Easy Weeknight Chicken Tortellini Soup
Cozy, hearty, and done in under an hour — tender chicken, cheesy tortellini, spinach, and stewed tomatoes in a lightly spiced broth. The key move: cook the tortellini separately so it stays perfectly al dente.
This is my go-to “everyone’s hungry and I need dinner fast” soup. It’s simple, super flavorful, and feels like comfort food without being heavy. You get the best of both worlds: a clean, savory broth + cheesy tortellini that doesn’t get mushy because we cook it in its own pot.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 32 oz organic chicken broth
- 2–3 Organic chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
- 1 (14–15 oz) can stewed tomatoes
- 10 oz Organic frozen spinach
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 large family pack fresh tortellini (or frozen)
- Grated cheese for topping (Parmesan recommended)
Instructions
- Start the broth: In a large pot over medium-high heat, add chicken broth, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Cook the chicken: Once boiling, add the chicken chunks. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 8–12 minutes (time depends on chunk size).
- Add tomatoes + spinach: Stir in the stewed tomatoes, then add the frozen spinach. Simmer 5–8 minutes until the spinach is hot and everything tastes blended. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
- Cook tortellini separately: While the soup simmers, bring a second pot of water to a gentle boil. Lightly salt the water (tortellini is already salty from the filling). Cook tortellini al dente per package directions, then drain.
- Serve: Add tortellini to each bowl, then ladle the hot soup over the top. Finish with grated cheese.
Notes & Tips
- Why cook tortellini separately? It keeps the pasta from soaking up broth and turning soft, especially for leftovers.
- Leftovers: Store soup and tortellini separately if you can. Reheat soup, then add tortellini to the bowl.
- Heat level: Start with 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes and build from there.
