This Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe is an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner option made with a delicious tomato-based chicken broth, juicy shredded chicken, softened vegetables, and plenty of pillowy cheese tortellini.
This easy chicken tortellini soup combines my love for soup and cheesy pasta with simple, everyday ingredients like onions, carrots, celery, tomato sauce, and leftover shredded chicken. It’s healthy, hearty, and really easy to make. Perfect for chilly winter nights.
Like most soup recipes, this chicken tortellini soup is easily modified to taste delicious with whatever you have in the house! Use your favorite veggies, trade the cheesy tortellini for chicken or meat-filled ones, and garnish with your favorite fresh herbs, a little shredded parmesan cheese, or red chili flakes for a little heat.
How to Make Chicken Tortellini Soup
1. Soften the onions in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. As the onions are sautéeing, chop your carrots and celery.
2. Add the chopped carrots and celery. Cook them with the onions for about 5 minutes or so, or until starting to soften.
3. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning, mixing well to combine, and cook just until fragrant.
4. With the vegetables softened and the garlic fragrant, add the bay leaves, tomato sauce, and your favorite store-bought chicken broth. You may also add homemade turkey stock, bone broth, or homemade chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
5. Add the shredded chicken, spinach, and refrigerated tortellini. Mix well and simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper (remember, we haven’t added any of that yet!) and garnish with your favorite chopped herbs, red pepper flakes, or cheese!
That’s all there is to it! Super easy, right?
I love serving this yummy soup with buttered crusty bread – what would you serve it with?
Can I Use Frozen or Dry Tortellini?
You will find cheese tortellini at your local grocery store either frozen, fresh, or dry. I always try to purchase fresh tortellini (in the refrigerated section) whenever possible, but I always keep a bag of dry tortellini in my pantry for last-minute dinners. All forms of tortellini will work with this recipe, simply adjust the total cook time (dry tortellini will take longer to cook and soften compared to fresh).
Can I Make this Chicken Tortellini Soup in the Slow Cooker?
While I haven’t made this recipe using my Crockpot, you may easily do so by replacing the cooked and shredded chicken with raw chicken (3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts or 6 chicken thighs). Place the chicken, veggies, tomato sauce, broth, Italian seasoning, and garlic in your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours (or until the chicken is fully cooked and vegetables have softened). Approximately 30 minutes before serving, add the tortellini and spinach.
More chicken soup recipes to try,
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Caldo de Pollo Recipe (Mexican Chicken Soup)
Easy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
Did you try making this easy chicken tortellini soup recipe?
Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts.
RECIPE CARD
Easy Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion - diced
- 5 large carrots - peeled and chopped
- 5 stalks celery - chopped
- 5 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth - or homemade chicken stock
- 2 cups shredded chicken - plus more, as needed
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 1 (20 ounce) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
- salt + pepper - to season
- Fresh thyme - to garnish
- crushed red pepper - to garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. As the onion softens, chop the carrots and celery, then add them to the pot with onions. Mix well and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning. Mix well to combine and cook for an additional 1 minute.
- Add the bay leaves, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Increase heat to high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes.
- Uncover and add the shredded chicken, fresh spinach, and tortellini to the pot. Increase heat to medium-high heat, and allow the soup to simmer, uncovered, for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until tortellini is fully cooked (see notes).
- Season with salt and black pepper, to taste (everyone has their own personal preference) and garnish with chopped thyme, fresh parsley, or red pepper flakes if desired.
Jessica's Notes
- This recipe is great with leftover cooked chicken (boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs) or shredded rotisserie chicken.
- If you plan to cook the tortellini directly in the soup, it is best to serve and enjoy this soup immediately as tortellini pasta will continue to absorb liquid, swell, and (to some degree) fall apart. As such, if you know that you will have leftovers, I recommend cooking the tortellini in a separate pot of lightly salted boiling water until al dente and adding to each individual soup bowl as desired.
- Check out the full post for recommended instructions on how to make this soup in your slow cooker.
- You may also use frozen or dry tortellini, adjust the cooking time as needed.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
I am going to try the Crock pot version you mentioned Easier and less work Sounds delicious Use my crock pot a lot other choices and recipes Thanks