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Creamy Pierogi Chicken Soup with Rosemary Bacon Bits. The perfect cozy bowl for cold fall and winter nights. A mix of vegetables and chicken slowly simmered in broth, then finished with cream, potato pierogi, and a handful of cheddar cheese. Top off each wonderful bowl of steamy soup with crispy rosemary bacon for a salty crunch with every spoonful. This creamy soup is so delicious and made all in one pot. Great for just about any night of the week!

Creamy Pierogi Chicken Soup with Rosemary Bacon | halfbakedharvest.com

Any long-time readers know about my love of a good cheddar pierogi. Growing up in Cleveland, pierogi was a staple. Not only were they on the menu at restaurants, but they’re a pretty big deal to Clevelanders. There’s a Cleveland Pierogi Guide, an annual Pierogi Dash (a pierogi-themed community run), there’s even Pierogi Week! Yes, Cleveland is known as The Best Pierogi City in America. So I’m sure you can understand why everyone at school knew and loved Mrs. T’s classic cheddar Pierogies.

Once we moved to Colorado, my mom and I would often enjoy them together as an after-school snack on early release days. We’d boil them off, top them with lots of cheddar cheese, and then melt the cheese for a quick minute in the microwave. If we were lucky, we’d have a fire going and enjoy them together.

It’s one of my more special childhood memories.

So now, as an adult, I love to incorporate pierogies into our fall and winter dinners. However, this is my first pierogi soup, and we’ve officially fallen hard for it. I think it’s my most delicious creamy soup to date.

If you love my homestyle chicken soup, think of those flavors, but so much creamier and with the addition of soft pillowy pierogi dumplings.

It’s a heavenly delicious soup!

The details

Step 1: cook the bacon

Before starting the base of the soup, cook off slices of bacon and dice them up. Get them really crispy, then add some rosemary. The rosemary will fry up in the oils and turn crisp.

Pull the bacon out of the pot and reserve it for topping. It’s really yummy when served atop this soup.

Step 2: make the soup base

This starts off just like your basic chicken soup. Cook the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme down with a touch of olive oil. Then, mix in a couple of tablespoons of butter and flour. The flour will help to thicken up the soup and give it a really beautiful creamy consistency.

Now, mix in the chicken broth, or chicken bone broth, which is what I’ve switched to using for added protein in our meals.

Step 3: cook the chicken

Bring the broth to a boil and add the chicken. I love to use a mix of chicken breasts and thighs, but use what you and your family prefer.

Simmer until the chicken shreds easily, about 20 minutes. You can then shred the chicken in the pot using two forks.

At this point, you can leave the soup simmering over low up to all day, or move forward with the recipe.

Step 4: finish the soup

When you’re almost ready to serve, stir in the kale. Then add the milk, or try using cream for an even smoother and creamier soup. Then add the cheddar cheese.

Bring the broth to a gentle boil and you can cook the pierogies directly in the soup. I do this only if I know we’ll be enjoying all of the soup at once. If you plan to save the soup for leftovers, I recommend boiling the pierogies according to package directions. Then simply add them to the soup when serving.

A note about pierogies:

For this recipe, I call for using frozen pierogi. It keeps the recipe quick and simple. However, you can also make my homemade cheddar pierogies if you prefer, but I’d make them in a mini size!

Step 5: Top and enjoy!

Ladle the pierogies and broth into a bowl, top with the reserved bacon and rosemary, then enjoy!

A simple recipe for the last Monday of October. Crazy that it’s going to be November in just two days! This will be the perfect soup for November nights. If your night could use some warming soup, this should be it. It’s going to be good!

Looking for other easy fall night dinners?? Here are my favorites: 

Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips

One Pot Chicken and Sage Dumplings

One Pan Roasted Herb Chicken and Wild Rice

Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup

Lastly, if you make this Creamy Pierogi Chicken Soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Creamy Pierogi Chicken Soup with Rosemary Bacon Bits

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 843 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add the rosemary. Remove the bacon from the pot. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. 
    2. To the pot, add the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until fragrant.
    3. Stir in the butter and flour, cook for 1 minute. Add the broth. Stir in the chicken. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. At this point, the soup can simmer on low for up to 4-6 hours.
    4. Shred the chicken using 2 forks. Stir in the kale, cream/milk, and the cheddar. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the pierogies. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pierogies float. If the soup is too thick, add additional broth.
    5. Serve the soup topped with the rosemary bacon and parmesan cheese. Enjoy warm…preferably with a crusty piece of bread.
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5 from 54 votes (29 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Wow! This was so, so delicious! I followed the recipe exactly as written, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Absolutely amazing and my new favorite soup!

    1. Hey Kristen,
      Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great Monday! xT

  2. 5 stars
    Delicious! My husband said, “ Off the charts amazing. Second bowl was best soup ever!” The rosemary bacon elevates it to amazing.

  3. 5 stars
    Hi Rieghan,

    I couldn’t wait to share my experience with your Creamy Pierogi Chicken Soup with Rosemary Bacon! 🥓🍲 I tried it last night, and it was a flavor explosion in every spoonful. The creamy texture combined with the savory notes of rosemary bacon took it to a whole new level. My kitchen smelled like a gourmet haven!

    Best Regards
    Connie Perry
    http://www.lovemyinstantpot.com