Chicken Tortellini Soup
When you want dinner to feel soothing without turning into a project.
This is the one to make when you want something cozy, filling, and not fussy, but you still need dinner on the table tonight. It uses simple chicken, broth, vegetables, and refrigerated tortellini to build a soup that feels like comfort food without a long simmer. The result is brothy, savory, and satisfying, with tender chicken and chewy pasta in every spoonful. It is not a slow-cooked soup, so don’t expect deep all-day flavor, but it absolutely delivers the warm, low-effort meal you need after a tired day. Pair it with bread if you have it, or just call it dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast — Cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — Diced
- 2 unit carrots — Thinly sliced
- 2 unit celery stalks — Thinly sliced
- 3 unit garlic cloves — Minced
- 6 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch salt — Add to taste after simmering
- 9 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 2 cup baby spinach
- 2 tbsp lemon juice — Optional, for brightness
- 0.25 cup grated Parmesan — For serving
Method
- 1 Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, then cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Stir in the garlic and chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, just until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink.
- 2 Add the chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 10 minutes so the chicken finishes cooking and the vegetables turn tender.
- 3 Stir in the tortellini and simmer according to the package directions, usually 3 to 5 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
- 4 Turn off the heat. Stir in the spinach and lemon juice, if using. Taste and add salt as needed. Serve hot with Parmesan on top.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Skip the chicken and use 2 cups canned white beans plus vegetable broth for a meatless version.
- Faster swap — Use shredded rotisserie chicken and pre-sliced mirepoix so the soup comes together in about 20 minutes.
- Substitutions — Use kale instead of spinach, or swap tortellini for small ravioli if that is what you have.
Notes
If your broth is salted, wait until the end to season. For the best texture, add the tortellini near the end and avoid overcooking it.
Equipment that helps
- Large soup pot — Gives you room to simmer the broth and tortellini without splashing.
- Wooden spoon — Makes it easy to stir without breaking up the tortellini.
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