Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup is a cozy and lightly creamy bowl of delicious. Packed with bright veggies, shredded chicken and pillows of cheese tortellini- there’s comfort in every bite. A simple supper solution lightened up!
Is there anything better on a cold gray day than a warm bowl of healthier comfort food? From Broccoli Cheddar Soup to Classic French Onion, there’s so many flavor choices! This Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup recipe is no exception.
Why You Will Love this Recipe
A sumptuous soup broth with a touch of cream that cradles bright veggies, tender chicken, and pillows of tortellini in this easy recipe!
It’s a great way to use leftover chicken – or you can pan sear fresh chicken breasts just before adding. 3-5 minutes per side over medium heat on the stove top and a little butter makes for a golden-brown crust.
It’s filling while adding flavor with vegetables, not fat and calories. The tortellini is also the best part which you can use any kind you like including prosciutto or three cheese.
Ingredients and Notes
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post. There are also some substitution notes if needed here.
Veggies: I like a bright mix of veggies like carrots, peppers, celery, and spinach. However, you could adjust it to anything you like.
Tortellini: Because there is already spinach in this soup, I usually go with a 3-cheese, but sausage tortellini or even lobster is delicious. You can use frozen, dried, or fresh cheese tortellini. Fresh is usually found in the deli section or next to the fresh cheeses.
Seasonings: A pantry friendly mix of oregano, basil, and garlic is a good base. You can substitute store bought Italian seasoning as well. Consider adding red pepper flakes or mustard seed for a slightly different flavor.
Broth: Storebought or homemade is fine. I use a low sodium variety and then, if needed, add salt at the very end during tasting.
Visual Soup Recipe Guide
Note: Many of my soup recipes take full advantage of pre-cooked chicken breast. If you need to cook chicken breasts, season with salt/pepper, basil, and oregano. Sear it in 2 tablespoons olive oil for 3-4 minutes per side over medium heat. Let rest for 10 minutes, then shred and set aside until ready to add to the soup.
This soup is quite straightforward when cooked on the stovetop. It takes about 30 minutes if the chicken is pre-cooked.
Crispen the veggies. Add the oil and diced onions, carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. The red peppers need less cooking so add them in last and cook for about 5 more minutes. Add the garlic and seasonings and cook for 1 minute. (photo 1)
Stir in the chicken broth. Bring to a good simmer, a full boil is not necessary. (photo 2)
Add the shredded chicken and tortellini. Cook the tortellini according to the length on the package directions. (photo 3)
Finish off the soup. Remove from heat and add the spinach to cook until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the cream if desired. The cream is optional if you want to save a bit of calories but there is only a touch here for all this soup. (photo 4)
Slow Cooker Method
Note: I recommend using fresh (not leftover or frozen) chicken as pre-cooked chicken is prone to being dry and chewy if cooked for several hours. Or you can add it after cooking.
- Add the oil, onions, carrots, celery, red pepper, and garlic and toss to coat. Sauté for 5 minutes in the crockpot or on the stove.
- Add the seasonings, uncooked chicken (if using, and chicken broth.
- Cook on low for 6 hours. (I recommend low heat to keep the chicken juicy and tender. Cooking it over higher heat makes it tougher. If necessary, it can be cooked for 4 hours on high.)
- Remove the chicken and use 2 forks or a stand mixer to shred. Add it back to the soup along with the tortellini.
- Add the tortellini and cook until expanded and cooked through. Serve!
Recipe Tips for Success
- The amount of spinach that equals one cup can vary a great deal from one cook to the next. I loosely pack my cups, but this is easy to adjust as necessary if you add a little at a time rather than all of it at once.
- Try this recipe with other tortellini flavors – Prosciutto and cheese is one of my family’s favorites and adds a bit of a smokey bacon like flavor to the soup. Delish!
- I like a healthy amount of spinach in my soup. If you are not a spinach lover, then cut it back to 2 cups of baby spinach.
- You can use cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked chicken thighs, rotisserie chicken, or even cooked Italian Sausage.
- Large dice the vegetables, so you get a mix of flavors in every spoonful.
- I like to use roasted rotisserie chicken for this recipe, but you can substitute baked chicken breasts, poached chicken, grilled chicken, or even pan-fried chicken in this recipe.
Just look at the hearty chunks of shredded chicken, colorful vegetables, and glorious cheese-filled tortellini. It’s a satisfying meal to look forward to!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Note that the tortellini will continue to absorb some of the broth during storage. I like to remove the tortellini from the soup and store it separately. You can also boil it on the side and add it directly to serving bowls.
- This soup does freeze well if you do not add the cream or tortellini until ready to serve. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
FAQ
I love it all on its own as the star with a big slice of crusty bread. Garlic Bread works too! For more of a complete meal, try pairing it with a side salad that has Homemade Ranch Dressing or this White Balsamic Dressing.
Like this recipe for cheese tortellini brightens any boring chicken soup, there are also other ideas to try including delicious Parmesan Chicken Meatball Soup, Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, and Chicken Kale Soup with cannellini beans.
I like to remove the tortellini from the soup and store it separately. You can also boil it on the side and add it directly to serving bowls.
The key is to cook the tortellini until just the right texture. There is no need to rinse it because that just cools the pasta down too much for serving and removes the starch on the outside that allows the creamy broth or sauce to stick to it.
Tortellini should be warmed throughout, and the pasta should be just enough to bite through without feeling chewy. For tortellini soup, it’s better to err on the barely undercooked side as the pasta can continue to absorb the broth while sitting.
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Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 cup Yellow Onion diced
- ½ cup Celery Sliced
- 3 Carrots Peeled and sliced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper Seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon Basil dried
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper Fresh ground
- 6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock
- 2 ½ cups Cooked chicken shredded or diced
- 15 ounces Cheese Tortellini about 4 cups depending on the size of your tortellini
- 4 cups Baby Spinach fresh, stems removed
- ⅓ cup Heavy Cream
- Parmesan Cheese shredded for garnish if you like
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots cooking about 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers. Continue cooking until the onions and peppers are soft.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, basil, oregano, and black pepper, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
- Add the chicken broth and bring it to a good simmer. Add the cheese tortellini and chicken. Cook until the carrots are tender, and the tortellini are cooked through. About 5 minutes or what the package of tortellini says.
- Add the baby spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes or until wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container or bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days. However, the tortellini will continue to absorb some of the broth during storage. I like to remove the tortellini from the soup and store it separately. You can also boil it on the side and add it directly to serving bowls.
- This soup does freeze well if you do not add the cream or tortellini until ready to serve. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
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