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    Home » Recipes » Soup Recipes

    Chicken Tortellini Soup

    Published: Feb 21, 2023 by Chef Dennis Littley

    483 shares
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    5 from 40 votes
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    Chicken Tortellini soup not only feeds the body, but it also soothes the soul. Made with tender fresh chicken, garden fresh vegetables, and cheese tortellini, this soup is a simple healthy meal that you’re family will love and you’ll love serving to them.

    chicken tortellini soup in a white bowl.

    This comforting soup has everyday ingredients and doesn’t require a culinary degree to make. Chicken tortellini soup has always been one of my go-to soups when I need a quick and delicious dinner or I’m entertaining friends and family.

    It’s easy to make and adaptable to what you have on hand.

    chicken tortellini soup in a white bowl.

    This is a great soup for lunch or dinner. Don’t wait for soup season to make this delicious soup. Chicken tortellini soup makes a great addition to your dinner table any time of the year.

    If you like chicken soup, my Italian Wedding Soup is another favorite of mine.

    Table of Contents:

    • Ingredients to make Chicken Tortellini Soup
      • Simple Ingredients
    • Do I have to add cannelini beans to the soup?
    • What kind of tortellini should I use?
    • How to make Chicken Tortellini Soup
    • Recipe FAQ’s
    • More Soup Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Chicken Tortellini Soup
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition

    Ingredients to make Chicken Tortellini Soup

    Ingredients to make recipe.

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Chicken Tortellini Soup. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

    Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    Simple Ingredients

    • chicken thighs
    • chicken broth
    • carrots
    • celery
    • onion
    • zucchini
    • baby spinach
    • garlic
    • cheese tortellini
    • cannelini beans
    • black pepper
    • salt

    Do I have to add cannelini beans to the soup?

    No, you don’t. I like cannelini beans and they add another flavor to the soup, but they can easily be left out of the recipe. You can also puree the beans, if you want add the nutritious beans to the soup, but have bean haters in your household. I’ve done that on many occassions and no one has a clue there are beans in the soup.

    You can also substitute your favorite greens to the soup, instead of baby spinach as well as add any additional vegetables you enjoy in soups.

    What kind of tortellini should I use?

    You can find fresh tortellini in the refrigerated section of your grocery store and they come in different varieties. I like to add sausage tortellini when I can find it. You can also find frozen tortellini in the freezer section of your store.

    If you’re not a fan of tortellini, you can replace them with egg noodles, rice or your favorite grain.

    How to make Chicken Tortellini Soup

    collage showing how to make recipe.
    • Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the carrots, celery, onion, and zucchini to the pot.
    • Stir the vegetable mixture and cook for 4-5 minutes.
    • Add the raw chicken and chopped garlic to the pot.
    • Continue cooking until the chicken has been seared (2-3 minutes).

    *If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, you can use that instead of the chicken thighs. You can also stew a whole chicken and pull the meat off the carcass to make shredded chicken. And the broth from stewing the chicken can be added to the soup in place of chicken broth.

    collage showing how to finish making recipe
    • Add the chicken broth to the soup pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
    • Add the cannellini beans and black pepper to the soup and continue to simmer for 20 – 30 minutes.
    • Add the spinach, and tortellini to the soup pot.
    • Continue to simmer the soup for 10 minutes or until the tortellini has fully cooked.

    Re-season with salt and black pepper as needed. If you’d like to add a little heat to the soup, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

    chicken tortellini soup in a white bowl.

    Just imagine sitting down to a bowl of this delicious chicken soup. Loaded with fresh vegetables, tender chicken and cheesy tortellini my easy chicken tortellini soup is going to become a family favorite just like it is my house.

    To make a creamy version of this soup, add a cup of heavy cream when you add the broth to the soup.

    Recipe FAQ’s

    Can I use chicken breasts to make chicken tortellini soup?

    I prefer using chicken thighs because they tend to stay more tender, but if you’re looking cut down on fat you can definitely use boneless skinless chicken breasts to make this soup.
    It’s also a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken

    What goes with chicken tortellini soup?

    Crusty Italian bread or garlic bread would go perfectly with this hearty soup. Add a ceasar salad or tossed green salad and you have a delicious light dinner.

    Can I freeze chicken tortellini soup?

    Yes, you can. You can freeze leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months in your freezer. If you’re making the soup to freeze for another time, don’t add the tortellini. Wait until you serve the soup and add the tortellini when you reheat the soup.

    More Soup Recipes You’ll Love!

    • partial view of Italian wedding soup in white bowl
      Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
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      Classic Minestrone Soup Recipe
    • bowl of sausage and bean minestra with the soup pot behind it
      Sausage and Bean Minestra Recipe
    • view of pasta fagioli in a white bowl
      Easy Pasta Fagioli Recipe

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    chicken tortellini soup in a white bowl.
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 40 votes

    Chicken Tortellini Soup

    Soup warms the body and warms the soul. My authentic chicken tortellini soup is the perfect addition to any dinner table. Try it tonight!
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time50 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 272kcal

