Chicken Tortellini Soup
This Chicken Tortellini Soup is a quick, nutritious dinner that's fresh and flavorful. Made with juicy chunks of chicken simmered in a veggie-packed broth with savory cheese tortellini, finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Ready in under 40 minutes.
Servings: 6 servings (1 1/2 cups per serving)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 2 carrots sliced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pound refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 cup frozen peas
Optional:
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- freshly grated Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces) with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, then cook for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly golden. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked at this stage. Transfer it to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and drizzle in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the 1 sweet onion (diced), 2 carrots (sliced), 2 celery stalks (diced), 1 red bell pepper (diced), 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 bay leaf to the same pot. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the 3 cloves garlic (minced) and cook for another minute.
- Pour in the 8 cups chicken broth. Return the chicken to the pot and bring everything to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the vegetables to become tender and the chicken to finish cooking.
- Add the 1 pound refrigerated cheese tortellini and 1 cup frozen peas, then continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the tortellini are tender and floating to the surface.
- Remove the bay leaf and stir in the 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (if using).
- Ladle into bowls and finish with freshly grated Parmesan (if using) just before serving.
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver, but any cooked, shredded chicken works well.
- Add the tortellini during the last few minutes of cooking to keep it tender and prevent it from becoming too soft.
- If using frozen tortellini, add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
- Stir in fresh spinach at the end and cook just until wilted.
- For a richer soup, add a splash of heavy cream or half-and-half before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 474kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 732mg | Potassium: 849mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5103IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 4mg