This creamy chicken pesto tortellini soup is made with plenty of herbs, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, tortellini, broth, white wine, cream, and kale. It comes together quickly, and you can even use leftover cooked chicken or turkey from Thanksgiving or Christmas. It is guaranteed to warm you right up!
Hello everyone! I hope you have all had a nice Thanksgiving, if you live in the US and celebrate. Today, I’m sharing this simple, healthy creamy chicken pesto tortellini soup recipe. It would actually be a great way to use up your leftover turkey, come to think of it! Just skip the step of cooking of the chicken breast in the soup and add your chopped or shredded cooked turkey instead!
the details
This soup starts with a typical base of olive oil, onion, garlic, red pepper, salt, pepper, and herbs. Chicken is then added and seared for five minutes on each side, followed by the pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth, and white wine.
Simmer the soup until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot, and once it’s cool enough to handle, finely chop or shred it. Return it to the pot and add the tortellini. Cook for 1-2 minutes (according to the directions on the package of tortellini) and stir in some spinach or kale, followed by the cream. Once the spinach or kale wilts and is bright green, remove the soup from the heat. Serve and garnish with fresh herbs and lemon wedges. Serve some bread and butter alongside, and you’ve got dinner!
list of ingredients that you’ll need for this soup
- To make this creamy chicken pesto tortellini soup, you’ll need extra-virgin olive oil, onion, garlic, red pepper, chicken breasts or thighs, dried oregano and basil, hot red pepper flakes, sea salt, pepper, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth, white wine, cheese tortellini, spinach or kale, and heavy cream.
more healthy soup recipes
- Creamy Moroccan Cauliflower, Squash, and Goat Cheese Soup
- Curried Butternut Squash Red Lentil Soup with Apple and Ginger
- African Peanut, Chickpea, and Sweet Potato Soup
I hope that you love this creamy chicken tortellini soup! If you make it, let me know how you enjoyed it by leaving a comment and rating below the post. And if you share a photo to Instagram, tag it @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen. I love seeing what you’ve made.
Enjoy!
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Creamy Chicken Pesto Tortellini Soup
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This creamy chicken pesto tortellini soup is made with plenty of herbs, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, tortellini, broth, white wine, cream, and kale. It comes together quickly, and you can even use leftover cooked chicken or turkey from Thanksgiving or Christmas. It is guaranteed to warm you right up!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (organic if possible)
- ⅓ cup pesto
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
- 250 grams cheese tortellini
- 4 cups chopped spinach or kale
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley or basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. Add the herbs, hot red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Push the vegetables off to one side. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pot. Sear for five minutes on each side.
- Stir in the pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, followed by the broth and wine. Bring to boil, then turn down heat to medium-low and loosely cover with the lid. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for fifteen minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pot. Once cool enough to handle, finely chop or shred it. Return it to the pot. Bring back to a boil and add the tortellini. Cook for 1-2 minutes, according to the directions on the package.
- Finally, stir in the spinach or kale and heavy cream. Once the greens are wilted and bright green, remove from the heat and serve.
- Garnish bowls of soup with lemon wedges and fresh herbs. Enjoy!
Notes
When reheating leftovers, you will want to add more broth, as the tortellini soaks it up the longer the soup sits.
If you prefer to use bone-in and skin-on chicken, that’s totally fine. It just isn’t typically available where I buy organic chicken, unfortunately- otherwise, I would definitely use it!
If using leftover cooked chicken or turkey, add it right before you add the tortellini.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
Keywords: chicken pesto tortellini soup recipe
William
Such a wholesome and satisfying soup.
★★★★★
Allison
Thanks so much, William!