**Recipe here originally:** [**Spicy Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup**](https://www.triedandtruerecipe.com/spicy-chicken-broccoli-cheddar-soup/) I still need to proofread this but this is the basic gist!!!! Just wanted to get y'all the recipe asap. Will proofread for typos shortly :) Note: This recipe uses homemade chicken broth and with the resulting shredded chicken. I will give you the recipe for how to make the homemade broth + chicken, but you can use store-bought stock + buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it up if you’re pressed for time. Not sure how big rotisserie chickens usually come, but I used a 5 lb raw bird and got 4 cups of shredded chicken. You could get away with 3 cups of shredded chicken instead but you might want to reduce the stock a bit. Once a week, I’ll buy a whole bird and start the broth the night before. The next day, I shred it up, cook down the broth a little and make whatever kind of soup I can come up with. I recommend starting the broth the night before to be honest…saves a lot of work for the next day. No need to peel the onion or garlic! Just leave them in the paper. Wipe off any dirt you see. I also added orzo to mine because i was feeling lawless tonight **Homemade broth:** * 5 pound whole chicken, giblets removed and reserved for another use * 3 heads garlic, halved crosswise * 1 stalk celery (note: the whole bunch..not just 1 rib), trimmed and rinsed and cut into thirds * 2 yellow onions, wiped down and quartered * Salt **Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup:** * 1 tablespoon neutral oil * 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced * 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or use a few fresh cloves, minced) * 3 teaspoons sweet paprika * 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional * ½ teaspoon cayenne powder or crushed red pepper, more or less to taste, depending on how spicy you want it * 4 cups shredded chicken * 8 cups homemade broth, plus more water if needed * 1 cup dry orzo * 1 cup heavy cream * 4 cups broccoli florets and stems, finely chopped; a handful of florets reserved for garnish if you want * 2 cups freshly grated cheddar (do NOT use bagged) * 1 cup freshly grated pepper jack cheese (do NOT use bagged), plus more for serving * 1 tablespoon cornstarch * Salt and pepper to taste * Freshly minced parsley for serving **Prepare the broth:** 1. Place the chicken in a large stock pot and season all over with salt. Pile the aromatics on top and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Skim off any foam or scum from the top of the broth as it cooks. Let cool completely and transfer to the refrigerator overnight. 2. The next day, remove the pot from the refrigerator and transfer to the stovetop. Using tongs, carefully remove the chicken from the liquid and transfer to a large bowl. Discard the skin and pick all the meat from the bones. You can save the carcass for stock if you want. Shred the meat using your fingers and set it aside. 3. Bring the broth back to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Rapid simmer for about 30 minutes to reduce the broth slightly and intensify the flavors. Turn off the heat. You should be left with about 8 cups liquid. If not quite 8 cups, you can supplement with water as the broth will be quite intense. 4. Carefully pour the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Discard solids. Rinse out the pot and return it to the stovetop. **Start the soup:** 1. Heat the 1 tablespoon neutral oil in the pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic powder, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, and cayenne powder. Cook for 1 minute. **Cook the chicken and pasta:** 1. Add the shredded chicken to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the homemade broth and bring to a boil. While boiling, pour in the orzo. Stir constantly and cook for 8 minutes until just shy of al dente. **Cook the broccoli:** 1. Add the broccoli and heavy cream to the soup, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10–15 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference. **Prepare the cheese:** 1. Place the freshly grated cheddar and pepper jack cheese in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch and use your hands to coat the cheese completely. Set aside. **Finish the soup:** 1. Reduce the heat on the soup to low. It should not be bubbling at all! If on an electric stove that has residual heat, I recommend turning off the heat for this step. 2. Add a handful of the cheese and whisk to incorporate. Continue whisking until fully melted. Continue adding the cheese in handfuls, whisking after each addition, until smooth and creamy. The cornstarch will help prevent the cheese from clumping. Taste and season. Turn off the heat. **Make the broccoli garnish (optional):** 1. Place the broccoli florets in a bowl with a few splashes of water. If your microwave has a steam setting, use that. Otherwise, just microwave in 30-second increments until tender-crisp and warmed through. You don’t have to do this step; I just like a bit of fresh broccoli on mine. Sprinkle with a bit of salt. **To serve:** 1. Ladle the soup into bowls. Spoon a few steamed broccoli florets on each bowl and sprinkle each bowl with a bit more pepper jack cheese. Garnish with freshly minced parsley. Enjoy!