Tuscan Chicken Tortellini Soup

This Tuscan Chicken Tortellini Soup is an easy to make Italian flavored soup that’s perfect for fall and winter! It’s hearty, creamy, full of fresh veggies, shredded chicken, and cheese tortellini. It’s a main dish soup the whole family will enjoy.

If you love this cozy Italian inspired soup, be sure to try my Italian wedding soup and Sausage Potato and Kale Soup!

^{This post and recipe have been updated since it was originally published on 10/23/2019}

• Carrots, onion, celery, garlic – The base for the flavorful soup broth.
• Canned diced tomatoes – Don’t drain them. For a smoky flavor, use fire roasted diced tomatoes.
• Cannellini beans – Beans add fiber to the soup. I love cannellini beans because they have a creamy texture.
• Fresh thyme and basil – Fresh herbs add tons of flavor to the soup that you can’t get from dried.
• Italian seasoning – A dried spice blend made up of basil, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, parsley, and oregano.
• Chicken broth – Low sodium is best so you have control over how salty the soup is.
• Spinach – Buy a 5 ounce bag of baby spinach to keep things easy.
• Chicken – Cooked chicken breasts boost the protein in the soup and make it more satiating.
• Cheese tortellini – Use the fresh tortellini found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. I used the Nuovo brand.
• Parmesan cheese – Salty and nutty in flavor. If you have a parmesan cheese rind throw that into the soup for extra flavor and pull it out once the soup has finished cooking.
• Half and half – Gives the soup a little creaminess without being over the top.

This is an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Saute the carrots, celery, and onion in a large pot or Dutch oven. Once the veggies have softened add in the garlic and saute another minute.

Add in the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, diced tomatoes, beans, fresh herbs, and chicken broth and stir everything together. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes.

Add the spinach, chicken, tortellini, and parmesan cheese into the soup and stir until the cheese is melted. Simmer the soup with the lid off until the tortellini is cooked, this should only take several minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in the half and half. Taste the soup for seasoning and serve it topped with extra parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

• Make the soup vegetarian. Omit the chicken and use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth. To bulk up the protein I would suggest adding a can of cannellini beans.
• Use different veggies. Try green beans, peas, kale, or jarred roasted red peppers.
• Substitute regular diced tomatoes with fire roasted tomatoes for a subtle smoky flavor.
• For a richer soup, use heavy cream in place of half and half.
• For a soup lower in fat and calories, omit the half and half.

Storage – The soup will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If you make the soup ahead of time wait to add the tortellini in when you reheat it on the stovetop.

Freezing – If you plan to freeze the soup I recommend leaving the tortellini out and adding it in when you reheat it. It isn’t necessary to do this, but the tortellini will likely be soft and may fall apart after the soup has defrosted. The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Reheating – The soup can be reheated in the microwave or in a pot on the stove over medium heat until it’s hot. If you left out the tortellini, add it in during the last few minutes of cooking.

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