Tuscan Chicken Soup (Printable Version)
Simmer chicken, veggies, and pasta shells together in a rich creamy base—just toss in spinach and cheese for a meal that'll warm you up.
# What You'll Need:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
600–720 millilitres fresh spinach, loosely packed
02 -
50–100 grams grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
03 -
240 millilitres heavy whipping cream
04 -
170 grams Italian small pasta shells
05 -
1.5 litres chicken broth, plus more as needed
06 -
2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
07 -
32 grams plain flour
08 -
3 garlic cloves, minced
09 -
35 grams sundried tomatoes, diced
10 -
80 grams onions, diced
11 -
80 grams celery, diced
12 -
80 grams carrots, diced
13 -
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
14 -
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
15 -
680 grams boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, diced into 2.5 cm pieces
16 -
1 teaspoon olive oil
# Step-by-Step Guide:
01 -
Taste everything. Sprinkle in more salt or bump up the spice if you feel like it. Enjoy it while it's hot.
02 -
Drop in the cream, spinach, and that lovely Parmigiano Reggiano. Let it bubble without the lid for about five minutes, stirring till the leaves go all soft and the mix thickens up.
03 -
Crank things up to a boil. Drop your pasta, any leftover Italian seasoning, and more salt and pepper if you want. Pop the lid on, turn the heat to low, and let it bubble gently for 20 minutes till the noodles are cooked and chicken's soft.
04 -
Start pouring in the chicken broth slowly. Scrape up anything stuck to the bottom so it all blends together and you don't get lumps.
05 -
Scatter the flour over the veggies a bit at a time and give it a big stir. Squeeze in the tomato paste if you like, and keep mixing until you don't see any dry spots.
06 -
Throw in the garlic, sundried tomatoes, onions, celery, and carrots. Stir and cook until they smell awesome and look see-through—takes about three minutes.
07 -
Drizzle olive oil into your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Toss in diced chicken with half the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Let it cook a few minutes until it looks golden all over.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
Short on time? Use about 6 cups of broth for a rich finish, or splash more in if you want it lighter.
02 -
You can skip the tomato paste if you want it creamy, or add some for a little bit of tang.
03 -
To keep your pasta firm, boil it on its own and only drop it in at the end—especially handy if you're planning on leftovers.
04 -
Want it lighter or dairy-free? Use whole milk or coconut milk instead of cream, but it'll turn out a bit runnier.
05 -
If the soup gets extra thick after sitting, splash in more broth or even a little water when you warm it up.
06 -
Flour thickens the mix, but swapping it for cream cheese makes things thicker and richer in its own way.
07 -
Leftover roasted chicken? No problem—just add at the end and heat enough to get it nice and warm.
08 -
Doing this in a slow cooker? Toss in everything except the pasta, cream, spinach, and cheese. Let it go eight hours on low or four on high. Boil your pasta on the side, then combine it with the cream, greens, and cheese right before eating.