Sandra Paula Deen’s crockpot potato soup uses russet potatoes, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and cream cheese in a thick, creamy one-pot chowder. Everything goes into the slow cooker together and cooks for 5 hours before cream cheese is stirred in at the end. Total time is 5 hours 35 minutes for 8 servings.
Paula Deen, host of Food Network’s Paula’s Home Cooking, built this soup around one can of condensed cream of chicken soup as the base. That single can replaces a stovetop roux, delivering pre-seasoned depth and natural thickness without any extra work. Her version trusts the slow cooker entirely, with no stovetop steps at all.
Cream cheese goes into the soup in the final 20 to 30 minutes, not at the start. Added too early, the prolonged heat causes cream cheese proteins to tighten and curdle rather than dissolve. Cutting it into small cubes and stirring them into the hot finished broth is what produces a smooth, lump-free result.
Paula Deen Crockpot Potato Soup Recipe
Description
aula Deen Crockpot Potato Soup Recipe: russet potatoes, cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, and chicken broth in a slow cooker. 5 hours 35 minutes, serves 8
Ingredients
Soup
Toppings
Instructions
- Add the diced potatoes, diced onion, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, salt, and pepper to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine, cover, and cook on low for 5 hours.
- Cut the cream cheese into small cubes. Stir the cream cheese and shredded cheddar into the hot soup.
- Cover and continue cooking on low for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cream cheese is fully melted and the soup is smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve topped with additional shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, and sliced chives.
FAQs
Why do russet potatoes hold up better than other varieties in this soup?
Russets are the highest-starch potato, which means they soften and become creamy in slow cooker liquid without disintegrating completely over 5 hours. Waxy potatoes like red or Yukon Gold hold their shape better but release less starch, leaving the broth thinner and less body-forward. The starch from breaking russets naturally thickens the soup alongside the cream of chicken.
What should I do if the soup comes out too thick?
Stir in extra chicken broth, a quarter cup at a time, while the cooker is still on warm, until the soup reaches the consistency you want. Reheating also thickens potato soup further, so broth added when warming leftovers is expected, not an error. A splash of milk or half-and-half works in place of broth and adds creaminess.
Can this soup be frozen?
Freezing this soup is not recommended because cream cheese breaks during the freeze-thaw cycle and thaws grainy rather than smooth. The potato texture also suffers in the freezer, as potatoes absorb extra water and become waterlogged and mealy after defrosting. The refrigerator is the better option: it keeps well for up to 5 days without quality loss.
How does this compare to Paula Deen’s other potato soup?
The crockpot version is a pure potato soup with no secondary protein. Paula Deen’s ham and potato soup on this site adds diced ham, shifting the flavor saltier and making it a more filling meal. Make the crockpot version when you need a larger batch; the ham version works better for a leaner weeknight dinner.
What bread does Paula Deen serve with potato soup?
A thick, creamy potato soup like this one calls for something to dip and soak up the bowl. Paula Deen’s southern biscuits on this site take 25 minutes, so they can go in the oven during the soup’s final cream cheese melt. Both are on the table at the same time with no extra timing coordination needed.
