Description
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup is a comforting and flavorful soup made with tender chicken thighs, small pasta shells, baby spinach, sun dried tomatoes, and a creamy parmesan broth. It features a rich and creamy texture from heavy cream and parmesan cheese, complemented by a subtle wine-infused base and a touch of cornflour slurry to thicken. This hearty soup is perfect for a satisfying lunch or dinner, with easy-to-follow steps and versatile ingredient options.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 500 g chicken thighs, skinless boneless
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Soup Base
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large celery stems, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine (optional)
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 250 g small pasta shells (or other small pasta)
Finishing Ingredients
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 cup thickened/heavy cream
- 2 packed cups baby spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomato strips, chopped into 1 cm pieces, plus oil for drizzling
Soup Thickener (Cornflour Slurry)
- 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water
Instructions
- Cook chicken: Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Melt 30 g unsalted butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once foamy, place chicken in the pot and cook for 3 minutes on the first side until light golden, then flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes. The chicken may still be raw inside. Remove chicken onto a plate.
- Prepare soup base: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add minced garlic, chopped onion, and sliced celery into the same pot. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the onion softens.
- Deglaze with wine: Increase heat to high, add 1/2 cup chardonnay or dry white wine (if using), stir, and let it simmer until the wine reduces by half.
- Add broth and pasta: Pour in 4 cups chicken stock, 3 cups water, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil. Add 250 g small pasta shells and cook according to packet instructions (approximately 10 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add chicken: While pasta is cooking, chop the partially cooked chicken into 1.5 cm pieces. Add the chicken pieces back into the pot to finish cooking with the pasta.
- Finish soup: Once pasta is tender, reduce heat to low. Stir in 1 cup grated parmesan cheese until melted. Mix in the cornflour slurry (2 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tsp water), 1 cup heavy cream, and 2 packed cups chopped baby spinach. Stir continuously for 1 minute until spinach wilts and soup thickens slightly.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomato strips and a drizzle of their oil for garnish. Serve immediately.
- Storing leftovers: Separate pasta and chicken from the broth before refrigerating to prevent pasta from bloating. Store both separately in the refrigerator. Reheat by combining as desired, using a slotted spoon to transfer pasta and chicken.
Notes
- Chicken: If using chicken breast, slice each breast horizontally to create two thin pieces and cook as directed.
- Wine: Adds depth of flavor. For a non-alcoholic alternative, use zero-alcohol white wine or substitute half the water with additional chicken stock.
- Pasta substitutions: Small pasta like ditalini, small macaroni, or orzo can be used. For gluten-free pasta, consider increasing cornflour slightly to thicken the soup.
- Alternatives to pasta include cubed potatoes (reduce cook time to 7 minutes) or white rice (use about 1 cup uncooked). Avoid brown rice as it takes too long to cook.
- Parmesan: Use fridge-stored sandy-type parmesan for best melting results. Avoid shelf-stable pre-grated versions.
- Cream substitution: For a lighter version, replace cream with 1 1/2 cups full-fat milk and reduce water by 1/2 cup. This reduces calories but may affect color.
- Sun dried tomatoes add a punch of flavor and a pleasant finishing touch with their red oil drizzle.
- For best make-ahead results, drain pasta and chicken from broth before storing. Recombine at reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 320 g)
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
