Description
Marry Me Chicken Soup is a creamy, flavorful soup featuring tender seared chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, tortellini, and spinach in a savory broth enhanced with white wine, Parmesan cheese, and aromatic herbs. This comforting and rich soup is perfect for a satisfying meal that's easy to prepare and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Soup Base
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 (8 oz.) jar sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons oil reserved from jar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 teaspoon basil
- 3/4 teaspoon oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
Finishing Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 10 oz refrigerated tortellini (about 2 heaping cups)
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Pat chicken breasts dry and season each side with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- Sear Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil reserved from sun-dried tomatoes in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until a light golden crust develops. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes, then dice. Turn off heat.
- Deglaze Pot: Add white wine to the soup pot and set heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom and sides, incorporating browned bits into the wine to boost flavor.
- Sauté Onion: Add butter and diced onion to the pot. Cook for 10 minutes until the wine is reduced by half and onions are softened.
- Add Flavorings: Drain and pat sun-dried tomatoes dry. Add tomatoes, minced garlic, tomato paste, basil, oregano, parsley, Dijon mustard, and honey to the pot. Stir continuously and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add Broth: Pour in chicken broth and add the chicken bouillon cube. Stir to combine.
- Blend Soup Base: Use an immersion blender to blend the broth until smooth, or carefully transfer in batches to a blender and blend.
- Simmer with Chicken: Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add diced chicken and any juices from the plate back into the pot. Gently simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes without boiling to avoid toughening the chicken. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom.
- Add Cream and Cheese: Reduce heat to low and let soup cool for 1 minute. Gradually stir in heavy cream followed by grated Parmesan cheese until well combined.
- Cook Tortellini: Add tortellini to the soup and simmer partially covered until pasta is cooked through. Alternatively, cook tortellini separately and add at serving for best texture if anticipating leftovers.
- Wilt Spinach and Serve: Stir in baby spinach during the last minute of cooking until wilted. Serve immediately hot.
Notes
- Use Sauvignon Blanc for the best white wine flavor; Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio work as alternatives. If avoiding wine, use additional chicken broth.
- Dijon mustard and honey add subtle sweet and tangy notes that enhance flavor without being overtly tasted.
- Choose fresh grated Parmesan cheese instead of pre-grated for better melting and taste.
- If you have extra tortellini, try making Sausage Tortellini Soup for another meal.
- Adding a Parmesan rind during simmering boosts richness; remove before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Tortellini absorbs broth over time, so cook separately if saving for later.
- This soup freezes well if tortellini is cooked separately and added when reheating.
- Fresh garlic provides better flavor compared to jarred minced garlic.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
