and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now, add the garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds.
- Add the white wine and deglaze the pan. Make sure to scrape up all the browned bits on the base of the pan. Allow the wine to reduce by half (about 7-8 minutes).
- Next, add the chicken back to the pot with the chicken broth, bouillon, and potato chunks. Bring to a simmer and cover. Reduce the heat to low and allow the soup to simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
- Now, check the potatoes to make sure they are tender. Shred the chicken and stir in the heavy cream and lemon juice.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with freshly grated parmesan, thyme, and lemon wedges if desired.
Storage and Reheating
Allow the soup to cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It thickens as it sits because of the potatoes. To reheat, warm on the stovetop over medium-low, stirring, until steaming. Don't let it boil hard. You can microwave single portions in 30-second bursts, stirring between, for about 2-3 minutes total. If it's too thick, splash in broth or water as it reheats, then taste again for salt and add a squeeze of lemon if necessary.
To Prep Ahead
- Slice the leeks, carrots, and celery up to 3 days ahead and keep them in one airtight container in the fridge.
- Season the chicken thighs with herbs, salt, and pepper the night before and leave them covered in the fridge.
- Hold off on cutting the potatoes until you cook, or cover the cubes with cold water in the fridge for up to 24 hours so they don't brown.
Recipe FAQs
Russets, cut into small cubes. They turn tender in the 20 minute simmer and break down just enough to thicken the broth. Yukon Gold works if you want the cubes to hold their shape.
The wine deglazes the pan and reduces it into the base, so it's doing real work here. I recommend including it.
Yes, but thighs are the better choice for meal prep. Breast meat dries out and gets stringy once you reheat it. Chicken thighs are also more affordable.
Trim the root and the dark green tops, slice the white and light green parts thin, then swish the slices in a bowl of cold water. Grit sinks to the bottom. Lift the leeks out with your hands instead of pouring the whole bowl into a strainer.
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Chicken and Potato Soup Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
- ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 leeks trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 cup carrots thinly sliced
- 1 cup celery thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed and minced
- 1 ½ cups good white wine like sauvignon blanc
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 chicken bullion cube
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 russet potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with the herbs, salt and pepper. Make sure they are seasoned well on each side.
- Heat the olive oil in large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Then add the seasoned chicken thighs and brown for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan.
- Add the butter, once melted add the leeks, carrots, celery and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds.
- Now, add the white wine and deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape up all the little browned bits on the base of the pan. Allow the wine to reduce by half (this takes 7-8 minutes)
- Next, add the chicken back to the pan with the chicken broth, bullion and potato chunks. Bring to a simmer and cover. Reduce heat to low and allow the soup to simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
- Check the potatoes to make sure they are tender. Shred the chicken and stir in the heavy cream and lemon juice.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with freshly grated parmesan, thyme and lemon wedges if desired.
Nutrition Information
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