Chicken bean soup is a creamy, cozy weeknight dinner made with ground chicken, mixed beans, cream cheese and simple vegetables for maximum flavor with minimal effort. This one-pot recipe comes together quickly on the stovetop, just like Creamy Tomato Chicken Soup with Bacon.
Packed with protein from chicken and beans, this hearty chicken bean soup without heavy cream is perfect for meal prep, cold evenings, or anytime you want a comforting bowl of soup that the whole family will love. Just like grandma used to make
If you love comforting chicken soups as much as I do, try Chicken Pesto and Green Bean Soup and Marry Me Chicken Soup.
Key Ingredients
- Ground chicken (or chicken sausage): This is your main protein; it makes the soup filling so you aren't hungry an hour later. Ground chicken cooks quickly and breaks into small pieces, so you get a bit of meat in almost every bite without needing fancy knife skills.
- Chicken broth: Think of broth as the "flavored water" that becomes your soup. It soaks up the taste of the onion, pepper, chicken, spices, and beans and ties everything together so you aren't just eating random ingredients in hot water.
- Black beans: These beans add bulk, protein, and a soft, creamy texture when you bite into them. They also help make the soup more satisfying and budget-friendly because you can feed more people without adding more meat.
- Chili beans (or kidney/red beans): These give you extra beans plus a deeper, slightly smoky or spiced flavor, depending on the type you use. They make the soup feel more like a chili-soup hybrid: hearty, cozy, and full of different textures.
- Corn: Corn adds little pops of sweetness and a chewy bite in between the softer beans and meat. It keeps the soup fun to eat, especially for people who like a bit of sweetness in savory dishes.
- Tomato sauce: This gives the broth body and a gentle tang so it doesn't taste heavy or bland. It also helps turn the soup a warm, appetizing color instead of pale, and balances the richness of the cream cheese.
How to make Creamy Chicken Bean Soup
1. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven and add chopped onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Once softened, add and cook ground chicken for 5-6 minutes.
2. The next step is to add beans, corn, tomato sauce, seasoning and chicken stock and simmer until everything is warmed up.
3. Now it's time to add softened cream cheese and allow it to melt into the chicken soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Even though I usually season before adding cream cheese.
Creamy Chicken Bean Soup
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Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion chopped
- ½ red bell pepper chopped
- 1 lb. ground chicken (or chicken sausage)
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can chili beans (or kidney beans, or red beans)
- 10 oz yellow corn (1 can)
- 8 oz tomato sauce (1 small can)
- 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 oz cream cheese
- Toppings (sour cream, avocado and shredded Cheddar cheese)
Instructions
- Add olive oil to the pan, turn heat to medium high and add chopped onions and bell peppers. Cook for 5 minutes, just enough to slightly soften and brown the onions.
- Add ground chicken and break it apart with the wooden soup. cook on medium high heat together with onions and peppers.
- Next, add chicken broth, black beans, chili beans, yellow corn, tomato sauce, and Cajun Seasoning.
- Simmer the soup for 5 minutes (the liquid should be boiling slightly).
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Microwave the cream cheese for 20 seconds on the oven proof plate to soften it. Add the cream cheese to the soup and allow it to be fully incorporated).
- Serve with the toppings of your choice or all of them: sliced avocado, sour cream and shredded Cheddar cheese.
Tips for Success
- If your creamy chicken bean soup turns out too thin, stir in extra cream cheese, mash some of the beans right in the pot, or add a small cornstarch slurry to thicken the broth without changing flavor.
- For a soup that is too thick or gloopy after the cream cheese melts, whisk in warm chicken broth a little at a time until it loosens to a silky, spoonable consistency again.
- If the cream cheese looks grainy or curdled, make sure the soup is off the boil, then add the cream cheese in small cubes and whisk until smooth before simmering gently again.
- If the flavor seems flat after adjusting thickness, add salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon or lime to brighten everything without extra dairy.
FAQ
How do I keep cream cheese from clumping in chicken bean soup?
Soften the cream cheese to room temperature, cut it into small cubes, and whisk it into hot (not boiling) soup until fully melted before simmering again.
How can I thicken chicken bean soup without more cream cheese?
Mash or blend some of the beans in the pot, add a cornstarch slurry, or simmer with a handful of quick-cooking starch like potatoes, rice, or oats until the broth naturally thickens.
How do I make creamy chicken bean soup healthier?
Use low-sodium chicken broth, swap regular cream cheese for a reduced-fat version or Greek yogurt, and rely on pureed beans to thicken so you can use less dairy overall.
Can I make creamy chicken bean soup ahead and reheat it?
Yes; when reheating, warm gently over low to medium heat and add a splash of broth or milk if it thickened too much in the fridge so the cream-cheese base stays smooth.
What kind of pan should I use?
Dutch oven is perfect to cook chicken soup in because it distributes heat evenly and lasts a lifetime. I use this dutch oven all the time since it is extremely versatile and durable.
Alternatively, you can use a soup pot, made from stainless steel. The material is amazing, conducts heat very well, it's also as durable as dutch oven and looks amazing!
Toppings for Creamy Chicken Bean Soup
- To give this creamy chicken soup additional kick, you may also want to have these things as toppings.
- Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese make the soup hearty and rich!
- I also recommend sour cream for that extra creaminess and smoothness.
- Chopped parsley or sliced green onions are nice fresh additions and their freshness creates a taste contrast to the cooked ingredients.
- Diced avocado creates amazing texture and adds healthy fats to this soup!
What goes with Creamy Chicken Bean Soup
Substitutions and variations
I've been experimenting with this mouthwatering chicken soup recipe for the past few months, making it many times. I found it to be very easy, versatile and so delicious!
And here are my suggestions! You can make it with ground chicken, rotisserie chicken, chicken thighs and chicken breasts. You can also cook the entire soup in the slow cooker or instant pot! I made this soup with chicken breasts in the slow cooker and it was spectacular!
Substitutions for cream cheese
- Use full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt at the end of cooking for a similar texture and richness. For a lighter option, blend a portion of the beans with hot broth until creamy, then stir that puree back into the pot for body without extra dairy.
- For a dairy-free creamy chicken bean soup, use coconut milk, oat milk, or blended white beans plus olive oil instead of cream cheese to create a naturally silky texture.
- If you need to avoid lactose but still want a "cream cheese" vibe, choose a lactose-free cream cheese or plant-based cream cheese and add it the same way as regular cream cheese.
Sumalee says
Do you drain the beans before adding them to the recipe?
Olya says
Yes