There's nothing more comforting than this creamy chicken tortellini soup. Filled with cheese tortellini, chicken, and plenty of vegetables, this creamy soup is ready in just 30 minutes and made in a single pot.
Creamy chicken tortellini soup has a mild flavor and makes the perfect comfort meal. I like to make this soup when it's cold outside. But, it's light enough to make as a summertime dinner too.
This soup makes a fantastic weeknight meal. First of all, it's quick and requires only simple ingredients. Second, it's absolutely filled with flavor. Third, it's ready in less than 30 minutes!
Ingredients and substitutions
I used refrigerated cheese tortellini in this soup, but any pasta or other type of tortellini can be used instead. Take note of the cooking times on your pasta's package directions and adjust the recipe accordingly.
A cooked and shredded rotisserie chicken can also be used in this recipe - simply skip the step of cooking your chicken and move on to the next step.
Vegetables are a big component of this soup - it's packed with carrots, celery, onions, and spinach. You can also add a handful of kale in while your tortellini is cooking.
The liquid in this recipe is absorbed as the pasta cooks, so feel free to add more as necessary. Use your best judgement - if you think you need more broth, add more.
What to serve with chicken soup
Want to stretch this meal to make more servings, or make it just a little more filling? Here are a few of my favorite side dishes to serve with tortellini soup:
- Buttery Stovetop Biscuits
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Freezer Garlic Bread
- Garlic Bread Cheese Bombs
- Roasted Zucchini and Squash
- Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
- Winter Chopped Salad
Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter (divided)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 carrots sliced
- 2 celery stalks sliced
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 10 ounce package of tortellini
- 1 cup half & half
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Season cubed chicken with salt and pepper.
- In a stock pot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter. Add cubed chicken to pot. Brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter, onions, carrots, and celery to pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until onions begin to turn translucent and vegetables begin to soften. (vegetables will continue to cook throughout next step). Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add flour to vegetables, stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add chicken broth, water, and tortellini. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 8 minutes, or until tortellini are cooked through.
- Add half & half, spinach, and cooked chicken, stirring to incorporate. Cook for 1 additional minute on low heat.
- Remove from heat, ladle into bowls, and top with parsley. Serve and enjoy.
Can I freeze this?
Hi Angie, cream based soups generally do not freeze well, and cooked pasta also does not freeze well. If you'd like to freeze this soup, I'd recommend freezing it before adding the pasta and half & half. Then, after thawing and during reheating, you can continue the recipe as written for adding the pasta and cream.
Was the tortellini fresh, frozen for this recipe?
I used refrigerated tortellini for this recipe, but frozen would also work! You may need to add 1-2 minutes if you add them in frozen.
I adjusted this recipe to match what I had on hand. So it was a little different but scrumptious. I didn’t have enough carrots so I added corn. I also chopped a couple of mini red peppers and used green onions that were on the verge of going bad. I had some leftover turkey in gravy which I chopped and used in place of chicken. I skipped the flour and used about 3/4 of a cup of dressing to thicken it. I also used fresh kale instead of spinach. Again what I had in my fridge. The gravy and heavy cream made it creamy. It was so good my husband and I devoured it. Thank you so much we will have this again
I used mild italian sausage instead of chicken, julienne cut my carrots, and added extra vegetables. This was delicious!!!
Sounds delicious, glad you enjoyed the recipe!