Creamy Sweet Potato Chicken Soup

Creamy Sweet Potato Chicken Soup – An EASY comfort food chicken soup recipe with sweet potatoes and more to keep you full and satisfied for hours!! Ready in 30 minutes with a flexible ingredients list based on what you have on hand!!

Creamy Chicken Sweet Potato Soup Recipe

I have so many variations of chicken soup but I don’t have a version that really focuses on sweet potatoes. Since I am a big sweet potato lover, I couldn’t resist making a comforting chicken soup recipe with sweet potatoes.

I incorporated other vegetables that I had on hand, including onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and spinach to make this a really thick and hearty chicken soup that almost borders on a stew with tons of textures and flavors in every bite.

The sweet potatoes and the carrots add a natural sweetness to this soup that I absolutely adored. Coupled with the splash of half-and-half I incorporated to make it creamy, I loved this broth so much. I would be perfectly content to just drink this broth! 

Sweet potato chicken soup is so comforting and has wonderful layers of flavors that you’d think that you were simmering this soup for hours. It’s naturally gluten-free since there are no noodles.

However in reality, the soup cooks in just 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight dinner, especially when the weather is chilly because this stew warms you up from the inside out!

Ingredients In Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup

When it comes to making soup, I’m a big believer in use what you have on hand. In the case of this soup, most of the items in the soup were items that were already in my fridge or pantry and needed to be used. 

If you’re not a fan of certain items, namely mushrooms since I know many people don’t like them, simply omit them. Or if you have 3 carrots on hand and not two, then use all three. 

The beautiful of any of my soup recipes are that the ingredients are always very flexible.

For this soup-stew as I like to call it, I used the following ingredients:

• Shredded chicken
• Olive oil
• Onion
• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic
• Chicken stock
• Sweet potatoes
• Dried oregano
• Coriander
• Salt
• Pepper 
• Mushrooms (optional)
• Fresh spinach
• Half-and-half (heavy cream may be substituted; or the dairy can be omitted all-together)
• Cayenne pepper (optional)

How To Make Chicken Soup with Sweet Potatoes

1. Begin by poaching a couple boneless skinless chicken breasts in water. Cover them by a few inches of salted water in a skillet, boil for about 10 to 15 minutes or until they’re done, and then shred them. Alternatively you can use shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken.
2. While the chicken is poaching, to a large Dutch oven, add the olive oil, and saute the onion, carrots, and celery for about 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are beginning to tenderize, before adding the garlic.
3. Add the chicken stock, sweet potatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and bring to a rapid boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes total, or until the sweet potatoes are cooked through. In the final 5 minutes of simmering add the optional mushrooms.
4. Turn off the heat, stir in the spinach until it wilts.
5. Add the dairy if you’re making this a creamy soup.
6. And then make sure to taste the broth.Make any necessary seasoning tweaks, including a pinch of cayenne pepper. It doesn’t make the soup spicy, but it adds intrigue and dimension. Follow up with additional salt and pepper if needed before serving.

Chicken Prep Shortcut

If you don’t want to poach chicken breasts, feel free to use rotisserie chicken that you shred.

However, with this recipe, it’s not really going to subtract much time from the overall recipe because the chicken can be poaching in one kettle while the soup gets started in another stockpot.

Although if you have leftover chicken on hand or want to go the rotisserie chicken route because you think it’s going to save you time or help you, go for it.

Is It Necessary To Add Cream?

I almost didn’t add half-and-half in the final step to the broth because I really loved it as it was and would have been totally fine with omitting the dairy. 

If you’re trying to save fat and calories, or are making this for someone with a dairy allergy, feel free to omit it.

However, to make the broth taste extra special, I went ahead and added half-and-half. I only used one-half up in the entire batch of soup, so overall, really it’s not much.

I used half-and-half which is half cream and half whole milk. If all you have is heavy cream on hand, I would start with one-third cup rather than a half cup.

