Chicken Tortellini Soup (Slow Cooker or Stovetop!)
If you’re looking for a cozy dinner that practically makes itself, this creamy chicken tortellini soup is here for it! With tender chicken, carrots, celery, and pillowy cheese tortellini in a rich, herby broth, it’s a one-pot or slow cooker favorite you can turn to anytime comfort is calling.
5 star review
“This is one of the best soup recipes I have ever made. My 2 1/2 year old had seconds. And both me and my husband devoured our bowls as well. Not to mention how easy it was to make. This is going into the winter soup rotation immediately!”
– Marisa
Creamy Tortellini Soup w/ Chicken = New Family Favorite
Meet my new favorite soup recipe, this super simple and totally satisfying easy crockpot tortellini soup! Especially if you love my tortellini sausage soup, then you’re going to adore this lightened up version that requires no pre-browning of meat. Packed with vegetables and tons of protein, it’s one of those high protein slow cooker meals that we find ourselves making again and again any time of year. It comes together super easily in either the crockpot or in as little as 45 minutes on the stovetop – both methods produce delicious results without a ton of effort on your part!
There’s no need to brown the meat, and if you chop the veggies ahead of time, all you need to do is dump everything in the pot and let it cook away. Right at the end, you’ll add the tortellini and allow them to cook until tender and just cooked through (that’s the secret to making sure they don’t get too mushy). Once you add the tortellini to the slow cooker, resist the urge to take the lid on and off, as taking the lid off will drop the temperature and prevent the tortellini from cooking all the way through. And in just a few minutes, you’ll have a comforting and delicious one-pot meal that was so easy to put together!
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Crockpot Chicken Tortellini Soup
Make It Gluten Free & Dairy Free
This soup can easily be made gluten-free or dairy-free with just a few simple ingredient swaps. For a gluten-free option, look for a gluten-free tortellini such as Capello’s.
For a dairy-free option, look for a dairy-free tortellini such as Kite Hill and replace the cream with full-fat coconut milk or unflavored dairy free creamer. If the tortellini is frozen, be sure to defrost them before adding to the soup.
Ingredients & Testing Notes
- Fresh cheese tortellini: Any flavor or type of fresh (not dried) small tortellini will work for this recipe. If using frozen tortellini be sure to defrost them before adding to the soup. If you want to use dried tortellini, cook it prior to adding to the soup.
- Broth: I used low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe but I’ve also tested it with chicken bone broth or vegetable broth in its place – both work great.
- Italian Seasoning: I always have a good quality Italian seasoning on hand, as it’s so versatile and adds ease to many recipes. You can swap in freshly minced parsley if you prefer, or add a handful of fresh chopped herbs along with the dried herbs if you like.
Tips for Storing Leftovers
Tortellini soup does not store particularly well, as the tortellini (like any pasta or grain) absorbs all the liquid and can turn mushy. If you want to store leftovers, I recommend removing the cooked tortellini from the soup, storing separately, and then re-combining it when ready to reheat. Stored separately like this, your leftovers should keep well for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.
This Recipe Is…
Chicken Tortellini Soup (Slow Cooker & Stovetop!)
Ingredients
- 1 small white onion, small diced
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 cup diced carrot
- 1 teaspoon no salt added Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
To Add at the End
- 1 (9-ounce) package fresh cheese tortellini
- ¼ cup cream
Equipment
- Slow Cooker optional
- Dutch Oven optional
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add the onion, celery, carrot, Italian seasoning, salt, broth, water, and chicken to a 6-quart slow cooker, stirring to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours on high, or low for 6-7, or until the chicken is cooked through and very tender.
- Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. Add the tortellini to the slow cooker, turn to high, cover, and cook for an additional 8-15 minutes, or until the tortellini is cooked through. Time will vary depending on your slow cooker, start checking at 8 minutes.
- While the tortellini cooks, shred the chicken with two forks or dice into 1-inch pieces. When the tortellini is cooked through, add the chicken back to the slow cooker along with the cream, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired, then serve.
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ½ teaspoon olive oil, onion, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and cook for 2-3 minutes, until just beginning to soften, stirring occasionally.
- Add the celery, carrot, Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, stirring to combine. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the broth, water, and chicken, stirring to combine.
- Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 30-45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and very tender.
- Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. Add the tortellini, and simmer until the tortellini is cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.
- While the tortellini cooks, shred the chicken with two forks or dice into 1-inch pieces. When the tortellini is just cooked through, add the chicken back to the pot along with the cream. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired, then serve.
Notes
- Note that the overhead shot of the slow cooker includes tortellini to give a sense of the overall ingredients for this recipe. Please follow recipe instructions and add the tortellini and remaining ingredients at the end of the cook time.
Delicious! My whole family loved it!
Kayan, yay, so happy to hear this one was a family favorite. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Hi, I’m trying this recipe tonight. You mention garlic in the blog post, but it’s not listed with the ingredients or directions. How much do you recommend?
Hi Sarah, good catch! I tested this recipe with garlic and without, and decided it wasn’t absolutely necessary (in the spirit of keeping ingredient lists as short as possible), so removed it from the ingredients but not the post. If you have fresh garlic on hand, two cloves (minced) make a lovely addition to the soup, and can be added along with the vegetables. I hope you enjoy!
This is one of the best soup recipes I have ever made. My 2 1/2 year old had seconds. And both me and my husband devoured our bowls as well. Not to mention how easy it was to make. This is going into the winter soup rotation immediately!
Marissa, yay, so happy to hear this one was a hit and that’s it’s going into your regular rotation! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts!
Hi! If using already cooked chicken, would you add the chicken at the end with the tortellini? Thank you.
Rachel, yes, that’s a great time to add the chicken. You may want to add it first, and, depending on the temperature of the chicken going in, allow the soup to come back up to a simmer, and then add the tortellini. I hope it’s a hit!
Great- thank you! Also, if I’m adding the already cooked chicken at the end, would it change the time the pot simmers covered with the veggies & broth? And I noticed 1/4 tsp kosher salt with the onion and then another tsp kosher salt with the rest of the veggies. The ingredient list says 1 tsp total kosher salt so just wanted to clarify. Thank you.
Rachel, adding the cooked chicken at the end shouldn’t change the simmer time significantly. If the chicken is cold going in it might need an extra minute or so, but otherwise you should be good with the suggested simmer time range. The stovetop version has an extra 1/4 teaspoon of salt, which will help soften the onion (something that’s not an issue in the slow cooker version). Let me know if you have any other questions!
Can I use rotisserie cooked chicken for this recipe? Thank you
Chrissy, definitely, rotisserie chicken works well in this recipe. You can add it along with the vegetables just as you would with the uncooked chicken. Hope it’s a hit!
what is cream? Is that heavy whipping cream?
Frances, yes, heavy cream.
OMG this soup is so good. I marinated my cx beforehand in a bunch of spices just to vamp up the intensity but other than that stuck to the recipe and it was amazing. It’s like an elevated chicken noodle soup.
Molly, yum, great idea to add the extra spices to the chicken! So happy to hear you enjoyed, and thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!