Quick Creamy Macaroni Chicken Soup Recipe Cooks In 30 Minutes by Donna John

When you clean out your pantry, do you find small amounts of all different shapes and sizes of pasta? I do. This time I was overloaded with elbow macaroni. This easy macaroni chicken soup recipe helped me with use some of that leftover pasta.

This creamy chicken soup recipe is quick to make and full of flavor. The chicken noodle soup is made with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, fresh or dried thyme, fresh or dried rosemary, boneless chicken breasts, chicken broth, elbow macaroni, cream cheese and half and half. The vegetables are cooked in a little olive oil until soft. The herbs join the party, followed by the chicken breast and broth. The soup is gently simmered until the chicken is cooked through. The chicken is shredded and returned to the pot with the cream cheese (creaminess alert!) and half and half (more creaminess!).

The thyme and rosemary flavor in this soup makes it hard to stop eating. If you have fresh herbs, use them. If you don't, dried work beautifully. Serve this macaroni soup for lunch or dinner. Add a salad and hot bread for a complete meal.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Serving: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, diced small
• 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary or 1/2 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 large chicken breasts 
• 14 ounces (1 can) chicken broth
• 32 ounces (1 box) chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup half and half 

Recipe Notes

• Don't throw out those celery leaves! Chop them up and add them when cooking the vegetables. You can also regrow the celery stalk.

• You could use other short pasta in this recipe instead of elbow macaroni. 

• Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave. 

Here's how to make it: 

1. Heat the olive oil in soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary. Cook, stirring, for 1 more minute.
   
2. Add the chicken breasts and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and gently simmer for about 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and let it cool for a few minutes while the pasta cooks.
   
3. Add the pasta. Cook for about 9 to 12 minutes or until the macaroni is just tender. Stir often so the pasta doesn't stick.
   
4. Shred the chicken using two forks.
   
5. Return the chicken to the pot along with the cream cheese and half and half.
   
6. Cook, stirring, until the cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper.
   
   

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