Whenever I discover something I love, I tend to reverse-engineer it by figuring out how I can recreate it in my own kitchen. Mushroom Brie Bisque has always been a favorite, and after enjoying a particularly delicious version at a local French bistro, I felt inspired to make it my own.

I did a little research, blended elements from three different recipes, and adapted them to match my taste and style. The result is this comforting, creamy bisque rich with roasted mushrooms, tender chicken, and velvety Brie. I hope it brings warmth to your table and comfort to your heart.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs roasted cremini mushrooms (see instructions)
• 1 head garlic (see instructions)
• Olive oil (for garlic drizzle)
• 6 tbsp butter, melted
• 4 shallots, sliced
• 4 cups (32 oz) chicken stock
• 1 cup white wine (any blend you like)
• 2 cups heavy cream (room temp)
• ½ tsp thyme leaves
• ½ tsp ground thyme
• 2 tsp poultry seasoning
• ½ tsp black truffle salt
• 1 tsp McCormick Umami Seasoning (mushroom & onion)
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 8 oz Brie, rind removed & sliced (room temp)
• Dry shiitake mushrooms, Chanterelle mushrooms, and black trumpet mushrooms.
• Optional garnish: thin slices of Brie rind

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Roast mushrooms: Clean and quarter. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast ~20 min, turning halfway.
3. Roast garlic: Slice the head in half, drizzle with olive oil, and a pinch of kosher salt. Wrap in foil and roast alongside mushrooms. Leave garlic in oven 10 min longer after mushrooms are done.
4. Sauté shallots: Melt butter in a saucepan. Add sliced shallots and cook until tender.
5. Set up crockpot: Add chicken stock, wine, heavy cream, and all seasonings.
6. Combine: Add sautéed shallots and butter to the crockpot.
7. Add chicken & Brie: I cut up the chicken and added it raw. If you want to saute it on the stove before adding it to the crockpot, you can do that.
8. Reconstitute dried mushrooms, cut them down, and add them to the crockpot.
9. Lastly added the Brie and stirred the soup, and covered it.
10. Set crockpot to 6 hours on High, or you could do it on low for 8 hrs.
11. Used an immersion blender to break apart some of it, but left it rustic.
12. Garnish: Add olive oil drizzle or thin Brie rind slices if desired.

This soup is rich, comforting, and beautifully balanced with earthy mushrooms and creamy Brie. I didn’t make croutons, but I considered it had I not been making Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake Bars. I wanted to do something special for my honey since his birthday is this weekend.