Recipe: Olive Garden Chicken and Potato Florentine Soup (copycat recipe)

OLIVE GARDEN CHICKEN AND POTATO FLORENTINE SOUP
(copycat recipe)

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
32 ounces chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons salt, divided use (or to taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, divided use
3/4 tablespoon ground black pepper, divided use (or to taste)
1 tablespoon instant minced onion
2 cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes with juice
2 cans (28 ounces each) water
2 cans (15 ounces each) great northern beans, drained
10 ounces shredded carrots
6 medium sliced potatoes, peeled
1/2 tablespoon instant minced onion
1/2 tablespoon paprika
5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
Crusty bread (for serving)

Simmer first chicken, chicken broth, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning and 1/2 tablespoon pepper until chicken breasts are tender; remove chicken from the broth and let cool. Drain the solids from the broth and put clear liquid back into the soup pot. Chop up chicken into bite size chunks and put back into the broth.

Add the tomatoes, 2 cans water, beans, carrots, potatoes, remaining 1/2 tablespoon salt (or to taste), remaining 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning, minced onion, paprika and remaining 1/4 tablespoon pepper (or to taste) to the soup pot and simmer for 45-60 minutes. The potatoes should be fork tender but not mushy.

Add the fresh spinach and stir; let it wilt into the soup for about 5 minutes.

Add the cream cheese and the grated mozzarella to the soup pot. Stir frequently until the cheese melts. Be careful that it does not stick to the bottom.

Ladle into bowls; serve with crusty bread.

Recipe may be halved.

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RECIPE NOTES:

Hummingbird95928:
"This is such a close copy of the soup that was offered at Olive Garden; it's AMAZING. I love the quantity this recipe makes as well because I can freeze the rest to eat later without having to out the work in. I used low fat cream cheese but other than that stayed exactly true to the recipe, and I will be making this soup very often. Thanks for making my day as I was extremely sad when I recently went to Olive Garden only to find they had discontinued selling it!"

leemad:
"Cannot compare to the soup featured at Olive Garden, but made this last night and it was excellent. Halved the recipe, except for the broth, and omitted shredded mozzarella. Honestly, soup had so much flavor that you could also omit the cream cheese for a low fat version, but would have less velvety texture. Used less salt (and low sodium broth), adjusted seasoning at end. Did add a healthy teaspoon of Better than Bullion (reduced sodium chicken) to enrich flavor. Suggest yukon gold potatoes, as they hold shape. This is a keeper!"

Makes 4 quarts, 12-16 servings
Adapted from source: Tona Thornburg Court, Moberly, Missouri, Food.com