Step 1

Bring the first amount of chicken broth to a strong simmer in a large soup pot. Place in the raw chicken breasts to boil in the pot. You may cut the chicken into pieces if necessary, but as few pieces as possible will be best. Place a lid on the pot and cook for 12 minutes. Remove the chicken from the soup (turn the heat off and leave the broth) and transfer it to a cutting board. Use a pair of forks to finely shred the cooked chicken.

Step 2

While the chicken is cooking in the broth, heat the butter in a small pot over low heat. Once melted, whisk in the heavy cream. Heat until the fats are just about to simmer, but don’t let them cross over into simmering. Whisk in the cheddar cheese in 3-4 additions and then the cream cheese, allowing each cheese to melt before whisking in more.

Step 3

Once the cheese sauce is smooth and creamy, turn the heat off and set the cheese sauce aside to thicken. Return the shredded chicken from step 1 to the soup pot with the chicken broth. Pour in the second amount of chicken broth, place on the lid, and bring the soup to a boil.

Step 4

Reduce the soup to a low simmer, removing the lid. Then, slowly whisk the cheese sauce into the soup. Stir in all seasonings and gently simmer the soup for 5 minutes before serving.