Christmas Eve Chicken White Wine and Mushroom Soup

Name: Christmas Eve Chicken White Wine and Mushroom Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1½ lbs (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces; to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour; 3 tbsp (43 g) unsalted butter, divided; 1 lb (454 g) cremini and oyster mushrooms, mixed, sliced ¼-inch (6 mm) thick; 1½ cups (225 g) frozen pearl onions (or fresh, peeled), thawed if frozen, left whole; 3 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1½ cups (360 ml) dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio); 4 cups (950 ml) unsalted chicken stock; 4 sprigs (8 g) fresh thyme sprigs; 1 leaf bay leaf; 1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard; ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream, cold; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A refined French-style soup combining tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, and pearl onions in a silky white wine and cream broth. This elegant dish is traditionally served on special occasions and features fresh thyme and a touch of Dijon mustard for depth. Perfectly suited for a festive holiday dinner.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 20 min
Makes: About 8 cups (1.9 liters), serves 6

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Ingredients

6 servings

1½ lbs (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces
to taste kosher salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp (43 g) unsalted butter, divided
1 lb (454 g) cremini and oyster mushrooms, mixed, sliced ¼-inch (6 mm) thick
1½ cups (225 g) frozen pearl onions (or fresh, peeled), thawed if frozen, left whole
3 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups (360 ml) dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
4 cups (950 ml) unsalted chicken stock
4 sprigs (8 g) fresh thyme sprigs
1 leaf bay leaf
1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard
¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream, cold
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (5–6 quart / 5–6 liter capacity)
Medium bowl for dredging
Small sharp knife for slicing mushrooms
Wooden spoon for stirring
Instant-read thermometer (optional but helpful)
Fine-mesh strainer or slotted spoon

Steps

Before you start

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels—this helps it brown properly and develop flavor
Bring the white wine to room temperature if it's been chilled, so it won't shock the hot pan
Slice mushrooms and peel pearl onions while the stock simmers
Have all ingredients prepped and ready; the cooking moves quickly once you start

1
Season and flour the chicken
- In a small bowl, combine the flour with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels.
- Toss the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, coating lightly on all sides.
- Shake off excess flour and set aside on a plate.
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Ready when: Chicken pieces are evenly coated with flour mixture
Tip: Don't over-flour the chicken; excess flour will make the broth cloudy. A light, even coating is all you need.
2
Brown the chicken
- Heat 1½ tablespoons (21 g) of butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Once the butter is foaming and golden, working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the chicken pieces on all sides, about 4–5 minutes per batch.
- Transfer the browned chicken to a clean plate.
- Do not skip the browning step—it develops deep, savory flavor that defines this soup.
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Ready when: Chicken pieces are golden brown on all sides
Tip: Brown in batches; crowding the pan drops the temperature and causes steaming instead of browning. Work quickly but don't rush.
3
Sauté mushrooms and onions
- Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons (21 g) of butter to the same pot.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and pearl onions.
- Sauté over medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and the onions begin to soften and develop light golden spots.
- The mushrooms should look damp but not wet.
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Ready when: Mushrooms have released liquid and begun to brown slightly; onions are softening
Tip: Don't overcrowd the pan. If needed, cook mushrooms and onions in two additions, then combine. This ensures proper browning rather than steaming.
4
Add garlic and aromatics
- Add the minced garlic to the mushrooms and onions.
- Stir constantly for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
- Stir for another 30 seconds, allowing the herbs to perfume the vegetables.
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Ready when: Garlic is fragrant; thyme and bay leaf are distributed throughout
Tip: Stir constantly when adding garlic to prevent burning, which would make it taste bitter and acrid.
5
Deglaze with white wine
- Pour the white wine into the pot, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to lift any flavorful browned bits (fond).
- Let the wine simmer over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes, allowing the alcohol to cook off and the liquid to reduce slightly.
- You should see steam rising and smell the wine cooking away.
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Ready when: Wine has reduced by about one-third; alcohol smell has mostly dissipated
Tip: The wooden spoon scraping the bottom of the pot—called deglazing—releases the flavorful fond. This is essential for depth of flavor.
6
Add stock and simmer
- Pour in the chicken stock.
- Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
- The broth should bubble gently, not boil hard.
- Stir occasionally.
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Ready when: Chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C); broth is clear and gently simmering
Tip: Partial cover lets steam escape while preventing evaporation. Too vigorous a boil will make the broth cloudy and the chicken tough.
7
Finish with mustard and cream
- Stir in the Dijon mustard until well blended.
- Slowly pour in the cold heavy cream while stirring gently.
- The cream will add silkiness and a subtle richness.
- Stir for about 1 minute to fully incorporate.
- Do not boil after adding the cream.
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Ready when: Cream is fully incorporated and broth has a silky, pale golden color
Tip: Cold cream added slowly prevents curdling or breaking. Stir gently but thoroughly to ensure even distribution.
8
Season and finish
- Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Stir in the fresh lemon juice (1 tablespoon / 15 ml).
- The lemon juice brightens the flavors and cuts through the richness of the cream without tasting sour.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf using a slotted spoon or fine-mesh strainer.
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Ready when: Herbs are removed; soup is perfectly seasoned with balanced flavors
Tip: Season to taste at the end, not the beginning. The flavors concentrate as liquid reduces, so early seasoning can result in oversalting.
9
Serve immediately
- Ladle the soup into warm bowls.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
- Serve immediately while hot, ideally in warmed bowls to retain heat.
- A small crusty bread roll on the side complements this soup beautifully.
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Ready when: Soup is piping hot and garnished
Tip: Warming the serving bowls in a low oven (200°F / 93°C) for 5–10 minutes before serving keeps the soup hot longer.

