Chicken Tortellini Soup
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This easy Chicken Tortellini Soup is a delightful twist on chicken noodle soup that will bring some serious comfort food to your table without much fuss. It’s kid-friendly, freezer-friendly, and delicious. Make it on the stove, in the crockpot, or in the Instant Pot!
What’s to Love About This Soup
Besides the versatility of cooking method, what I love about this soup is how easy it is to make on a weeknight. Plus, it’s pretty darn healthy–lots of veggies and lean protein, but my kids think the cheese tortellini is a treat.
Be sure to double the batch for leftovers or to make into a freezer meal, because I think your crew will like this one.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need on hand to throw this together:
- Avocado oil or olive oil
- Diced carrots
- Diced celery
- Diced onion
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Pre-minced garlic
- Low-sodium chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
- Water
- Italian seasoning
- Poultry seasoning
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Frozen or fresh cheese tortellini – Tip: Check the package to find one with the most recognizable and least amount of ingredients.
- Optional toppings: Fresh chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Step-by-Step: How to Make Chicken Tortellini Soup
Whether you make this soup on the stove, in the slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot, you’ll follow these three basic steps:
Step 1: Sauté the veggies
Pre-cooking veggies adds depth of flavor and ensures that they are fully cooked. No one wants to bite into an undercooked veggie in their soup.
Step 2: Cook the soup (including the chicken) and shred the chicken.
After veggies are sautéed, you’ll add the rest of the ingredients (minus the tortellini) and cook it. Once the chicken is fully cooked, you’ll remove it and shred it.
Step 3: Cook the tortellini in the soup at the end.
Tortellini cooks so fast so you will simply add it at the end!
Can You Freeze Chicken Tortellini Soup?
Yes, this soup can be frozen with some caveats.
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OPTION 1: Freeze Before Cooking (Preferred Method)
If you want your soup to taste like a fresh meal on the other end, this is the best method for freezing. It ensures that your chicken doesn’t get tough and that your pasta doesn’t get mushy.
Freeze For Later: Follow step 1. Let the veggies cool, then transfer them to a gallon-size freezer bag or round container. Add the chicken, broth, water, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Seal and freeze alongside a bag of 3-4 cups frozen tortellini. Tip: Double bag the soup to help prevent leaks and freeze flat.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw the soup (but not the frozen tortellini). Add to a large pot (or the slow cooker) and follow Steps 3-6.
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OPTION 2: Freeze After Cooking
The caveat to this method is that the pasta will get a bit mushy in the freezer, but my kids still enjoy it this way! So, I often freeze leftovers in SouperCubes or 2-Cup Pyrex bowls for lunches. Let thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then rewarm in the microwave or over medium heat on the stovetop.
Note: Because the pasta soaks up the liquid overnight and expands, you may need to add more broth or water to any leftovers.
Can I Make This Soup in the Crockpot?
Absolutely! To make this in the crockpot, the steps will be a tad different.
Saute the Veggies
In a large skillet, sauté the veggies is directed in the recipe below. Transfer the vegetables to the slower cooker and add the chicken, broth and seasonings.
Slow Cook & Shred the Chicken
Cover and cook on Low for about 3 hours. (The chicken is done when it is no longer pink inside and/or registers 165°F internally.) Shockingly, this is how long to cook chicken in the slow cooker!
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks or dice. Set aside.
Cook the Tortellini on High
Set the slow cooker to High. Add the tortellini to the cooker, stir, cover, and cook for 15 minutes more, or until the tortellini are cooked all the way through.
Stir the chicken into the soup. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley and topped with freshly grated Parmesan, if desired.
Can I Make This Soup in the Instant Pot?
Yes! We actually have an entire post on how to make Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup. If you are interested in that, hop over and grab the recipe!
How to Serve Chicken Tortellini Soup
Top with some freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley (for some color).
Try this soup with a side dish like one of these ideas…
10+ Amazing Crock Pot Soups
If you like slow cooker soups, you will love this round up we have put together with our best of the best recipes.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Chicken Tortellini Soup
A delightful twist on chicken noodle soup that will bring some serious comfort food to your table without much fuss.
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 3 or 4 medium carrots or 1/2 lb baby carrots, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 or 4 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 teaspoon pre-minced garlic)
- 6 cups (48 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed in hand
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3–4 cups frozen cheese tortellini (GF: Use gluten-free pasta. DF: Use egg noodles or your favorite pasta instead. Cook in the soup according to package directions.)
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (DF: Omit this item.)
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Instructions
Make It Now:
(Find the Crockpot instructions in the Notes below or make Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup.)
1. In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook until they begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper while they cook. Stir in the garlic during the last 30 to 60 seconds of cooking. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
2. Stir in the broth, water, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and the chicken.
3. Bring soup to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or just until the chicken is done (no longer pink inside or registers 165 F internally). Using tongs, remove the chicken to a wooden cutting board.
4. Bring the soup to a boil again and stir in the tortellini. Cook the tortellini according to package directions, probably 3-5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, shred the chicken with two forks or dice it and stir back into the soup. Add more water or broth, if the soup is too thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
6. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and topped with freshly grated Parmesan, if desired.
Freeze For Later: Follow step 1. Let the veggies cool, then transfer them to a gallon-size freezer bag or round container. Add the chicken, broth, water, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Seal and freeze alongside a bag of 3-4 cups frozen tortellini. Tip: Double bag the soup to help prevent leaks and freeze flat.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw the soup (but not the frozen tortellini). Add to a large pot and follow Steps 3-6.
Notes/Tips
- Crockpot Version: Saute veggies in Step 1 in a skillet. Add the veggies, broth, water, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and the chicken to a crock pot. Cook on Low for 3 hours or until the chicken is done (no longer pink inside or registers 165 F internally). Using tongs, remove the chicken to a wooden cutting board. Turn the crockpot to High setting, stir in tortellini, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes or until done. Follow Steps 5-6.
- Instant Pot Version: Make our Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free cheese tortellini or pasta instead.
- Dairy-Free Version: Use your favorite pasta instead of tortellini, making sure to boil it in the soup as long as the package says.
- Because the pasta soaks up the liquid overnight and expands, this soup is best eaten the day you make it, but you can always add more broth or water to leftovers.
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