Chicken Tortellini Soup with Spinach

Name: Chicken Tortellini Soup with Spinach
Prep time: 19 min
Cook time: 36 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium (about 1 cup diced) (150 g) yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 medium (about 1 cup diced) (150 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 ribs (about ¾ cup diced) (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 2 tsp (3 g) dried Italian seasoning; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); 8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 1 lb (2 medium breasts) (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat; if one breast is much thicker than the other, halve it horizontally so pieces are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick; 1 leaf (1 g) dried bay leaf; ½ tsp, plus more to taste (3 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 12 oz (340 g) refrigerated cheese tortellini; 5 oz (about 5 packed cups) (140 g) baby spinach, rinsed, large stems removed; 1 tbsp (from about ½ lemon) (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ½ cup (40 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan, finely grated, for serving

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A cozy, brothy Italian-style soup with gently poached chicken breast, sweet sautéed vegetables, plump cheese tortellini and tender spinach, finished with a squeeze of lemon. It takes about an hour start to finish and uses just one pot.

Prep: 19 min
Cook: 36 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: About 10 cups (6 generous bowls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium (about 1 cup diced) (150 g) yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 medium (about 1 cup diced) (150 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 ribs (about ¾ cup diced) (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tsp (3 g) dried Italian seasoning
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb (2 medium breasts) (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat; if one breast is much thicker than the other, halve it horizontally so pieces are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick
1 leaf (1 g) dried bay leaf
½ tsp, plus more to taste (3 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
12 oz (340 g) refrigerated cheese tortellini
5 oz (about 5 packed cups) (140 g) baby spinach, rinsed, large stems removed
1 tbsp (from about ½ lemon) (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ cup (40 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan, finely grated, for serving

Equipment (7)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) Dutch oven or heavy soup pot with lid
Cutting board and sharp chef's knife
Wooden spoon
Tongs
Two forks (for shredding chicken)
Instant-read thermometer
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Use refrigerated (fresh) cheese tortellini, not frozen or dried; check the package time, since brands vary from 3 to 7 minutes.
Choose low-sodium chicken broth so you control the salt. Season only at the end, because the Parmesan and broth both add salt.
Chop all vegetables before you turn on the stove. The sauté moves quickly once it starts.
Plan on about 1 hour total. Have an instant-read thermometer ready, because the thermometer, not the clock, tells you when the chicken is done.
Serve the soup right after the tortellini cook. If you hold it, the pasta keeps absorbing broth and turns soft.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Dice the onion, carrots and celery into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces so they cook evenly and fit on a spoon with the tortellini.
- Mince the garlic.
- Trim the chicken and, if needed, halve thick breasts horizontally so all pieces are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
- Rinse the spinach and remove any thick stems.
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Ready when: Vegetables are in uniform small dice and chicken pieces are an even thickness.
Tip: Even pieces of chicken poach at the same rate, so none dry out while others are still raw.
2
Soften the vegetables
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery and ½ tsp salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, carrots are slightly tender, and nothing has browned.
Tip: If the vegetables begin to brown, lower the heat. Browning makes the broth taste heavier rather than fresh.
3
Bloom garlic and herbs
- Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
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Ready when: The garlic smells fragrant and is pale gold, not brown.
Tip: Don't walk away. Burnt garlic turns bitter and can't be fixed.
4
Add broth and chicken
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the bay leaf and nestle the chicken into the liquid so it is fully submerged.
- Raise the heat to high, cover, and bring just to a boil, about 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break across the whole surface of the broth.
5
Gently poach the chicken
- Reduce the heat to low (or medium-low if needed) so the broth barely simmers, with only a few lazy bubbles breaking the surface.
- Cover and cook for 14 minutes.
- Lift the lid and insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the largest piece, then check a second piece.
- Both must read 165°F (74°C).
- If either is under 165°F, re-cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, then recheck.
- Repeat until every piece reaches 165°F.
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Ready when: The thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of every piece, and the meat is opaque white throughout.
Tip: A hard boil makes poached chicken tough and stringy. If the broth stops bubbling entirely, nudge the heat up slightly. Leave the chicken in the pot until it is confirmed at 165°F.
6
Rest and shred chicken
- Turn off the heat.
- Once the chicken is confirmed at 165°F (74°C), use tongs to move it to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Fish out and discard the bay leaf.
- Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks.
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Ready when: The meat pulls apart easily into moist strands.
Tip: Shred it while it's still warm. It comes apart much more easily than when cold.
7
Cook the tortellini
- Return the pot to medium-high heat and bring the broth back to a steady simmer, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tortellini and cook for the time on the package, usually 3 to 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
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Ready when: The tortellini float and one cut in half is hot and tender through the center, with no firm white ring.
Tip: Pull them just as they turn tender. They will keep softening in the hot broth.
8
Wilt the spinach
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Stir in the spinach a handful at a time, then return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring gently.
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Ready when: The spinach is bright green and collapsed, and the chicken is steaming hot.
Tip: Don't cook the spinach longer. It turns dull and slimy.
9
Season to finish
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the lemon juice.
- Taste the broth and add more salt, about ¼ teaspoon at a time, and more pepper until the flavors taste bright and balanced.
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Ready when: The soup tastes savory with a slight lift from the lemon, not sour.
Tip: Add the lemon off the heat so its fresh flavor doesn't cook away.
10
Serve right away
- Ladle the soup into warm bowls, making sure each gets plenty of tortellini and chicken.
- Top each bowl with some of the grated Parmesan and serve immediately.
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Tip: Serve at once. The tortellini absorb broth as the soup sits.

Good to know

Tips

Poach the chicken whole in the broth rather than cooking it separately; it flavors the soup and stays juicy.
Keep the chicken at a bare simmer, not a rolling boil, to avoid tough meat and cloudy broth.
Add a Parmesan rind to the broth with the chicken for deeper savory flavor, and remove it before serving.
If you plan to have leftovers, cook only as much tortellini as you'll eat now by boiling the extra separately and adding it to each bowl.

Make ahead

"Make the soup base through step 6 up to 3 days ahead. After shredding the chicken (bay leaf removed), let the pot of broth and vegetables cool, then refrigerate it within 2 hours in an airtight container. Refrigerate the shredded chicken in a separate covered container. To finish, bring the broth and vegetables to a simmer over medium-high heat, then follow steps 7–9: cook the tortellini, stir in the spinach and the cold chicken (cook until the chicken is steaming hot, 165°F/74°C), and add the lemon and seasoning. Serve as in step 10."

Storage & reheating

"Cool the finished soup within 2 hours. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; the tortellini will soften and absorb broth, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat until steaming hot (165°F/74°C). Not recommended at room temperature beyond 2 hours. For freezing, freeze the base (broth, vegetables and chicken, without tortellini or spinach) for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, then finish with fresh tortellini and spinach."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breasts → boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Use the same weight and poach 18–20 minutes until they reach 175°F (80°C) for the most tender texture, or use 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken added in step 8.
baby spinach → baby kale or chopped Swiss chard leaves. Use the same weight but cook 3–4 minutes in step 8 so the leaves become tender.
refrigerated cheese tortellini → refrigerated cheese ravioli or frozen cheese tortellini. Frozen tortellini usually need 1–2 minutes longer; follow the package time.
dried Italian seasoning → 1 tsp dried oregano plus 1 tsp dried basil. Gives a similar herb flavor if you don't have a blend.