Macaroni Soup is about to be your new favorite comfort food! I’ve combined delicious, creamy soup with cheeeesy macaroni and cheese to create the perfect dish: Chicken Mac and Cheese Soup. You’re going to want to eat a bowl of this every day!
Macaroni Soup
Macaroni Soup is the magical combination of two of the best comfort foods ever: macaroni and cheese, and soup! It’s cheesy, it’s creamy, and it’s quite possibly the most comforting recipe I’ve ever made. A big bowl of this stuff is exactly what you need this fall and winter season!
I have so many mac and cheese recipes, and a lot of amazing soup recipes too. It’s about time I combined them into one perfect dish! This Chicken Mac and Cheese Soup is everything I love about food. It’s warm, it’s filled with cheese…and that’s about all that matters to me. Mac and cheese in soup form is just my kind of meal!
This Macaroni Soup is made with chicken, lots of cheese, some veggies, and shell pasta. The base has the creamiest texture, while the noodles and veggies give it a heartiness to fill you up. And we’re serving it with the perfect side, cheesy crostini. This toasted bread with a layer of melted cheese goes so well with the mac and cheese soup!
Make this Macaroni Soup asap for the most comforting meal of your life! Everyone will love it, and I guarantee you’ll be making it over and over again this season.
Chicken Mac and Cheese Soup is your new favorite comfort food. This cheese Macaroni Soup is basically everything you’ve ever dreamed of in one bowl!
Chicken Mac and Cheese Soup
I love macaroni and cheese. I love soup. I love chicken. The obvious thing to do is to combine them all into one perfectly delicious dish! This Chicken Mac and Cheese Soup does just that. It’s one of the best comfort food recipes I’ve ever made and/or eaten, which means I’m going to be making it all winter long! I don’t care what the health gurus say, we need our cheese and our carbs during the colder months of the year, so I’m going to fill myself with this macaroni soup and be happy about it.
What’s in this Chicken Macaroni Soup recipe?
- Chicken
- Carrots
- Celery
- Shell pasta
- Chicken Stock
- Multiple types of cheese (because 1 is never enough)
- Half & Half
- White Wine
- Nutmeg
- Thyme
- Dijon Mustard
- Onion
It’s basically the perfect mac and cheese recipe in soup form, with chicken and veggies thrown in for good measure. I’m obsessed with this recipe and I think you will be too!
How to Make Macaroni Soup
This Macaroni Soup is a pretty straight-forward recipe. Just like most soup recipes, everything will be cooked in one pot, and it is just a matter of adding in your ingredients at the right time and letting it all simmer and cook together. Simple!
How to make Chicken Mac and Cheese Soup:
- Prepare the Chicken – Start by seasoning your chicken breasts, then add them into dutch oven after melting the butter. Cook the chicken for about 3 minutes on each side, then removed from the pot and set aside.
- Make the Soup – Start with the carrots and celery in the dutch oven for a few minutes, then add in the onions to cook. Slowly stir in the chicken stock and wine, then bring to a boil. Add in the seasonings and the pasta shells, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes (until pasta is cooked through).
- Finishing Touches – Cut or shred the chicken breasts, then add them into the soup along with the milk. Let the soup simmer another 10 minutes, and then stir in the cheese to melt.
This macaroni soup comes out just right, with a creamy texture, a cheesy flavor, and the perfect amount of veggies and herbs to finish it off. Yum! Check the recipe card for more detailed instructions. And don’t forget to make the cheesy crostini to serve with this soup recipe!
Cheesy Toasted Crostini Recipe
This cheesy Macaroni Soup is sooo good, and I think the cheesy crostini is the perfect addition to this simple meal. I love having hearty, crusty bread to serve with soups because I’m a big fan of dipping. And what better way to highlight the CHEESE part of mac and cheese soup than to serve it with CHEESY bread? Yes, I have a cheese problem. But this Cheesy Toasted Crostini recipe really adds something to the comfort aspect of this dish, so don’t skip it!
Just take a baguette, cut it into thin slices, bake the bread with olive oil, then pile the cheese on top and broil it. It’s such a simple addition to this macaroni soup but it makes all the difference!
Are you sold on this chicken mac and cheese/soup hybrid yet? It is by far the most comforting food ever, and I know you’ll love it. Make this cheesy macaroni soup ASAP!
See the recipe card below for details on how to make Macaroni Soup with Chicken. Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you’ll love these delicious recipes too:
- 15 Minute recipe for Macaroni and Cheese
- Baked Mexican Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Creamy Chicken Soup Recipe
Chicken Macaroni Soup
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Ingredients
For the Toasted Cheesy Crostini
- 1 French baguette cut into 1-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup shredded cheese cheddar or Italian blend
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
For the Soup
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 3 cups cooked chicken
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ stick
- 3 carrots cut into ⅛-inch slices
- 1 rib celery cut into ⅛-inch slices
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup semi-dry or dry white wine one you like to drink; optional
- 1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¾ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ pound small shell pasta uncooked
- 2 cups whole milk or half-and-half
- ½ cup shredded Gruyére cheese
- 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
- ½ cup shredded Cheddar blend cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
- Smoked paprika or grated nutmeg optional
Instructions
For the Toasted Cheesy Crostini
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- Place the baguette slices on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle them with oil.1 French baguette, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Bake for 10 minutes, then turn each piece over and bake another 5-10 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.
