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Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe

Chicken Tortellini Soup

Hearty chicken tortellini soup featuring tender chicken, cheese-filled tortellini, and fresh vegetables in a creamy Italian-seasoned broth. This comforting soup delivers restaurant quality in just 40 minutes.
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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 20 oz fresh cheese tortellini refrigerated
  • 8 cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 3 medium carrots sliced into rounds
  • 3 celery stalks diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
  • 3 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated, divided
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons fresh
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
  • Crusty bread for serving

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Sear chicken until golden on all sides, about 5-6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. In same pot, add diced onion and sauté 5 minutes until translucent.
  3. Add carrots and celery, cook 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Stir in Italian seasoning and dried basil, cooking 30 seconds to release flavors.
  5. Add diced tomatoes with juice, scraping up any browned bits from pot bottom. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
  6. Return chicken to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  7. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions (usually 7-9 minutes for fresh, 10-12 for frozen).
  8. Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and half the Parmesan cheese until well combined.
  9. Add spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Ladle into bowls. Top with remaining Parmesan, fresh parsley, and black pepper. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

For lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream
Rotisserie chicken can be substituted - add with tortellini
Frozen tortellini works great - add 2-3 minutes to cooking time
Kale or Swiss chard can replace spinach
For meal prep, store tortellini separately to prevent mushiness
Soup base freezes well for 3 months - add fresh tortellini when serving
Slow cooker option: Cook chicken and vegetables on low 6 hours, add tortellini last 30 minutes

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