Chicken Mushroom Soup

Growing up, my mom always made chicken soup with mushrooms. The aroma of this soup instantly takes me back to my childhood. If you’ve never tried adding dried mushrooms to soup, you’re seriously missing out — they add this incredible deep, cozy mushroom flavor without needing tons of fresh mushroom pieces.

This chicken mushroom soup recipe has all of that comforting flavor I grew up with and it’s one of those recipes that always brings me back to home. Get ready to expand your palate from typical chicken noodle to this no-frill, low calorie, delicious mushroom chicken soup instead.

Chicken Mushroom Soup Video

How to Make Chicken Mushroom Soup

This chicken soup with mushrooms comes together in one pot with only a few steps. You’ll be amazed at the yummy flavor!

• Build the base: Sauté the carrots and onions in oil on medium heat until softened. Then, add in the water and the bite-sized chicken pieces. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms: Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for 5–10 minutes to remove grit and rehydrate them. Then, add the mushrooms (plus their soaking liquid for extra depth) to the pot and cook for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the potatoes & pasta: Stir in the sliced potatoes and broken spaghetti. Cook for another 10–15 minutes until everything is tender.
• Season & enjoy: Stir in fresh dill, salt, and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve the hot soup!

Mushroom Chicken Soup Tips and Tricks

Small changes can make a world of difference in simple soups. Here’s a few tips I always keep in mind when making this easy chicken and mushroom soup recipe.

• Cut the chicken breasts evenly: Slice the chicken breast into uniform cubes so every piece cooks at the same rate.
• Soak the mushrooms well: Rehydrate the dried mushrooms in warm water for 5–10 minutes so they give off the most flavor. You can also use the soaking liquid as it gets packed with mushroom flavor.
• Cook the soup over medium-low heat: The cardinal sin of soup making is working on high heat. The flavors of the soup have a better chance of developing when the heat is low and slow.
• Skip frozen chicken: Frozen pieces release extra water and cook unevenly, leading to tough, dry meat. Use fresh or fully thawed chicken in this soup.
• Use leftover or rotisserie chicken (optional): To save time and energy, use leftover chicken! In this case, skip the simmering step and instead, shred the cooked chicken and add it during the last five minutes of cooking.
• Thicken the soup to your liking: If you like a thicker broth, stir in a cornstarch slurry (one tablespoon cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons cold water). Alternatively, you can also make a flour slurry (couple tablespoons of flour mixed with water). Either way, add the slurry in during the last five minutes and stir to thicken.
• Use a large pot or Dutch oven: Make your soup in your favorite pot or Dutch oven! Dutch ovens retain heat and moisture, making them great for simmering soup. Either way, a 5-6 quart pot works perfectly for this soup.
• Add more broth as needed: If the noodles absorb a ton of the liquid, simply mix up a quick pint or quart of chicken broth (I love using this in a pinch).

Recipe Variations & Ingredient Substitutions

Tweak the soup to match your pantry or cravings. It’s always nice to have a little variation each time I make this soup, cause you never know what the next best version will be!

• Swap proteins: Use chicken thighs for extra juiciness, or replace with cooked ground turkey. Or, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth for a meatless vegetarian version.
• Use pasta alternatives: Cooked white, brown, or wild rice makes the soup gluten-free. Skip the pasta in the soup and then add cooked rice into bowls and ladle the soup in when serving. Avoid cooking the rice in the soup as it tends to soak in all the broth. You can also change the pasta to egg noodles or small pasta varieties like ditalini and orzo.
• Add hearty greens: Stir in spinach, kale, or chopped green beans during the last five minutes of cooking for a pop of color and nutrition.
• Include more of the same ingredients: You’re always welcome to add more of the main ingredients if you like! Add more chicken, or add fresh mushrooms to go with the dried mushrooms.
• Sauté the chicken: If you prefer your chicken to have a bit of a golden brown crust, sauté the chicken pieces first in a separate pan. Then, add it to the soup but don’t cook as long.
• Play with herbs: Fresh dill is classic, but fresh or dried thyme, parsley, or basil work beautifully.
• Make it creamy chicken mushroom soup: After removing the soup from the heat, stir in one cup of heavy cream and four ounces of melted cream cheese to make a creamy soup. Once mixed in, reheat the soup gently without boiling.
• Brighten the broth: A splash of lemon juice or white wine added at the end lifts all the flavors in the soup.

Storing & Reheating Chicken Mushroom Soup

Soup always tastes better the next day, right? In that case, make sure you store it properly and reheat well to truly enjoy the full flavors.

• Refrigerator: Store the soup in an airtight container for up to five days in the fridge.
• Freezer: Personally, I don’t like to freeze this soup as the pasta and potatoes can get a funky texture after freezing/reheating.
• Reheat gently: Warm the soup over medium-low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or broth if the soup has thickened beyond what you prefer.

More Tasty Soups

• Healthy Buckwheat Soup (Childhood Classic) – Bone-in pork or beef soup with buckwheat
• Fish Soup aka Uhka – Salmon, rice, and herb soup
• Split Pea and Lentil Soup with Pork Chops – Hearty split pea soup
• Shurpa Soup Recipe – Lamb soup with potatoes