Marry Me Chicken Soup
This Marry Me Chicken Soup is a creamy Tuscan style chicken soup that is perfect for cozy fall nights. Tender chicken, pasta, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and Parmesan simmer in a rich, silky broth that feels restaurant special but is simple enough for any weeknight.Everything cooks in one pot, so this homemade soup fits right into your favorite easy soup recipes. Serve it as a full soup dinner with bread and a salad, or use the slow cooker method for a hands off crock pot soup the whole family will love.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle
- Slow cooker (optional for crock pot soup method)
- Fine grater for Parmesan
Ingredients
Chicken, Broth and Pasta
- 680 g boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs about 1 1/2 lb, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1440 ml low sodium chicken broth about 6 cups, plus more as needed to thin
- 170 g short pasta such as small shells, ditalini or elbow pasta (about 6 oz)
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning divided, 1 tsp for the chicken and 1 tsp for the broth
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp black pepper plus more to taste
Vegetables and Tuscan Flavor
- 1 small onion, diced about 1 cup or 120 g
- 2 medium carrots, diced about 1 cup or 120 g
- 2 celery stalks, diced about 3/4 cup or 80 g
- 60 g sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped about 1/4 cup packed
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Creamy Broth and Cheese
- 30 g all purpose flour about 1/4 cup, for thickening
- 240 ml heavy cream about 1 cup
- 60 g freshly grated Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, to taste
- 90 g baby spinach, roughly chopped about 3 to 4 cups loosely packed
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes optional, for a little heat
- cooked bacon, crumbled optional, for extra flavor when serving
Instructions
- Step 1 - Season and brown the chicken
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium high heat. Add the diced chicken, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, the salt and black pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the outside of the chicken is lightly browned. - Step 2 - Soften the vegetables
Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, sun dried tomatoes and garlic to the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens and the mixture smells fragrant. - Step 3 - Add flour to thicken
Sprinkle the flour evenly over the chicken and vegetables. Stir well for 1 to 2 minutes so the flour coats everything and cooks a little. This will help give the Marry Me Chicken Soup its creamy texture later. - Step 4 - Add broth and simmer
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring to avoid lumps. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. - Step 5 - Cook the pasta
Stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium low and let the soup simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring a few times, until the pasta is just al dente and the chicken is cooked through. Do not boil hard or the pasta can become mushy. - Step 6 - Finish with cream, spinach and Parmesan
Turn the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan and chopped spinach. Simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the spinach wilts and the broth is thick and creamy. If the soup seems too thick, add a splash more broth. - Step 7 - Taste and serve
Taste the Marry Me Chicken Soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper or Parmesan if needed. Ladle into bowls and top with extra Parmesan, a pinch of red pepper flakes or crumbled bacon if you like. Serve hot as a hearty soup dinner. - Slow cooker or crock pot soup variation
To make this as a crock pot soup, add the raw diced chicken, onion, carrots, celery, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Pour in the broth, stir, then cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is tender. About 20 minutes before serving, cook the pasta separately on the stove until just al dente. Stir the heavy cream, Parmesan, spinach and cooked pasta into the slow cooker and heat on High for 10 to 15 minutes, then serve.
Notes
Tips for best texture:
Start with the lower end of the broth amount and only add more if you want a looser soup. The pasta will keep soaking up liquid as the soup sits, so it is normal for leftovers to be thicker. When reheating, add a little warm broth or water to thin it back to your preferred consistency. Make ahead and meal prep:
If you plan to use this recipe for meal prep, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it to each bowl when serving. This keeps the pasta from becoming too soft. The base of the soup stores well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Lighter recette santé style version:
For a lighter bowl, use chicken breasts instead of thighs, reduce the cream by half and replace that amount with extra broth or milk. Add more vegetables such as spinach, kale, zucchini or mushrooms. You still get the cozy feel of Marry Me Chicken Soup with a bit less richness. Serving ideas:
Serve this creamy Tuscan style soup with crusty bread, garlic bread or a simple green salad. It is hearty enough to be the star of a soup dinner and makes great leftovers for lunches or another easy soup night. Nutrition Facts:
Start with the lower end of the broth amount and only add more if you want a looser soup. The pasta will keep soaking up liquid as the soup sits, so it is normal for leftovers to be thicker. When reheating, add a little warm broth or water to thin it back to your preferred consistency. Make ahead and meal prep:
If you plan to use this recipe for meal prep, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it to each bowl when serving. This keeps the pasta from becoming too soft. The base of the soup stores well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Lighter recette santé style version:
For a lighter bowl, use chicken breasts instead of thighs, reduce the cream by half and replace that amount with extra broth or milk. Add more vegetables such as spinach, kale, zucchini or mushrooms. You still get the cozy feel of Marry Me Chicken Soup with a bit less richness. Serving ideas:
Serve this creamy Tuscan style soup with crusty bread, garlic bread or a simple green salad. It is hearty enough to be the star of a soup dinner and makes great leftovers for lunches or another easy soup night. Nutrition Facts:
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 300
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Total Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Potassium: 450 mg
- Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Vitamin A: 1500 IU
- Vitamin C: 8 mg
- Calcium: 200 mg
- Iron: 2 mg