Chicken Florentine Soup
Our Chicken Florentine Soup is easy to make and it tastes fabulous. The soup recipe is a cream-based soup that features chicken, spinach, and a variety of seasonings and vegetables that can be included as well. This is a delicious recipe that can be prepared quickly and fully enjoyed.
What is Chicken Florentine Soup?
Chicken Florentine Soup is usually a cream-based soup made with chicken and spinach as your main ingredients. There are many different varieties of the soup, some include carrots, while others include rice or tomatoes.
Although there are many ways you can make it, we are excited to share our favorite Chicken Florentine Soup recipe with you.
The word Florentine used to describe chicken Florentine soup is an Italian word that typically refers to Italian-style dishes, with a Mediterranean flare and usually means that the dish contains spinach.
What is in Chicken Florentine Soup
Keep in mind there can be many different varieties of soup recipes, however, we are going to provide our favorite version of Chicken Florentine Soup. To make this you will need the following ingredients:
Butter. We typically use salted butter, however, you can use unsalted for delicious results as well.
Garlic. Minced garlic will provide a delicious flavor to your soup. You can mince your own garlic or used pre-minced garlic they can pick up at the grocery store.
Onion. We typically use a medium size yellow onion, however, you can use whichever type of onion you prefer. Although we do recommend that you not use the purple onion as it is a little bit strong in flavor for the soup, the choice is entirely up to you.
Carrots. Although adding carrots to the soup are entirely optional, we like the little bit of color and additional flavor that carrots provide. We recommend using 2 to 3 large carrots that are washed, peeled, and diced into small pieces.
Celery. Celery is also entirely optional, some versions of Chicken Florentine Soup are included, while others do not. We like to include celery for added color and flavor as well. I recommend including two stocks of celery that are cut into small pieces.
Chicken Broth. You can use regular chicken broth or low sodium chicken broth for this recipe, either one works well.
Cream. For the cream in the soup, we recommend using heavy cream, although half-and-half and whole milk can be used as substitutes as well. Simply be aware that the type of cream you choose to include will determine the overall creaminess of your soup.
Flour. Flour is used to help thicken the base of this soup. Typically, you can use all-purpose flour for this recipe, however, if you have special dietary needs you can also substitute this for all-purpose flour that is gluten-free, or your favorite type of flour. You could also use a little bit of cornstarch if desired.
Spinach. Spinach is one of the key ingredients for this recipe. You can use fresh spinach leaves that are easily found at your local grocery store.
Cooked Chicken. Cooked chicken is another main ingredient in this recipe. You can cook your chicken ahead of time or cook it right before it is included in your soup.
Some enjoy their chicken cut into small pieces, while others enjoy shredded chicken. You could also use a rotisserie chicken that is picked up from your grocery store and shredded to include in the soup.
Italian seasoning. Italian seasoning is optional, but we do recommend including it in this recipe for the best overall flavor.
Salt and Pepper. We recommend using some salt and black pepper to season your soup to taste.
Now, let’s look at the easy steps you can follow to make this delicious Chicken Florentine Soup.
How to make Chicken Florentine Soup
Step 1: Cook the Chicken
If your chicken is not cooked, you will want to begin by first cooking it. There are many ways you can cook the chicken, however, we recommend that you drizzle some olive oil in a skillet, then add your chicken along with a little bit of water and cover the pan.
Cook your chicken over medium heat until the internal temperature of your chicken reaches 165°F. You can then shred your chicken or cut it into small pieces. Set the chicken aside.
Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables
Now, in a skillet melt your butter, and add garlic, onions, carrots, and celery if desired. Sauté your vegetables until they are soft, and your onions are translucent.
Step 3: Make the Broth
Once your vegetables are sautéed, take the flour, and sprinkle it on top of all the vegetables. Mix the vegetables until they are coated in the flour. Cook over medium heat for approximately one minute. When the time has passed, add your chicken broth, and stir to combine.
Cover the pan and allow the vegetable and broth mixture to simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are all soft, and your soup begins to thicken. This may take between 10 and 15 minutes, depending on your burner and pan. Stir occasionally during this process.
