Ultimate Loaded Chicken Potato Soup

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Prick potatoes with a fork, then wrap each potato in aluminum foil.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Cool potatoes until easily handled; scoop flesh into a bowl and set aside. Discard skins.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat; cook and stir onion, carrots, and celery in hot oil until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove vegetables to a plate and set aside.

5. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook and stir chicken in hot oil until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.

6. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-heat. Stir flour into melted butter and cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour milk, about 1/4 cup at a time, into butter-flour mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.

7. Stir potatoes, onion mixture, chicken, chicken stock, broccoli, most of the Cheddar cheese, 1/2 of the bacon bits, and 1/2 of the green onions into sauce. Cook soup until heated through and broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir sour cream into soup and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

8. Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with remaining bacon bits, Cheddar cheese, and green onions.

   

Tips

Soup will continue to thicken as it cools down. If you like your soup really thick, let it cool for about 30 minutes before serving.