Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup with Spinach
As tasty and warming as chicken noodle soup, Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup is an easy comfort food, perfect for dinner or a starter.
Let me share a little secret. I absolutely love soup–all year round. But there’s something about the chill of fall that makes it feel almost like a necessity.
And… another true confession… I’ve never been especially fond of your basic chicken noodle soup. But instead of skipping, I flavor it up. With sage and cream in my Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Sage. Or with fun gnocchi like my One Pot Chicken Gnocchi Kale Soup.
Today’s Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup with Spinach is the next in my series of (ahem) souped up chicken soups. I love the flavor from the Italian seasoning, and the chew from the tortellini. Not to mention the extra nutrition from the butternut squash and spinach.
Yes, comfort food season starts in 3… 2… 1!
Why You’ll Love This!
Versatile. This soup goes beautifully as an entrée soup or as a starter soup. And don’t forget the classic soup and (full or half) sandwich combo.
Easy. Buy your butternut pre-cubed, your spinach pre-washed, use leftover rotisserie chicken and this soup is a snap!
Fun. Yes, you could make chicken noodle soup. But aren’t cheese tortellini even more fun!
Step by Step Overview
In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the butternut, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Stir well and cook until the onions begin to turn translucent then stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook for another minute or two.
Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two.
Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring to incorporate the flour. Add the half and half and chicken. Let the soup come to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the soup starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.
Stir the tortellini into the pot and cook until tender (mine took about 10 minutes, even though the package said 3). When the tortellini is done, stir in the spinach and simmer until tender. Serve hot topped with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Tips & FAQs
This soup makes about 8 generous servings. The leftovers are delicious, but if you happen to be getting ready to do a round-the-world cruise or something, you can easily cut it in half.
What if I’m missing some ingredients? Soups are famously forgiving so generally you can make a substitution and it will still work out great.
No butternut? Chop carrots—they’ll be delicious. No spinach? Use kale or another dark leafy green. No precooked chicken? Sautee a couple boneless skinless chicken breasts before the vegetables. No tortellini? Go with gnocchi or home style noodles.
What if my soup is bland? Since soup flavor is often dependent on the intensity of the broth, this has happened to all of us. But you have options beyond the classic salt and pepper adjustment.
One of my favorites is to intensify the broth. I take out a little broth, then dissolve 1 or more teaspoons of Better Than Bouillion (or another chicken stock or bouillon product) in it, then add it back. Just be aware that this will increase the sodium too.
Another option is to spice it up a little more with a pinch of curry powder or a little cayenne or hot sauce. The idea is to add a nuance of flavor not to make it taste like curry or become hot. It’s amazing how well this can work.
Enjoy!
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Air Fryer Lemon Chicken Thighs from Jen Around the World
- El Pollo Loco Grilled Chicken from Palatable Pastime
- Green Chile Chicken and Rice Skillet from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Loaded Chicken Casserole from Creative Cynchronicity
- Oven Roasted Drumsticks and Carrots from That Recipe
We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you’re at it, join our Pinterest board, too!
Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup with Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ - 2 cups butternut cubes
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 Tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cooked chicken breasts
- 1 cup half and half or whole milk
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 pound cheese tortellini about 4 cups
- 1/4 pound spinach chopped (about 4 cups very lightly packed)
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving optional
Instructions
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the butternut, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Stir well and cook until the onions begin to turn translucent, 8-10 minutes, then stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook for another minute or two.
- Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two.
- Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring to incorporate the flour. Add the half and half and chicken. Let the soup come to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the soup starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- Stir the tortellini into the pot and cook until tender (mine took about 10 minutes, even though the package said 3). When the tortellini is done, stir in the spinach and simmer until tender. Serve hot topped with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
This soup looks like the ultimate comfort food! I love that it’s creamy and hearty, yet still packed with veggies like spinach and butternut squash. Definitely trying this one for a cozy weeknight dinner!
This looks like the perfect bowl of comfort to have on cool fall nights. And it looks super creamy and delicious!
This looks perfect for a winter’s evening, Inger. I love how you cut your butternut cubes in a small dice… it makes for a much more elegant finish.
I wish I could take credit for that. I bought the butternut pre-cut–so easy!