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup carrots peeled and diced (2 carrots)
    • 1 cup onion diced (1 small onion)
    • ½ cup celery diced (4 stalks)
    • 1 cup zucchini diced (1 small zucchini)
    • 1 tsp garlic finely chopped
    • 12 oz boneless chicken thighs diced
    • 6 cups chicken broth
    • 16 oz cannellini beans drained and rinsed
    • 2 cups baby spinach
    • 10 oz cheese tortellini fresh or frozen -10- 12 ounces depending upon brand
    • ⅛ tsp black pepper
    • salt if needed to taste
    • grated Romano cheese for serving
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a stock pot over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the carrots, celery, onion, and zucchini, stir and cook for 4-5 minutes.
    • Add the chicken and chopped garlic to the pot and continue cooking until the chicken has been seared (2-3 minutes).
    • Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring it to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
    • Add the cannellini beans and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes.
    • Add the spinach, tortellini, and black pepper to the soup pot and continue to simmer for 10 minutes until the tortellini has fully cooked.
    • season with sea salt if needed.
    • Serve the soup with a sprinkle of grated romano cheese and crusty bread.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 981mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2136IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Kortni

      June 04, 2015 at 8:38 pm

      Making this soup right now. This is the first recipe I am trying from your site. It smells and looks good so far. However, a little clarification on the cannellini beans would have been nice. 16 oz of beans isn’t very descriptive. Are they canned beans? Are they dry beans? If they are dry beans, do I need to soak them overnight first? Or will they cook up nicely in the soup as is? Just wondering!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        June 04, 2015 at 9:28 pm

        thanks for stopping by Kortni, and I hope you enjoy the recipe.
        they are canned beans

        Reply
    2. love cooking

      November 15, 2012 at 7:56 am

      5 stars
      This is a great recipe, simple and delicious. Hot soup not only warms our stomach, sometimes, it also warms our heart. Add a lot of black pepper or some ginger, great during cold weather. 🙂

      Reply
    3. Nancy/SpicieFoodie

      November 11, 2012 at 12:35 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Dennis,
      Your south is very fitting for the cause. It is so sad to hear of the devastation but wonderful to see the outpouring of help. You know I’m a firm believer that it doesn’t have to be fancy to be out of this world. Your soup sounds and looks amazing. Always wanted to try adding tortellini or ravioli to soup, so thanks for sharing:)

      Reply
    4. Luksana

      November 10, 2012 at 7:28 pm

      5 stars
      Nice simple soup, everyone will love this.

      Reply
    5. Lynn

      November 09, 2012 at 12:00 am

      Inspire, comfort, give 100% from your heart- that’s chef Dennis! Being on the complete other side of the country, it’s easy to hear what’s happening out east then forget about it. Thank you for sharing, for bringing the blogging community together to help!

      Reply
    6. anna

      November 08, 2012 at 11:42 pm

      well said, chef. you have a big heart.

      Reply
    7. Amy @ Amy's Cooking Adventures

      November 08, 2012 at 10:01 pm

      This soup looks delicious! SO wonderful of you to help out those in need!

      Reply
    8. adam @unorthodoxepicure

      November 08, 2012 at 7:23 pm

      First, your soup looks divine. It also warms my heart that there are still plenty of people — like yourself — who tend to put others first. I also understand your feeling about New Jersey. I was born and raised in Texas. Moved to NJ for about four years during the 90s, then moved back to Texas. But I miss the sights, sounds and smells of the boardwalk overlooking the Jersey Shore. And I miss the many friends I made while living in the Garden State.

      Reply
    9. Lora @cakeduchess

      November 08, 2012 at 10:28 am

      Such comforting soup for a much needed cause: helping Sandy victims. Lovely post, Dennis.

      Reply
    10. Jen @JuanitasCocina

      November 08, 2012 at 6:54 am

      Lovely. Thank you so much for sharing.

      Reply
    11. Liz

      November 08, 2012 at 6:45 am

      What a heartwarming dish and post, Chef Dennis!!! I love when the food blogger community joins together for the good of others. Thank you!

      Reply
    12. Larry

      November 08, 2012 at 4:57 am

      It may be just a simple soup, but it looks delicious and comforting.

      Reply
    13. Heather | Farmgirl Gourmet

      November 08, 2012 at 12:57 am

      Great post Dennis. I will add the button to my blog in the AM with fresh eyeballs. Thank you for your caring heart.

      ~Heather

      Reply
    14. Maureen

      November 08, 2012 at 12:55 am

      5 stars
      brilliant idea… So many need our help. This is a comforting soup, Dennis!

      Reply
    15. Laura (Tutti Dolci)

      November 08, 2012 at 12:51 am

      What a great cause! Your soup looks wonderful – I love chicken tortellini.

      Reply
    16. Diane (createdbydiane)

      November 08, 2012 at 12:24 am

      what a wonderful post Dennis, your soup looks delicious!

      Reply
    17. Kate@Diethood

      November 07, 2012 at 11:55 pm

      5 stars
      Love this post… my heart is warm. Thank you, Chef.

      Reply
    18. Elin

      November 07, 2012 at 10:41 pm

      Chef Dennis ….This is indeed what a blogging community is all about . Caring and Sharing and in times like this, we should all do a part in helping. Chef, you not only have a beautiful blog but a beautiful heart too. I have the ‘ We Care ‘ button on my side bar now and a post dedicated for the good cause.

      And not to forget, this chicken tortellini soup is real comfort food 🙂 Love the combinations of ingredients and it looks good.

      Have a nice day,
      Elin

      Reply
    19. Kath

      November 07, 2012 at 10:33 pm

      I love the idea of offering soup, Dennis, and your Chicken Tortellini Soup looks perfect! Very comforting!

      Reply
    20. Kristina

      November 07, 2012 at 9:58 pm

      this is a beautiful post, Dennis. I am honored to be a part of this group, and I hope our reach is wide!

      the soup looks wonderful as well – always such a comforting thing.

      Reply

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    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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