This Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe spells pure comfort food with roasted chicken, onions, bell peppers, carrots, cheese tortellini, and spinach in a perfectly seasoned creamy chicken broth. With already-roasted chicken, this soup comes together quickly and easily, making it one of our favorites. This hearty soup is so full of flavor, texture, and colors and a step up from the classic chicken noodle soup.
How to make Chicken Tortellini Soup
Start by heating a little olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy large pot. Then add the onions and celery and sauté until they are almost soft. Now add the bell peppers and carrots. Continue cooking until the onions and peppers are soft. Then reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and red pepper, cooking for a minute while stirring constantly.
Add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes. Next, add the cheese tortellini and chicken. Cook until the carrots are tender and the tortellini are cooked through. Then add the baby spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes or until wilted. Finally, remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Spoon into soup bowls and garnish with a few fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- You can use frozen, dried, or fresh cheese tortellini. Fresh is usually found next to the fresh Italian cheeses at your local grocery store.
- I like a good healthy amount of spinach in my soup. If you are not a big 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 browned Italian Sausage.
- Chop the vegetables finely, so a little bit ends up in almost 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.
- The heavy cream makes it smooth, luscious, and slightly thicker. If you would like it thicker, please see below for more ways to thicken the soup.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
- Freeze in heavy-duty freezer zipper bags for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
More ways to thicken this Chicken Tortellini Soup
Flour Slurry – whisk 4 tablespoons flour with 1 cup water or broth until smooth and lump-free (for every two cups of soup). Then whisk it into the simmering soup mixture and cook until thickened. I usually combine this with at least one other method. You would need too much of it to really thicken a whole pot of soup, and it would leave it with an overwhelming flour taste.
Cornstarch Slurry – whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of broth or water for every two cups of soup. Whisk the slurry into the hot simmering soup mixture and cook until thickened. Again I like to combine this with at least one other method. It can be combined with the flour method above, even though they are both slurries.
Roux – equal amounts of melted fat and flour (3-4 tablespoons butter and 3-4 tablespoons flour) are cooked over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes while whisking continuously. Then the broth is slowly added while whisking. Continue to cook, whisking frequently until the broth has thickened. This would need to be done in a separate pot and added to the vegetables at the same time as the non-thickened broth for this soup. This is one of my favorite tried and true methods, and because the flour taste is cooked off, it does not need to be combined with other methods.
How to freeze soup
- Start by fully cooling the soup. For a quick and immediate (especially for soups with pasta) cool down, place the pot in an ice bath and stir to cool. Do not allow any of the ice water into the soup pot.
- Ladle the fully cooled soup into heavy-duty quart or gallon-sized freezer zipper bags. Mark the bags with the date and the contents. Keep in mind that liquids expand when frozen so leave about an inch at the top of the bag for expansion. Likewise, you don’t want it to get freezer burnt, so remove any excess air.
- Lay the soup bags down in a flat single layer on cookie sheets and place them in the freezer on a level surface. Once fully frozen, stack the bags up on their side in the freezer to save space.
- Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat on the stove top on low or in the microwave at 60% power so as not to overcook any ingredients before it is hot. Or simply reheat on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently.
More chicken soup recipes you will love!
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup
An easy creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup made with already cooked rotisserie chicken, onions, bell peppers, carrots, cheese tortellini, and spinach in a perfectly seasoned creamy broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: soup
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 ½ cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
- 3 cups cheese tortellini
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and celery, cooking until almost soft; about 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and carrots. Continue cooking until the onions and peppers are soft.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and crushed red pepper, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
- Add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the cheese tortellini and chicken. Cook until the carrots are tender and the tortellini are cooked through.
- 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
- You can use frozen, dried, or fresh cheese tortellini. Fresh is usually found next to the fresh Italian cheeses at your local grocery store.
- I like a good healthy amount of spinach in my soup. If you are not a big 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 browned Italian Sausage.
- Chop the vegetables finely, so a little bit ends up in almost 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.
- The heavy cream makes it smooth, luscious, and slightly thicker. If you would like it thicker, please see below for more ways to thicken the soup.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
- Freeze in heavy-duty freezer zipper bags for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Keywords: cheese tortellini soup, chicken spinach soup, creamy chicken tortellini soup, tortellini soup
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Annette
Loved this but made some changes. I used 4c. chickwn broth then 1 can of cream of chicken with 1 can water. I also diced 8 oz of cream cheese and added for the last hour in the crockpot.
★★★★★
Sara Welch
This was such a quick and easy meal that did not disappoint! Definitely, a new family favorite recipe!
★★★★★
Quynh Nguyen
We regularly eat tortellini in our household, and this is such a great way to change things up!
★★★★★
TAYLER ROSS
I’ve made this soup twice and both times it was delicious! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine!
Jess
It is rainy here today and this is exactly what I need!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jess! Enjoy!
Debbie harrick
Omg this soup is the best one I ever made thanks a lot
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Debbie. I am so glad that you like it!
Patti Jorgenson
Can I make the soup in the crockpot?
Beth Pierce
Yes
Kate
So delicious! Can’t wait to eat this for lunch tomorrow! I just had a little 1/4 cup to taste it all together and wanted more…after I’d eaten dinner!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
So glad that you like the tortellini soup.
Christian Foremost
Yum yum yum. Something hot delicious soup is just perfect for the rainy season we’re having here in the Philippines. Thanks for the delicious recipe. My whole family enjoyed it!
Irena
The perfect Sunday dinner! I loved it
★★★★★
Tena Trimble
I accidentally bought cheese ravioli and it was yummy
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
I bet it was!
Andrea
Oh does this look very hearty, comforting and delicious! Yum!
★★★★★
Heather
Wonderful comforting and easy weeknight soup. Used a rotisserie chicken and frozen tortellini – it came together quickly!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Heather! Glad that you liked it!!
Ana F.
This soup was a hit with the family! My hubby is already asking for more. I used frozen tortellini as you suggested and it cooked perfectly. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Ana! So happy to hear that the family liked it!
Sara
I used coconut cream to limit the dairy and it was delicious!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
What a great idea! Thanks for the tip.
Mirlene
This is such a comforting and savory soup to make! We love this tortellini soup on cold rainy days!
★★★★★
Lauren
Cant wait to try this tonight! Can I use frozen tortellini or do I need to thaw it first?
Beth Pierce
Enjoy! You can use frozen tortellini!
Ted Baker
Just saw this and it looks great. I’ll try the recipe soon and serve with fresh baked Italian bread and some red wine.
Cathy
So delicious!! We loved it!
★★★★★
Cathy Clark
So yummy!! We loved it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Cathy! So glad that you liked it!!
Susan
I am making this recipe as we speak looking forward to it. But I did notice nowhere in the directions does it tell you when to add the shredded chicken. I added it after I put the broth in. Looking forward to enjoying the soup.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the heads up Susan. I always appreciate a reader that informs me of my mistakes. Headed there right now to correct it.
Sandra
I love how comforting this is!! Thanks!
★★★★★
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
This Chicken Tortellini Soup is the ultimate comfort food!
★★★★★
Catalina
A soup is always welcome this time of the year! This one is my favorite!
★★★★★
Amanda
This is total comfort food! We loved it!
★★★★★
Kimberly
I love tortellini and this soup sounds so delish. On my menu for this weekend!
★★★★★
Kimberly
I love tortellini and this soup sounds fabulous. On my menu for this weekend, I already know it’s going to be a family hit!
★★★★★
Erik
Such a great dinner idea! Love that it can keep in the freezer for so long, too.
★★★★★
Krystle
Pure creamy comfort food. Just what I needed on this chilly day.
★★★★★