- When ready to serve, set the oven to broil.
- Top each crostini with a mound of cheese and sprinkle (very lightly) with crushed red pepper flakes.½ cup shredded cheese, ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Broil 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and has a little color on top.
- *NOTE: If not using crostini to top the soup, add ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper to the soup. This will add a little “kick” to the soup but won’t make it spicy.
For the Soup
- Pat the chicken breast dry using paper towels and sprinkle both sides of the breasts with salt and pepper.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil shimmers, add the butter and the chicken breasts. Cook the chicken breasts 3 minutes or until the pan-side is golden brown. Flip the breasts over and cook another 2-3 minutes. Transfer the breasts to a plate; set aside.2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the carrots and celery to the still-hot Dutch oven and, if needed, add 1-2 more tablespoons oil. Cook the vegetables 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and cook another 3 minutes or until the onion has softened and is translucent.3 carrots, 1 rib celery, 1 yellow onion
- Slowly add the chicken stock, while stirring to deglaze the pan, and add the wine. Stir well. Bring the stock to a boil.4 cups chicken stock, ¼ cup semi-dry or dry white wine
- Add the thyme, nutmeg, mustard and pasta. Stir well and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup about 30 minutes. The pasta should be cooked through and the broth thickened.1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, ¾ tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ pound small shell pasta
- While the soup simmers, cut or shred the cooked chicken breasts.
- After 30 minutes, turn the heat to medium and add the milk and cut chicken breasts.2 cups whole milk
- Bring the soup to just below boiling and immediately reduce the heat to low. Cook the soup 10 minutes or until it has thickened slightly.
- When it is the desired consistency (soup-ish but not stew-ish), add the cheeses and stir until cheese has melted.½ cup shredded Gruyére cheese, 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese, ½ cup shredded Cheddar blend cheese
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with one or two Toasted Cheesy Crostini (depending on the size).
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, sprinkle lightly with smoked paprika or grated nutmeg and…Chopped fresh parsley, Smoked paprika or grated nutmeg
- Enjoy!
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition Information
Could this be made in the crockpot?
We think so! Wait to add the pasta and cheeses until the end of the cook time, though!
We’re sorry to hear this recipe didn’t turn out quite as expected, Destiny! I would make sure the soup is just simmering for that 30 minutes, not boiling. This should help the pasta cook more slowly!
This looks so good. I want to try this for sure! The only problem I have been having lately is that onions (and garlic) are not good for my stomach (or my son’s) and I am struggling with a substitute. I LOVE onions though. This recipe, however, look flavorful enough that I don’t need to add the onions. What do you think?
Hi Cathy, I think it will still be good without. But if you’re looking for a way to get that flavor without the digestive upset, try an onion or shallot infused olive oil instead of the vegetable oil! This type of oil conforms to the low FODMAP diet, which is often recommended for those with sensitivity to garlic and onions!
Awesome. We do use the garlic infused olive oil so I will look for the onion one … I have tried looking for one but haven’t found one yet!! Maybe Amazon! :)
I know Fody Foods makes a shallot one!
I was about to to add the same info about FODMAP diets. I had to live on this for a while. Check out Monash University. It’s the best in research on the subject.
Wow. I love Mac and cheese and chicken soup so this was perfect to try and man, wow. Soooo good. The broth got nice and creamy with all the cheese. Will def make again!
So glad to hear you loved it, Andee!
This looks amazing, and I can’t wait to try it! Question – I have found that cooking noodles in the soup results in them being overcooked/mushy. Would this recipe still work, consistency-wise, if I were to cook the noodles separately and add them in at the end?
Yes, it should work just fine!
Would I be able to use gluten free pasta?
Absolutely!
How many servings does this make?
Thanks!!
Hi Kathy, this recipe serves 6!
Can this be frozen at any point?
I don’t recommend freezing this soup, as the cheese will turn grainy once thawed. You could freeze it before adding the dairy and cheese, but I would also recommend leaving out the pasta, since that can turn mushy once frozen and thawed.
This was absolutely delicious!! We will definitely fix this again!!
This soup was indeed very hearty, thick, and tasty!!! I love thick creamy soups! Especially in the winter!!! I made some homemade cheddar bacon bread. Wonderful dinner. But I did need to add 2 cups extra broth as it was so dense I couldn’t stir it. Not sure what I did wrong. But that was ok. It was absolutely excellent and delicious! Thank you.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! It sounds like the soup may have been at too high of a simmer for some time, causing more of the broth to evaporate!
It’s delicious