Description
This cozy Chicken Tortellini Soup is a flavorful one-pot meal featuring tender shredded chicken, cheese tortellini, fresh vegetables, and a bright splash of lemon. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner, it combines hearty ingredients with aromatic herbs in a savory chicken broth.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon snipped thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Broth and Main Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken stock or broth
- 12 oz refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini (about 3 cups)
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach, packed
- 2 medium lemons (start with 1 and adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat the Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, celery, and sliced mushrooms. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, for about 7 minutes until the vegetables soften and begin to turn golden.
- Add Aromatics and Herbs: Stir in the minced garlic, snipped thyme leaves, and chopped rosemary. Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes if using. Cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Simmer the Broth: Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes to blend flavors.
- Cook Chicken and Tortellini: Add the shredded chicken and tortellini to the pot. Simmer gently for 10 minutes or according to tortellini package instructions until pasta is tender.
- Add Spinach and Lemon Juice: Stir in the baby spinach and juice of half a lemon. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Remove from heat, taste, and adjust seasoning with more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped fresh parsley and a sprig of thyme before serving.
Notes
- This soup can be made using fresh or frozen cheese tortellini depending on your preference.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice to your taste to add brightness to the soup.
- You can substitute the chicken stock with vegetable broth for a lighter flavor.
- For a quicker option, use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken instead of cooking chicken separately.
- This recipe works well for meal prep and tastes great reheated the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 451 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 66 mg
