I used to not be a big fan of soups as an entree. I’d rather have it as a starter to warm up for the main course. That is to say, until I made this creamy chicken tortellini soup!
This hearty soup is a combination of plump cheese filled italian tortellini, rotisserie chicken, and a creamy soup that has all of the flavors of a great alfredo.
Simple Soups
I love making big batches of soup! First, because they are usually one-pot wonders! Nothing beats a nice easy clean up for me! And if you don’t have a great soup or stock pot, get one now. I love my Gotham Steel 5 Qt. Pot! It’s non-stick and oven safe up to 500 degrees!
Also, not only are soups a simple clean up, they are just as simple to make! I always start my soups with the same process.
- First, cook down my chopped veggies.
- Second, pour in my clear liquids (wine, stock, broth, water, tomato sauce, whatever you want).
- BTBRTS- Bring to boil, reduce to simmer.
- Add in my proteins (cooked chicken, sausage, beans, lentils…).
- Stir in the dairy, if using cream, milk, or cheeses.
- Finally, finish off with fresh herbs and toppings and serve!
Hidden Veggies
Here’s a little secret: this decadent soup is packed with hidden veggies! As I may have mentioned before, my fiance has the palate of a 4-year old. He won’t even look twice at anything green, and forget trying to get him to eat a carrot. As a result, I am in constant worry that he isn’t getting all a balanced diet. So (let’s keep this between us), any chance I get, I sneak in some vegetables where I can.
This soup is no exception. To his eye, it is a creamy, alfredo-like chicken soup. Little does he know it’s packed full of veggies. Like most chicken soup recipes, this one starts with a mirepoix (celery, onions, and carrots). Now, instead of leaving there floating in the soup for Zach to grimace at, I did a thing!
After the veggies have gotten soft from cooking in the broth for about 10 minutes, and all of their flavor has infused in the broth, strain them out! Next, drop them in the food processor and give them a few good pulses until they are smooth. Now, add as much or as little of the puree as you’d like back into the broth.
I do this with tomato sauce, and mashed potatoes (with cauliflower). This is a great way to sneak a few extra veggies into your picky kids diets. Or in my case, in my picky adult’s diet.
This simple, creamy chicken tortellini soup comes together in a flash! Delicious and simple, this easy weeknight lunch or dinner is the perfect combination of a hearty soup, stuffed italian pasta, and delicious rotisserie chicken!
Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium white onion
- 4 stalks celery
- 2 carrots peeled
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth/stock
- 2 cups water
- ½ tbsp dried rosemary
- ½ tbsp dried italian seasoning
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1½ tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 20 oz cheese tortellini uncooked
- 1 rotisserie chicken 2-3lbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Dice onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Add to pot and cook for about 5 minutes or until onions and celery become translucent.
- Add chicken broth, water, rosemary, italian seasoning, onion powder, salt and pepper to the veggies. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
- (OPTIONAL): At this point, I strained the veggies out of the broth and pureed them, adding half of the puree back to the broth-- a good way to hide veggies from picky eaters!
- Add in the heavy cream and return to a simmer. Add tortellini to the pot, and allow to cook for about 3 minutes, until just al dente. Turn off the heat/remove the pot from the burner
- Stir in grated parmesan and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
