This easy yet comforting soup will fill your belly and soul! It's got flavorful broth, juicy shredded chicken, pillowy cheese tortellini, and plenty of garlic and Italian herbs. 30 minutes, one pot.
Ingredients
1Tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
1poundboneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderscan substitute rotisserie chicken, see note
Warm olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and add to the pan when hot. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes each side. Remove to a cutting board and set aside.
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders, kosher salt and black pepper
Melt butter in the pot, then add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bottom occasionally to remove browned bits.
Stir in the chicken broth, water, and Better than Bouillon, if using. Bring mixture to a boil, then add tortellini. Cook according to package directions, usually just 2-3 minutes.
6 cups chicken stock or broth, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, 9 ounces refrigerated tortellini
When 1 minute remains of the tortellini's cooking time, return shredded chicken to the pot and stir in the spinach. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley and/or lemon juice, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
2-3 handfuls fresh baby spinach, fresh parsley and lemon juice
Notes
Chicken: If using rotisserie chicken, pull sections off of the chicken and shred or cut into bite-sized pieces. Prepare the recipe as directed, beginning with step 2 (cooking the veggies), and stir in the shredded chicken just after adding the tortellini to cook.
Tortellini: I usually use the refrigerated tortellini that are sold in the deli section of most supermarkets. They can be easily stored in the freezer until ready to use, and cook very quickly to a nice, tender texture. You can also use dried tortellini in this recipe, just adjust the cooking time to follow your package directions. Any type of filling works: our favorites are cheese or cheese and spinach.
Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup: Add either 1/2 cup of heavy cream or a slurry of milk and flour (2/3 cup milk + 1 Tablespoon flour, shaken together in a jar or whisked together in a liquid measuring cup). Add these at the end, after adding the spinach.