There's nothing more comforting than a bowl of creamy chicken tortellini soup. Filled with cheese tortellini, chicken, and plenty of vegetables, this hearty soup is ready in just 30 minutes and made in a single pot.
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 to pan. When melted, add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until onions begin to turn translucent and vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add flour to vegetables, stirring to coat and create a paste. Cook for 1 minute.
Add chicken broth, water, and tortellini. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until tortellini are cooked through (consult your tortellini's package directions and cook to al dente).
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 serve hot.
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Notes
Chicken breasts, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of butter can be substituted with shredded rotisserie chicken, leftover Thanksgiving turkey, or canned chicken. Skip step 1 and continue recipe as written.
Leftovers will keep for 1-2 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Tortellini will continue to soak up liquid as it sits in the soup, and will get soggy over time.
To prevent soggy tortellini in leftovers: omit water listed in recipe, cook tortellini in a separate pot, and store leftover tortellini and soup base separately. Tortellini can be reheated with the soup base in each individual bowl.