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Chicken Tortellini Soup

Chicken tortellini soup with a golden herb broth and tender cheese tortellini in under an hour. Sautéed onion and carrots, quick simmering, then wilted spinach with shredded chicken for a comforting bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and aromatics
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Cooked and shredded.
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 3 carrots Sliced into coin shapes.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Soup base and pasta
  • 6 cup chicken broth
  • 1 lb cheese tortellini Refrigerated, 20 oz package (about 1 lb).
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried basil
Finish and seasoning
  • 3 cup baby spinach
  • 1 Parmesan For serving (parmesan shavings).
  • 1 fresh basil For serving.
  • 0.5 tsp salt To taste.
  • 0.5 tsp pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the vegetables
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the onion and carrots for 5 minutes, until they start to soften and smell sweet.
Build the herb flavor
  1. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and dried basil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t brown.
Simmer the broth
  1. Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
Cook the tortellini
  1. Add the cheese tortellini and cook for 4-5 minutes until just tender, keeping the broth at a steady simmer.
Wilt the spinach and warm the chicken
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken and baby spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts and the chicken is hot.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve with generous parmesan and fresh basil on top.

Notes

Pro tip: Cook the tortellini until just tender—overcooking can make it soft and cloudy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth. Freezing isn’t recommended because tortellini can change texture after thawing. For a lighter option, use whole-wheat tortellini or reduce the parmesan topping slightly.