Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

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Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup has lots of veggies and the perfect seasoning blend. This easy, hearty, and delicious soup can ready in 30 minutes!

Pair this creamy soup with some crusty bread or freshly made Dinner Rolls, and a light salad such as this Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad.

Overhead image of the Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

This thick and robust soup is sure to be a cold-weather hit. It’s got something for everyone — the veggie lovers, the pasta lovers, the cheese lovers — this soup has everyone covered! It’s packed with veggies, loaded with pasta, and the base is creamy and cheesy.

Below I’ve written a quick overview of how to make this soup, followed by two photo collages illustrating the process.

QUICK TIP

What is tortellini? It’s a type of pasta shaped into a ring, usually filled with meat or cheese. Tortellini is Italian for “tiny little cakes.”

How to make Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

  1. Sauté veggies. Onions, carrots, celery, and a sweet bell pepper are sautéed in a little bit of butter and olive oil. Once veggies are crisp tender, add garlic into the mix.
  2. Cook tortellini in a separate pot. More on this below.
  3. Add seasonings and then thicken the soup. We use butter and flour as the base to thicken this soup. Make sure to briskly stir in the flour and cook it for a good 1-2 minutes to rid the flour of it’s raw taste.
  4. Add in milk and chicken broth/stock. While stirring constantly, gradually add the liquid into the soup. We add the liquid slowly to give it time to thicken properly. 
  5. Stir in corn and chicken. These two ingredients are added last since they’re both already cooked– they just need to get warmed through.
  6. Off the heat, add in the cheese. To avoid separation, we stir the cheese in after the soup has been removed from the burner. The heat of the soup will quickly melt the cheese.

Process shots-- images of the veggies being sautéed; seasonings being added; butter and flour being added; and it all being cooked.

Why cook the tortellini separately?

First of all, I recommend good-quality tortellini. There are frozen, fresh, and shelf-stable tortellini to choose from, as well as myriad brands, so it can be overwhelming. If you have a favorite tortellini, use that; otherwise there are some taste-tested recommendations here and here!

While it seems easiest to just cook the tortellini in this soup, I don’t recommend it for a few reasons.

  1. First, with all the different types of tortellini (shelf-stable, frozen, fresh), it’s hard to give recommendations for how long to cook each specific type of tortellini.
  2. Next, if there is leftover soup, the tortellini soaks up all the soup liquid and becomes overly bloated– resulting in an unpleasant texture. For leftovers, it’s better to store the tortellini separately from the soup.
  3. Finally, it’s actually faster to cook the tortellini separately. Yes, it dirties another pot, but you’ll have the tortellini ready to go about the same time the soup is ready instead of waiting on the tortellini to cook through in the soup liquid. It makes a lot of sense to do it in a separate pot (and I maintain, someone else should do those dishes since you’re making the soup!).

Rotisserie chicken

To make this a true 30-minute meal, the recipe calls for 1 and 1/2 cups of rotisserie chicken. To save even more time, you can purchase rotisserie chicken meat already pulled from the bones and shredded. Ask a deli worker if your local grocer carries this or if you’re unsure of the location in the store.

Use any leftover chicken in these amazing Rotisserie Chicken Tacos or Asian Chicken Tacos.

Process shots-- images of the chicken broth, cheese, chicken, corn, and tortellini being added to the pot.

Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup tips

  • Thoroughly sauté the veggies. To avoid crunchy veggies, make sure to take the time to really soften them at the beginning of the cook time. They don’t soften much more throughout the rest of the soup-making process.
  • Cut veggies about the same size for even cooking. With some pieces bigger than others, you’ll wind up with some mushy and some crisp veggies.
  • If using a cast-iron pot, make sure the flour doesn’t stick to the bottom (scrape the bottom thoroughly with a wooden spoon). If the flour does settle on the bottom, the soup won’t thicken properly.
  • Freshly grate the cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has a cellulose coating that results in a greasier/clumpier soup more prone to graininess and separation. Also, make sure to add the cheese off the heat to avoid soup separation. I recommend sharp or extra sharp Cheddar for a better flavor.
  • Don’t forget the fresh herbs. Parsley or thyme (or both) add such a great freshness and liveliness to this soup. They also help to cut through the richness of it.
  • Salt the water. Make sure the tortellini are well-salted as they cook; the salt is what seasons them. Along with seasoning the water for the tortellini, don’t forget to taste the soup often and add more seasonings as needed. If the soup tastes bland, it may just need a bit more salt and/or pepper!
  • If you’d like some more heat, increase the amount of cayenne pepper in this soup. Alternatively, add in a pinch or two of red pepper flakes.
  • For a thinner soup, add additional milk or stock. We prefer our soup to be fairly thick.

Time saving tips

  • Choose freshly made mirepoix (a combination of finely chopped onions, celery and carrots) in the produce section of the grocery store. You can often find it in the frozen vegetable section of the store; this is a huge time saver! We want about 2-1/2 cups total mirepoix for this soup.
  • Use pre-minced garlic. While I’ll always be a proponent of fresh garlic, there’s no denying time-saving benefits of pre-minced garlic or using a garlic press.
  • Set out the milk when you start. If the milk has some time to come to room temperature, it will heat much quicker in this soup. I typically measure it out and set it aside when first starting to prepare this soup.
  • Use a food processor to grate the cheese. If you have a food processor with a cheese grating attachment, put it to work here; you’ll have the grated cheese ready in a flash!

Overhead image of Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup with a spoon in the bowl, ready to be eaten.

Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup storage notes

  • Leftover soup can be refrigerated for 3-4 days, but I don’t recommend freezing it because of the dairy and tortellini. The milk solids will separate as the soup thaws, resulting in a grainy texture with a lot of separation. Additionally, cooked tortellini doesn’t freeze and thaw very well.
  • To reheat: Add the Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup to a pot and slowly increase the heat while stirring frequently. Don’t boil the soup or reheat it at a high temperature; this will likely cause the ingredients to separate or even curdle.
CROCKPOT Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup! Packed with flavor and so easy to make! Recipe via chelseasmessyapron.com

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Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

5 from 9 votes
Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup has lots of veggies and the perfect seasoning blend. This easy, hearty, and delicious soup can ready in 30 minutes!
Print Recipe

Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

5 from 9 votes
Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup has lots of veggies and the perfect seasoning blend. This easy, hearty, and delicious soup can ready in 30 minutes!
Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 423kcal
Author Chelsea Lords
Cost $5.24

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 small yellow onion diced (~1 cup)
  • 1 large carrot, diced (3/4 cup)
  • 1-2 stalks celery, diced (3/4 cup)
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons finely minced garlic (~2 cloves)
  • 1/3 cup white flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, dried oregano
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/16 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional
  • Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 3 cups milk (1%, 2% or whole; whole will be creamiest and is what I typically use)
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 and 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 1 cup freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1 bag (9 oz) refrigerated tortellini (See Note 1)
  • Optional: fresh thyme and/or 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley

Instructions

  • VEGGIES: In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper and saute 7-9 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds more.
  • TORTELLINI: In a separate pot, cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside. (Don't forget to salt the pasta water when cooking the tortellini; I add in 1 teaspoon salt to every 4 cups of water.)
  • SEASONINGS: Add the seasonings to the pot with the veggie -- dried thyme, dried oregano, Italian seasoning, and cayenne pepper (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, but add to personal preference.) Stir seasonings for 30 seconds.
  • THICKEN: Increase the heat to medium high. Push veggies to the sides of the pot and add the remaining 4 tablespoon butter to the center and stir until melted. Once melted, sprinkle in the flour. Briskly mix to incorporate the flour and then stir for 1 minute to cook off the raw flavor of the flour. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of chicken broth until it starts to thicken (~1 minute); then add the remaining chicken broth. Whisk until it thickens (~2-3 minutes) and then gradually add in the milk continuing to stir constantly. Slightly reduce the heat, cook stirring constantly, until mixture begins to gently boil and thicken (another ~2-5 minutes).
  • CORN AND CHICKEN: Reduce heat to medium low. Add in the frozen corn and rotisserie chicken. Stir to warm through. (If the soup has thickened too much, add in some additional chicken stock; I usually add up to 1/2 cup to 1 cup extra).
  • CHEESE AND SERVING: Remove pot from heat and add in the cheese. Stir to melt. Season soup to taste with any additional salt and pepper. Add in parsley (if using). Serve, adding tortellini to individual bowls. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve with crusty bread if desired.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Tortellini: I recommend good quality tortellini. There are frozen, fresh, and shelf-stable tortellini to choose from, as well as myriad brands, so it can be overwhelming. If you have a favorite tortellini, use that; otherwise there are some taste-tested recommendations here and here!
While it seems easiest to just cook the tortellini in this soup, I don't recommend it for a few reasons.
  1. First, with all the different types of tortellini (shelf-stable, frozen, fresh), it's hard to give recommendations for how to cook each specific type of tortellini in this soup.
  2. Next, if there is leftover soup, the tortellini soaks up all the soup liquid and becomes overly bloated resulting in an unpleasant texture. For leftovers, it's better to store the tortellini separately from the soup.
  3. Finally, it's actually faster to cook the tortellini separately. Yes, it dirties another pot, but you'll have the tortellini ready to go about the same time the soup is ready instead of waiting on the tortellini to cook through in the soup liquid.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings | Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 596mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2050IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 278mg | Iron: 1mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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29 Comments

  1. Chicken noodle has always been a favorite of mine, but I agree, had in some tortellini and make it creamy and it’s amazing! I love this soup, Chelsea! Sounds so flavorful and comforting during the winter, or anytime! Pinned!

  2. Mhmmm! This looks amazing, Chelsea! We just had our first big rain day (I live in CA so it’s sunshine most days) and this would have been so cozy to eat by the Christmas tree with the pitter-pattering in the background. Also, LOVE tortellini in soup! Just posted an Italian meatball/tortellini soup recipe for my blog a few days ago as well. The cheesy pasta bites are divine!

  3. Oh man… my wife has been nudging me to make soup for her, and I know she would totally love this. The question now is… should I be an all-star husband and make this for her? Hahaha… I think I know the right answer. 🙂

    This is ultimate comfort food… love it!

  4. I have never been a huge fan of regular classic chicken noodle soup either. It’s fine but not my favorite by any means! But this … with the tortellini and the creaminess? I think I could definitely get behind this!!

  5. 5 stars
    When I received this recipe and read it, I knew I had to make it for my family. Wow! Super tasty 😋 and everyone enjoyed it!

  6. 5 stars
    When I received this recipe, I knew I had to make it for my family. I cooked this tonight and wow! super tasty 😋 and everyone enjoyed it! Thanks Chelsea!

  7. 5 stars
    I have made other recipes similar to this, but this will be my new go to recipe for when I’m craving Tortellini. Thank you for sharing:)

  8. 5 stars
    My first review didn’t post. So lets try again. This soup is off the chart! Easy to make, fun and just great. Thanks!

  9. 5 stars
    This soup was delicious! My husband and I really enjoyed it. I have shared it with a dozen people already. It’s finally soup weather in Vegas.

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