This Chicken Tortellini Soup is extra easy to make and comes together in only one pot in 40 minutes. It’s nutrient-dense, filling, and a great choice for weeknight dinners.
You’ll love this soup recipe if you enjoy recipes like Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Chicken Corn Soup, and Wild Rice Mushroom Soup.
This recipe is designed for evenings when time is tight, but you still want a homemade meal. Cooked quickly in just one pot, it’s meant to minimize your cooking and cleanup time so you can get dinner on the table as quickly as possible.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Straightforward ingredients you may already have in your kitchen.
- A one-pot recipe that comes together in only 40 minutes.
- A great choice for creatively using store-bought rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken.
- Stores well in the refrigerator and is freezer-friendly.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this chicken tortellini soup recipe
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Sauté Onion: To a large soup pot over medium-high heat, add butter. Once that has melted, add onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
- Add Veggies and Seasonings: Add in carrots, celery, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add Broth Then Simmer: Pour in the chicken broth, increase the stovetop heat to high, and bring that to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the stovetop heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 10 minutes so that the veggies can soften.
- Add Chicken and Tortellini: Carefully add in the chicken and tortellini, then stir. Increase the stovetop heat to medium-high and cook for 3-5 minutes. (Reduce the stovetop heat to medium or medium-low if soup begins to boil.)
- Add Salt and Pepper: Carefully taste test and add salt and pepper, based on taste preferences.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and, optionally, garnish with chopped parsley and pepper, then serve.
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Butter: Use olive oil, avocado oil, or any other neutral cooking oil.
- Cheese Tortellini: Use spinach, beef, or mushroom tortellini. I’ve made this several times with a variety of tortellini recipes, and they’ve all worked well.
- Cooked Shredded Chicken: If you don’t have or don’t want to use cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, start by seasoning both sides of ~1 pound of chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add some oil to the soup pot and heat over medium-high heat, then add chicken and sear for 3 minutes on each side, then remove and set aside for a little before shredding. It’s OK if it’s not fully cooked through because it will finish cooking once added to the soup. Set aside until Instructions indicate to add the cooked chicken to the soup. Alternatively, shredded cooked turkey, cooked white beans, or chickpeas can be used.
✨ Variations
- Increase the amount of red pepper flakes, or add diced jalapeños for extra heat.
- Stir in a half cup of heavy cream or coconut milk at the end of cooking for a creamier texture.
- Add more vegetables like fresh baby spinach, kale, or zucchini during the last few minutes of cooking for extra nutrients.
- Garnish each bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice and/or a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese right before serving.
〰️ How to serve
- Bread — Serve with slices of no knead artisan bread or crusty bread.
- Salad — Pair with creamy dill cucumber onion salad.
- Veggies — Serve alongside baked sliced zucchini or baked tomatoes with cheese.
💬 FAQs
How should this chicken tortellini soup be stored and reheated?
Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat it on the stove over medium heat until hot, adding a little extra broth or water if the soup has thickened too much in the fridge.
Can chicken tortellini soup be frozen?
Yes, but with a caveat. Freeze the soup without the tortellini, as it will likely become mushy once thawed. Freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, reheat on the stove, and cook fresh tortellini directly in the soup until tender.
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Chicken Tortellini Soup
This Chicken Tortellini Soup is extra easy to make and comes together in only one pot in 40 minutes. It’s nutrient-dense, filling, and a great choice for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled then chopped
- 3 celery ribs, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 cups 64 ounces chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, see Recipe Notes below regarding using raw chicken
- 1 18- ounce package refrigerated cheese tortellini
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional Garnishes:
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Freshly-cracked pepper
Instructions
- Sauté Onion: To a large soup pot over medium-high heat, add butter. Once melted, add onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
- Add Veggies and Seasonings: Add in carrots, celery, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add Broth Then Simmer: Pour in chicken broth, increase stovetop heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce stovetop heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 10 minutes so the veggies can soften.
- Add Chicken and Tortellini: Carefully add in chicken and tortellini, then stir. Increase stovetop heat to medium-high and cook for 3-5 minutes. (Reduce stovetop heat to medium or medium-low if soup begins to boil.)
- Add Salt and Pepper: Carefully taste test and add salt and pepper, based on taste preferences.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and, optionally, garnish with chopped parsley and pepper, then serve.
Video
Recipe Notes
Using Raw Chicken: If you don’t have or don’t want to use cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, start by seasoning both sides of ~1 pound of chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add some oil to the soup pot and heat over medium-high heat, then add chicken and sear for 3 minutes on each side, then remove and set aside for a little before shredding. It’s OK if it’s not fully cooked through because it will finish cooking once added to the soup. Set aside until Instructions indicate to add the cooked chicken to the soup.
Refrigerator Storage: Store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium heat until hot, adding a little extra broth or water if the soup has thickened too much in the fridge.
Freezer Storage: Freeze soup without the tortellini, as it will likely become mushy once thawed. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, reheat on the stove, and cook fresh tortellini directly in the soup until tender.
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