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Chicken Tortellini Soup

Chicken tortellini soup with golden herb broth and tender cheese tortellini. This Italian-American main dish is simmered until the pasta is just tender, then finished with shredded chicken, wilted spinach, and parmesan.
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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
  

  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Cooked and shredded
  • 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
  • 3 baby spinach
  • 3 carrots Sliced into coins
  • 1 onion Diced
  • 4 garlic Minced
  • 6 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan For serving
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil For serving
  • salt To taste
  • pepper To taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the vegetables
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and carrots for 5 minutes, stirring until the onion softens and the carrots begin to brighten in color.
Bloom the herbs
  1. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and dried basil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant, then keep the mixture bubbling but not browned.
Simmer the broth
  1. Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Keep at a steady boil for 1 minute so the flavors meld.
Cook the tortellini
  1. Add the tortellini to the boiling broth. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until just tender, with small tender pockets visible through the broth.
Finish with chicken and spinach
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken and baby spinach. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts and the chicken is heated through, with the broth turning slightly thicker and more vibrant green.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with generous parmesan and fresh basil on top.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the broth at a true boil when cooking tortellini so it cooks evenly without turning mushy. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently over medium-low until hot. Freezing is not recommended because tortellini texture can soften. For a lighter option, use low-sodium chicken broth and reduce the parmesan portion or swap in a reduced-fat parmesan.