If all you have on hand is whole milk, personally, I would then just skip it. I feel like it wouldn’t be rich enough, but we all have different palettes and do what you think is best.

Storing or Freezing Creamy Chicken Soup

The soup keeps and freezes great! Feel free to keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 4 months.

Always reheat any cream-based soup gently in the microwave or on the stovetop if you prefer. Meaning, don’t blast it on high heat or high power when you reheat it or it could ‘break’. 

Tips For The Best Sweet Potato Chicken Soup

Don’t Be Afraid of Salt – Soup, by nature, in order to taste good needs to have a decent amount of salt. I used reduced-sodium chicken broth and overall added about a tablespoon of salt to the entire batch, plus the salted water I poached the chicken in. 

If you taste the broth and soup at the end and it tastes at all flat, boring, or lackluster, it needs more salt, and don’t be afraid to add it.

I also detest boring flavor profiles and added about two teaspoons of coriander overall to give this soup oomph, plus plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and a generous one-quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper. For some people, that would be too much and they would complain about it having a kick but for me it’s obligatory to prevent the broth from tasting dull and boring.

My best recommendation is to taste, and don’t be afraid to season and salt it, bit by bit, according to your taste preferences. 

Add Half the Quantity of Seasonings and Spice to Start With – Finally, I suggest adding half the quantity of the recommended spices including the oregano, coriander, and the salt and pepper, while preparing the soup. At the end, taste your soup broth and if you’re like me, it will taste a bit lackluster to you.

This is when I suggest adding in the remaining quantities of all spices, salt and pepper, and cayenne pepper because you can always add more at the end but if you over-do it early on, there’s nothing that can be done. 

Save Saved Review Print

4.58 from 126 votes

Creamy Sweet Potato Chicken Soup

By Averie Sunshine

Creamy Sweet Potato Chicken Soup – An EASY comfort food chicken soup recipe with sweet potatoes and more to keep you full and satisfied for hours!! Ready in 30 minutes with a flexible ingredients list based on what you have on hand!!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 cups

Save this recipe to your email

Enter your email and we’ll send it to you!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email *

Send It!

Ingredients 

• ▢ 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts*
• ▢ 4 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium yellow, white, or sweet Vidalia onion, diced small
• ▢ 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
• ▢ 1 stalk celery, diced small
• ▢ 3 to 5 cloves garlic, finely pressed or minced
• ▢ 64 ounces reduced sodium chicken stock, 8 cups
• ▢ 1.25-1.50 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano**, or to taste (See Notes)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground coriander**, or to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt**, or to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper**, or to taste
• ▢ 6 ounces diced portobello mushrooms, optional
• ▢ 4-5 cups fresh spinach, 4-5 heaping handfuls
• ▢ ½ cup half-and-half, heavy cream may be substituted; or the dairy can be omitted all-together
• ▢ 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional and to taste

