This Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe is pure comfort food. It features roasted chicken, onions, bell peppers, carrots, cheese tortellini, and spinach in a perfectly seasoned creamy chicken broth. This soup comes together quickly and easily with already-roasted chicken, making it one of our favorites.
This hearty soup is full of flavor, texture, and colors and is a step up from the classic chicken noodle soup. Try sausage tortellini soup and creamy tortellini soup if you like this recipe.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Tortellini: You can use frozen, dried, or fresh cheese tortellini. Fresh is usually found next to the fresh Italian cheeses at your local grocery store.
- Spinach: Baby spinach is best because it is more tender and has fewer stems. You can use any spinach, but remove the long stems.
- Parmesan cheese: Purchase a block of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself. It will stay in a zipper bag in the fridge for several months.
- Seasonings: Garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Other seasonings to use are fresh thyme, parsley, and rosemary, and dried oregano, and marjoram.
How to make Chicken Tortellini Soup
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Start by heating a little olive oil in a large Dutch oven or a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. 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 shredded chicken. Cook until the carrots are tender and the tortellini cook 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 fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- I like a good healthy amount of spinach in my soup. If you are not a big spinach lover, 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.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can be reheated on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Freeze and Reheat
Freeze in heavy-duty freezer zipper bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
More Chicken Soup Recipe
Chicken Tortellini Soup
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
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 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
- Chopped fresh thyme optional
- Grated Parmesan Cheese optional
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. Garnish with chopped fresh thyme, Parmesan Cheese, or red pepper flakes.
Notes
- I like a good healthy amount of spinach in my soup. If you are not a big spinach lover, 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.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can be reheated on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Nutrition
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Kushi
This chicken tortellini soup was amazingly delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Elizabeth
So delicious! I love how easy your blog is to follow with all the pictures and tips. Love this recipe.
dana
One of the coziest dang soups I’ve ever indulged in! We all loved it and it’ll totally be on repeat here during the cooler months.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Dana! So glad that you liked the soup!
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!!