Step 4: Add the Spinach and Cream
When your vegetables are soft, add your cream, spinach, chicken, and desired seasonings to taste. Simmer the mixture for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the soup is warmed through.
Once your soup is warm, it’s time to dish up the soup, serve, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Rotisserie Chicken. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to speed up this process, and have delicious chicken, we recommend using a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store, or a store like Sam’s club, or Costco.
You can take quickly find rotisserie chickens that are already cooked and a reasonable price. Simply remove from the bones, cut or shred the chicken, and add it to your soup.
Storage Instructions
Room Temperature. Chicken Florentine Soup can be left at room temperature to cool before it is stored away. However, the soup should not be left at room temperature for any longer than two hours when your room temperature is between 40°F and 90°F.
When your room temperature is 90°F or above, the soup should not be left at room temperature any longer than one hour before it goes bad.
Refrigerator. Chicken Florentine Soup can also be stored in the fridge for a few days. To store, transfer your cold soup to an airtight container, then place it into the fridge for 3 to 4 days at 40°F or below.
Freezer. You can also freeze Chicken Florentine Soup for longer storage. To freeze it, transfer it to an airtight container then place it into the freezer at 0°F or below for up to three months.
How to Reheat it
Microwave. You can easily reheat leftover Chicken Florentine Soup in the microwave. First, pour the leftover soup into a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with a paper towel, and then microwave it for 1-2 minutes, then enjoy.
Stovetop. Another way to reheat leftover soup is to pour it into a deep saucepan. Place it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is warmed through, then enjoy.
Chicken Florentine Soup Variations
Not only can you make our delicious Chicken Florentine Soup recipe, but there are also several different variations to the recipe that you might enjoy as well.
Tomato Florentine Soup
Tomato Florentine Soup is usually made with a base of chicken broth, and tomato juice. It also sometimes includes a little bit of red wine. Another difference between Tomato Florentine Soup and the above recipe is that Tomato Florentine Soup can also include elbow macaroni in it as well.
To make the soup you will first want to sauté your vegetables, then add your flour to thicken the soup as instructed above.
Add approximately a quarter cup of red wine and cook for one minute. Continue by adding your broth, and noodles. Boil until the noodles are done. Add tomato juice, spinach, and any desired seasonings. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Spinach Florentine
Spinach Florentine Soup is very similar to our recipe outlined for Chicken Florentine Soup. Simply leave out the carrots and celery in our outlined recipe, otherwise, prepare as instructed.
Rice Florentine
Although Rice Florentine can be made by adding rice to your soup, you can also make a rice-based dish by sautéing vegetables, adding spinach, and cooking until it is wilted. Then add cooked rice, and season as desired.
Lemon Chicken Florentine
Lemon Chicken Florentine can be made in a soup or simply a chicken dish. To make Lemon Chicken Florentine Soup, simply cook your chicken with lemon seasoning, and add delightful lemon flavor. You could also add lemon juice and fresh lemons for added lemon flavors.
Keto Chicken Florentine Soup
Our Chicken Florentine recipe in the recipe card below is naturally a keto-friendly Chicken Florentine Soup recipe.
If you want you can tweak the recipe so that it is even more friendly to your keto diet, or you can simply prepare as instructed.
FAQs
Can you put raw chicken in soup to cook?
We would strongly recommend that you first cook the chicken fully so that the internal temperature reaches 165°F before it is added to your soup.
There are many health concerns and risks when you consider adding raw chicken into the soup to cook.
Can you use frozen spinach?
Yes, you can use either frozen or fresh spinach when adding it to chicken Florentine soup.
Can I Use Shredded Turkey Instead of Chicken?
Absolutely. If you have leftover turkey that you are looking to make into soup, you could easily replace your chicken with cooked turkey and make it into a Florentine soup if desired.
What to Serve with Chicken Florentine
There are many different sides you can serve with Chicken Florentine Soup if you wish. Below are a few of our favorites.
Creamy Chicken Florentine Soup
Creamy Chicken Florentine soup is easy to make and it tastes fabulous. If you like a quick and easy soup recipe, this is when you should definitely try it out. The soup is perfect for any occasion and will help to warm you from the inside out on a chilly day. Now, let’s get cooking this delicious soup recipe!
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