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• Being by poaching chicken. To a medium kettle, add the chicken breasts, cover with about 2 inches of water, salt the water to taste (about 1 or 2 teaspoons kosher salt), bring to boil over medium-high heat, and allow the chicken to boil for about 10 t0 15 minutes, or until poached and cooked through. Tips – Don't overcook your chicken once it's done. Cooking time will vary on how thick the chicken breast(s) are, how rapidly your water is boiling, etc. While chicken in poaching, start sautéing the vegetables in step 3 so that you are multi-tasking and saving time. You can also use store bought shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken if you have it on hand.
• When the chicken is done, remove it from the water, and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes on a cutting board before shredding it with two forks. I save the poaching water and add this into my stockpot in step 5 although it's optional.
• To a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, and saute the vegetables over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until they're beginning to tenderize; stir intermittently.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir nearly continuously.
• Add the chicken stock (it will bubble up vigorously and steam when it makes contact with your hot pan so use caution), sweet potatoes, oregano, coriander, salt** (See Notes about staring with half the quantity of the spices and seasonings), pepper, and allow mixture to boil for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are fork tender and done. If you poached chicken rather than using rotisserie or leftover, I add the poaching water now to the Dutch oven for extra flavor. If you like a super thick soup/stew, then don't add it; it's probably only about 1.5 cups liquid but add it optionally and to taste.
• Halfway through boiling the sweet potatoes, add the optional mushrooms if you're using them, and add in the shedded chicken so that it can rewarm a bit.
• Turn off the heat, add the spinach, and stir for about 1 minute, or until wilted.
• If you're adding dairy, add it now. As stated in the blog post, the broth is great without the addition of the half-and-half or cream, so add it to taste, if you desire.
• Taste the broth and if it tastes at all flat, boring, or dull, and you're not afraid of cayenne pepper, I like to add a generous pinch. I don't think it makes the soup spicy, rather it enhances and marries flavors together, but if you're very heat-sensitive you should probably omit it and add a bit more freshly grond black pepper. Tip – Additionally, I always recommend adding a pinch more, or a teaspoon+ more, of kosher salt if the broth tastes lackluster; always go light with the salt at first and increase after you're sure it needs a bit more.
• Soup will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Reheat leftovers very gently in the microwave or on the stove.

Notes

* 3 to 4 cups shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken may be substituted. If you’re not poaching your own chicken, begin with step 2.

** I recommend adding half the amount of all the spices, salt, and pepper to begin with since everyone’s palette varies. However, at the end, you’ll likely end up adding the recommended/full amount and possibly then some but start slowly since you can always add more later but can’t un-do.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 267kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 796mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 10g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

↓ Click the Stars to Rate This Recipe ↓

Tried this recipe? Leave a review!

Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!

Favorite Easy Soup Recipes:

15 Best Fast and Easy Soup Recipes – Warm up with these easy soup recipes! Most are ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights! Hearty, comforting, and so good!

Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup – Classic, comforting, and tastes just like grandma made but way easier and faster!! This soup is AMAZING and it’ll be your new favorite recipe!!

Easy 30-Minute Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup — Why have regular chicken noodle soup when you can have CREAMY instead? Pure comfort food at its finest! Ready in 30 minutes, an instant family favorite, and PERFECT for chilly weather!!

Easy 30-Minute Homemade White Chicken Chili – Hearty, healthy, loaded with tender chicken, and packed with bold flavor! Fast and easy comfort food that everyone loves! It’ll be on rotation all winter!

Easy 30-Minute Turkey Noodle Soup —Have leftover Thanksgiving turkey? Make this turkey soup!! It’s easy and tastes like grandma’s homemade chicken noodle soup, but with turkey!!

The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup (Better-Than-Panera Copycat) – Make the best soup of your life at home in 1 hour! Beyond words amazing! One of the most popular recipes on my blog and gets RAVE reviews!

Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup –  Chicken, tomatoes, corn, black beans, avocado, cheese, and addictively crunchy tortilla strips! Fast, easy weeknight meal, and better than from a restaurant!

Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Tortellini Soup – An fun spin on classic chicken noodle soup using cheese tortellini! Fast, easy, comfort food that just hits the spot! You’ll make it over and over again!

Easy 30-Minute Chicken Vegetable Soup — Extra veggies instead of noodles in this healthy, easy chicken soup that’s so fast to make! Hearty, filling, and satisfying! Perfect for weeknight dinners and chilly nights!

Easy 30-Minute Kale, White Bean, and Chicken Soup — Loaded with juicy chicken, healthy kale, and tender beans! Easy, hearty, and satisfying! Love it when something healthy tastes so good!

Easy 30-Minute Minestrone Soup (Better-Than-Olive-Garden-Copycat) – Homemade is always better and this soup is amazing! The best minestrone ever! Perfect for busy weeknights and it’s healthy!

Originally posted December 16, 2020 and reposted February 24, 2023 with updated text.