Description
Simmering with romance, marry me chicken soup delivers a hearty embrace of creamy Italian-inspired flavors that instantly charm dinner guests. Rich parmesan, tender chicken, and sun-dried tomatoes create a soul-warming bowl you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed and at room temperature
Main Ingredients:
- 2 (32-ounce) packages chicken broth
- 1.5 cups chopped yellow onion
- 8 ounces uncooked medium shell pasta
- 3 cups packed, roughly chopped fresh baby spinach
Seasonings and Dairy:
- 1 tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomato jar
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 teaspoons chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish (optional)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1.5 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more for garnish
- 1.5 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely shredded, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare a Dutch oven and heat sun-dried tomato oil over medium temperature, creating a shimmering surface. Introduce chopped onion and garlic, stirring continuously until they become soft and aromatic, approximately 3-4 minutes. Monitor garlic closely to prevent burning.
- Incorporate tomato paste and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, stirring consistently for 2 minutes. Observe the paste transforming to a deeper red, which enhances the tomato’s depth of flavor.
- Stream in chicken broth, heavy cream, and seasonings including basil, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper. Blend ingredients thoroughly and elevate to a boiling state over medium heat, which requires around 12 minutes with occasional stirring.
- When soup reaches a rolling boil, introduce uncooked pasta. Reduce heat to medium-low, allowing pasta to cook until achieving al dente texture, roughly 12 minutes. Periodically stir to prevent pasta from adhering to pot’s bottom.
- Lower heat and fold in chopped spinach, shredded chicken, cubed cream cheese, and Parmesan. Stir until cheese melts completely and chicken warms through, approximately 5 minutes. Soup will develop a thick, creamy consistency with vibrant spinach and sun-dried tomato specks.
- Transfer soup into serving bowls. Embellish with additional Parmesan, fresh basil, and optional crushed red pepper for enhanced warmth and presentation.
Notes
- Prevent pasta from becoming mushy by checking doneness a few minutes early, as it continues to soften while sitting in the warm soup.
- Swap heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk for a lighter version, maintaining creamy texture while reducing calories.
- Customize heat levels by adjusting crushed red pepper quantity or omitting completely for sensitive palates.
- Make this soup gluten-free by using alternative pasta like chickpea or rice pasta, ensuring similar hearty consistency.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 120mg