Good to know

Tips

Browning the chicken and sautéing the mushrooms properly creates fond—the flavorful browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Deglazing with wine lifts this fond into the broth, resulting in a much deeper, more complex taste. Never skip these steps.
Use fresh thyme sprigs rather than dried for this delicate, elegant soup. Dried thyme can taste dusty. If you must use dried thyme, use half the amount (2 teaspoons / 2 g) and crumble it before adding.
Taste as you go, especially when seasoning. The soup is salty enough from the chicken stock, so add kosher salt gradually and in small amounts. You can always add more, but you can't remove it.
If the soup breaks or looks curdled after adding cream, it's usually because it was too hot. Gently warm it over very low heat while stirring, and it will often come back together. Prevention is easier: keep the heat at medium-low throughout, especially once cream is added.

Make ahead

You can prepare the soup through step 6 (after simmering the chicken with stock) up to 24 hours ahead. Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, then proceed with adding the mustard and cream. The soup actually deepens in flavor after 24 hours as ingredients meld.

Storage & reheating

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months (it keeps better if frozen before adding cream, then add cream when reheating). To reheat: thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Do not boil after adding cream. Add fresh lemon juice and adjust seasoning after reheating.

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1½-inch pieces), or a mix of breast and thigh. Thighs stay moister and more flavorful, but breasts work if you prefer a leaner option. Reduce simmering time to 12–15 minutes for breasts to avoid drying them out.
dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) → Dry vermouth or 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock plus ½ cup (120 ml) apple cider vinegar. Wine adds traditional flavor, but vermouth offers a spiced alternative. If omitting wine entirely, use all stock and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar for acidity.
cremini and oyster mushrooms, mixed → Cremini mushrooms alone, button mushrooms, or a mix including shiitake or porcini. Mix mushroom types for deeper earthiness. Avoid portobello, which darkens the broth. If using dried porcini, soak briefly and chop before adding.
heavy cream, cold → Half-and-half, crème fraîche, or Greek yogurt (stir in at the very end, off heat). Each adds a different richness and tang. Crème fraîche and Greek yogurt will not curdle if heated gently, but avoid boiling. Greek yogurt makes the soup lighter and tangier.