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An easy one pot soup using rotisserie chicken and quick-cooking tortellini, made in 40 min start to finish!
Cozy, comforting, rich with an oh-so-creamy chicken broth…what more do you need here? Oh that’s right, cheesy tortellini. Yes, please! Not to mention, this tortellini soup is truly perfect for fall. It’s perfect for winter. It’s perfect for all seasons.
With mirepoix, garlic, some dried seasoning (we love Italian seasoning in a pinch btw), a little bit of white wine (chicken stock sub is great here) and super convenient, quick cooking ingredients like leftover rotisserie chicken and refrigerated tortellini, this comes together lightening fast in less than 40 min. It’s also a one-and-done meal in a single pot. Less dishes and less clean up means more time for soup.
This recipe is also incredibly versatile. Sub your favorite kind of tortellini with meat, add a Parmesan rind and extra sneaked in vegetables like spinach or kale, or even more lemon juice for an extra lemony broth (if that’s your thing).
Freeze as needed, adding tortellini and heavy cream when serving. You never know when you’ll need a hug in a bowl like this.
tips and tricks for success
- Use up leftover chicken. This is a great recipe to repurpose any kind of leftover chicken (shredded or diced).
- Pick your favorite kind of refrigerated tortellini. Fresh refrigerated tortellini tastes much better than dry tortellini and cooks up so much faster.
- Choose a wine you will drink. A dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc) is great here – it does not have to be anything fancy or overpriced. Just something you don’t mind sipping on since you will have an open bottle.
- Add in some greens. Leafy greens like spinach and kale are great add-ons, especially for those picky eaters.
what to serve with chicken tortellini soup
Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
Unsalted butter allows you to add as much salt (or as little) salt in your dish. It allows for more control and consistency.
You can replace unsalted butter with salted butter in a pinch, reducing the amount of salt indicated in the recipe, and adding to taste.
Additional chicken stock can be used for white wine as a non-alcoholic substitute.
You can use either chicken broth or chicken stock but always season, to taste, as store-bought broth is often saltier than store-bought stock. Broth is made from meat and vegetables while stock is often lower sodium and thicker than broth, and is made from bones and vegetables.
Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) has one of the highest fat contents with about 36-40% fat. Half and half or whole milk are suitable substitutes, but will yield a lighter result.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the tortellini (or else they will get mushy) and heavy cream (cream soups tend to separate when frozen) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding freshly cooked tortellini and heavy cream when serving.
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated three cheese tortellini
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- 1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
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Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
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Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
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Stir in chicken stock and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.
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Stir in chicken and tortellini and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.
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Stir in heavy cream, peas, lemon juice and parsley until heated through, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
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Serve immediately.
