When the sky’s gray and the wind is howling, a big bowl of Chicken Tortellini Soup feels like a warm hug from inside. It’s made with tender chicken bits, cheesy tortellini, and a bunch of colorful veggies all cooked in a tasty broth. You eat it and suddenly your day seems a bit brighter, even if its pouring rain outside.
Lots of folks love making this soup cause its easy and tastes great. Restaurants serve it, home cooks swear by it, and its super flexible. You can use up what you have in the fridge, change up the veggies or even the cheese, and it still comes out amazing.
Down below you’ll learn how to make this cozy soup from scratch. I’ll show you the simple steps, warn you about stuff that might go wrong, and give you ideas to change it up, like adding spice or swapping proteins. So go find your biggest pot and let’s get started!
What is Chicken Tortellini Soup?
Chicken Tortellini Soup is a big bowl of comfort that makes you feel full hearted. It has a savory broth, small pieces of chicken, yummy cheesy tortellini, and bright veggies. All that stuff mixed together makes a meal that almost everyone likes.
This soup came from real old Italian cooking, where people used to cook tortellini in hot broth and sauce. Over the years its changed a bit and now lots of families here in the U.S eat it as a simple but tasty dinner. Cause you dont need many things to make it, and you can cook it pretty fast, Chicken Tortellini Soup is popular when you dont have much time.
Key ingredients that make this soup special include:
- Chicken: You can use fresh, rotisserie, or leftover chicken to add depth of flavor.
- Tortellini: The choice of cheese-filled or meat-filled tortellini adds richness and texture.
- Vegetables: Common additions like carrots, celery, and spinach enhance the nutritional value.
- Broth: A good-quality chicken or vegetable broth forms the base of the soup.
- Seasonings: Garlic, thyme, and pepper provide aromatic notes that elevate the dish.
Nutritional Benefits of Chicken Tortellini Soup
On top of tasting great, this soup gives you good stuff for your body. Chicken is full of protein, that your muscles need to grow and stay strong. Tortellini gives you energy cause it got carbs. Veggies like carrots and spinach give you vitamins and iron, help your body work right and fight off colds.
If you need to avoid gluten, you can buy special gluten-free tortellini and still enjoy this warm soup. You can even switch ingredients so it fits your diet, making it a soup almost anyone can eat.
Ingredients List
Before you start cooking go to your kitchen and gather everything. Here is what you need:
- Chicken: Use a whole chicken, rotisserie chicken for convenience, or shredded chicken leftovers.
- Tortellini: Pick cheese-filled or meat-filled tortellini, doesnt matter, both taste nice.
- Broth: Chicken broth for a richer flavor or vegetable broth for a lighter option.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, and spinach are good, but you can add peas or bell peppers too.
- Seasonings: Dont forget garlic, thyme, and black pepper, those give big flavor.
- Optional additions: Consider topping your soup with grated Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs like parsley or basil, or even a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.
How to Make Chicken Tortellini Soup: A Step-by-Step Recipe
Preparation Time
Youll spend about 15 minutes getting everything ready, then 30-40 minutes cooking, so its a quick and satisfying meal.
Cooking Instructions
- Cook the Chicken:
Start by cooking the chicken. If you use fresh chicken, boil it in water or chicken broth for around 15-20 minutes till its done. You could roast a chicken first and shred it, that adds more flavor. Or just tear a rotisserie chicken right into the pot.
- Sauté the Vegetables:
Heat a bit of olive oil in a big pot over medium heat. Then toss in chopped onion, minced garlic, sliced carrots, and diced celery. Cook for about 5 or 7 minutes until the veggies get soft and smell nice.
- Add Broth and Simmer:
Pour in your broth choice and bring it to a low simmer. Let it cook for 10 minutes so all the flavors mix together.
- Incorporate Tortellini:
Add the tortellini and cook it following the instructions on the package, usually 3-5 minutes, until they float and feel tender. Stir now and then so they dont stick.
- Finish and Serve:
When the tortellini is done, stir in fresh or frozen spinach and let it wilt for about two minutes. Taste the soup and add salt or pepper if needed. Serve it hot with some Parmesan and herbs on top if you like.
Tips for the Perfect Soup
Here are some tips to make sure it turns out awesome every time:
- Importance of Seasoning: Dont be shy adding more seasoning. Taste as you go and add more garlic, thyme, or Italian seasoning if needed.
- Suggested Variations: Try kale or chard instead of spinach, swap the chicken for turkey, or stir in beans for extra protein and texture.
- Storing Leftovers: Put leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. If you want to freeze, leave the tortellini out because it gets mushy when its reheated.
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Equipment
- 1 large pot or Dutch oven
- 1 cutting board
- 1 measuring cups
- 1 measuring spoons
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 ladle
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded You can substitute rotisserie chicken to speed up the process.
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 9 ounces cheese tortellini Fresh or frozen.
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- for garnish fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and sauté for about 3 minutes until it becomes translucent.
- Stir in the minced garlic, diced carrots, and celery, cooking for an additional 5 minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, add the shredded chicken, broccoli florets, and tortellini to the pot.
- Stir in the dried thyme, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the tortellini is cooked through.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper according to your taste.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.
Leave a Reply