Go Back

Chicken Tortellini Soup

Chicken tortellini soup made with golden herbed chicken broth and cheese tortellini for tender bites. Sautéed onion and carrot build flavor, then shredded chicken and spinach wilt into the pot for a hearty, comforting main.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breast
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast, cooked and shredded
Cheese tortellini
  • 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
Spinach
  • 3 cups baby spinach
Carrots
  • 3 carrots, sliced
Onion
  • 1 onion, diced
Garlic
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
Chicken broth
  • 6 cups chicken broth
Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried basil
Parmesan
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan for serving
Fresh basil
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil for serving
Salt and pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the vegetables
  1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the diced onion and carrot slices. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring now and then until the onion softens.
Bloom the herbs and build the broth
  1. Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and dried basil to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Stir continuously so the garlic becomes fragrant without browning.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Watch for active bubbling across the surface before reducing heat as needed.
Cook the tortellini
  1. Add the refrigerated cheese tortellini to the boiling broth. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until just tender, with an occasional gentle stir to prevent sticking.
Finish with chicken and spinach
  1. Add the shredded chicken to the pot and cook for 2 minutes to warm through. Stir to evenly distribute the chicken throughout the soup.
  2. Add the baby spinach and cook for 1-3 minutes until the spinach wilts. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer until the leaves are fully wilted.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then turn off the heat. Serve immediately with generous Parmesan and fresh basil on top.

Notes

For best texture, keep the soup at a steady simmer after adding the tortellini so it stays tender without breaking apart. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat on the stove until hot. Freezing is not recommended because tortellini can soften too much after thawing. If you want a lighter option, use low-sodium chicken broth and reduced-fat Parmesan.