Chicken Tortellini Soup

This chicken tortellini soup is a cozy weeknight dinner that's on the table in 30 minutes. It's a fun twist on chicken noodle soup but made with creamy pockets of cheese. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, add broth, and simmer the chicken and tortellini. Voilà: before the garlic bread comes out of the oven, soup is on! Meals like this one-pot hit are a lifesaver on busy nights, chilly nights, or anytime you crave comfort food.

What kind of tortellini is best for chicken tortellini soup?

Tortellini comes in many styles—refrigerated, frozen, and dried—and the filling can range from classic cheese to hearty meat or spinach blends. For soup, the refrigerated or frozen versions are usually your best bet. They’re plumper, with a richer, creamier filling that tastes closer to homemade pasta. They also hold their shape nicely in hot broth and cook in just a few minutes, which makes them the most flavorful and practical choice when you’re making a quick weeknight soup.

What kind of chicken goes into chicken tortellini soup?

Borrow one of Ree's favorite weeknight dinner hacks and use a juicy rotisserie chicken. (Leftover turkey would be delicious here, too.) But if your family prefers only white meat, you can cook a few chicken breasts instead. Before sautéing the onions, carrots, and celery, slice three boneless skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Season them with salt and pepper and sauté them in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and cook the vegetables. Add the chicken back in with the tortellini.

What vegetables can you add to chicken tortellini soup?

Stir in 3 cups of baby spinach for a veggie boost or a squeeze of lemon for a hint of bright, citrusy flavor. If you want to add even more veggies, frozen peas, corn, or broccoli will all work.

Do you cook tortellini before adding it to soup?

Nope, this tortellini cooks right in the soup pot! This is not just convenient—the starchy noodles also act as a natural thickener, giving the soup body.

Can you make chicken tortellini soup ahead of time?

Yes, but if you're making it in advance, cook the tortellini separately and add it to the soup just before serving. If the tortellini sits in the soup for too long, it will absorb too much broth and may become mushy.

Can chicken tortellini soup be frozen?

Sure, but you'll need to remove the tortellini from the broth and freeze both separately. This will preserve the pasta's texture. Allow the soup to cool completely before freezing it. Divvy up the soup and tortellini into freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags for easy storage. Reheat the soup in a saucepan until simmering. Then stir in the tortellini and simmer until the pasta is heated through.

What side dishes go well with tortellini soup?

Serve this cozy dinner with buttered dinner rolls and a Caesar salad on the side. Or, try cheesy monkey bread and Greek salad.