Name: Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 (20 oz) package 3 Cheese Tortellini (*see notes); 1 1/2 lbs. chicken, cooked and diced into small pieces; 1 1/2 cups carrots, diced into small pieces; 1 cup celery, chopped into small pieces; 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced; 2 1/2 cups heavy cream (*half and half works too); 3 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth; 1/2 cup flour; 4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick or 1/4 cup); 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced, *or 2 tsp bottled minced garlic; 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated (*fresh wedge, not bottled); 1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt (*more or less to taste); 1/8 tsp black pepper (*more or less to taste); 1/4 tsp dried basil leaves; some additional add-ins (optional): potatoes, spinach, corn, green onions, bacon bits (see notes)

Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup is the perfect fall and winter soup! This soup is loaded with chicken, 3 cheese tortellini, celery, carrots and a whole lot of flavor. It is a creamy soup that will leave you warm and full!

Bowl of Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup with a spoon and dish towel next to it

Jump to Recipe

I am a huge fan of soup! I can easily eat it year round, even in 100 degree weather! While I love all types of soup, my most favorite are creamy soups! This Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup has everything I love in a soup. It has a creamy soup base, is full of 3 cheese tortellini, chicken, carrots, celery and has simple, but amazing flavor.

Bowl of chicken tortellini soup with carrots, celery and tortellini and Parmesan cheese around the bowl

Creamy Soup Base for Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

If you have ever made a creamy soup you know you must first make a roux. If you have never made a roux it is simple. It is the same thing you will use for any creamy sauce, gravy or soup base.

A basic roux is made with some melted butter and flour. Add you butter and flour to a pan

Then whisk it together and let it heat on medium heat for a minute or two to let the flour cook out.

Then a liquid is added.

For this recipe we use chicken broth and heavy cream! Yes, this soup has calories but it is so creamy and yummy!

Liquid added to Butter and flour for Roux

After the liquid is added, make sure it is whisked and there are no lumps. Let it cook and heat until it starts to thicken.

The amount of time it takes your soup base to thicken can vary. It usually takes mine anywhere from 15-20 minutes. If you are doubling the recipe it will take longer. Just be patient. Every stove cooks a little bit different and every recipe can vary a little bit.

NOTE: For this soup I will add the ingredients to the soup base before it thickens so the ingredient can cook (like the carrots and celery) as it thickens.

soup base thickening in a pot over medium heat for easy cheese potato soup

If it never thickens (or you want it thicker), you can make a cold water and cornstarch slurry and add it to the simmering hot soup. See recipe below for details.

Yummy Ingredients for your Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

I love this soup! I add cooked diced chicken, 3 cheese tortellini, carrots, celery, and parmesan cheese (fresh grated, not bottled). To season the soup I add some onions, garlic and seasonings.

chopped chicken in small pieces cooked until it is no longer pink

You will add all of the ingredients (except the parmesan cheese will be added at the end) into the creamy soup base to soften and cook as the soup thickens.

Carrots, celery, and cooked chicken added to soup base to cook while sopu thickiens

Then after it has thickened add the grated parmesan cheese. Stir the soup until the cheese is melted fully.

All of the ingredients in a large pot of chicken tortellini soup

Adjust the seasonings as needed to your liking.

Scoop yourself a big bowl of soup and enjoy!

A large ladle full or chicken tortellini soup

Every single bite is so tasty with this soup! You will enjoy every last bite!

A spoonful of Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

To prepare you ingredients, just cook up your chicken and dice it into smaller piece. Cut up your carrots, onion and celery into bite sized pieces (or larger if your prefer). Don’t forget to grate your cheese ahead of time so it is ready to add when needed.

Where to Find The Tortellini for your Soup

For the 3 cheese tortellini, I use a 20 oz. fresh package from the grocery store. I find mine usually over by the deli section in the refrigerated area.

I have seen tortellini also in the frozen section, this would work fine. And I have seen dried 3 cheese tortellini by the other dried pastas on the pasta aisle. I have only found the dried tortellini in 16 oz. packages only. So you will probably want to add more than one package.

Other Tasty Things To Add to Your Soup

If you want to add some more things that are delicious in this soup, you can add: diced potatoes, spinach, corn, fresh cooked and crumbled bacon bits, or green onions added to each serving!

Bowl of creamy chicken tortellini soup with Parmesan cheese, tortellini, celery and carrots by the bowl

For some other delicious creamy soups try my Cheesy Potato Soup or My Cheesy Hamburger Soup or my Chicken Gnocchi Soup!

Breads are always the perfect side dish. Try my Homemade Bread Bowls that are perfect for soup, my Easy Homemade Breadsticks, Easy French Bread or my Garlic Knots!

If you liked this recipe please take the time to leave a comment and a star rating below! Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram!

Here are some products I used to make this recipe!

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Check out the latest posts from the Butcher’s Wife!

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5 from 1 vote

Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

Recipe makes about 2 1/2 quarts of soup, so about 10 (1 cup) servings.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings servings

Ingredients

1 (20 oz) package 3 Cheese Tortellini *see notes
1 1/2 lbs. chicken, cooked and diced into small pieces
1 1/2 cups carrots, diced into small pieces
1 cup celery, chopped into small pieces
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
2 1/2 cups heavy cream *half and half works too
3 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth
1/2 cup flour
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick or 1/4 cup)
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced, *or 2 tsp bottled minced garlic
1 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated *fresh wedge, not bottled
1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt *more or less to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper *more or less to taste
1/4 tsp dried basil leaves
some additional add-ins (optional): potatoes, spinach, corn, green onions, bacon bits see notes

Instructions

In a large soup pot, melt your butter over medium heat and add your flour. Whisk it until it is thick. It should be almost like a thick paste.
Add your onion and garlic to the flour and butter mixture. Let it cook for a few minutes, stirring it occasionally.
Add in your chicken broth and heavy creamy. Stir/whisk making sure it all mixed and there are no lumps. Reduce heat to medium-low heat.
Add your cooked chicken, tortellini, celery and carrots. Mix well and let it cook and heat in the soup until the carrots are tender and tortellini are cooked fully. Let the soup heat and it should thicken a bit. Your soup should start to simmer and bubble a bit on medium-low heat. If not, turn up the heat to medium.
Keep whisking/stirring so the soup doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add in your parmesan cheese once the soup starts to bubble and is thickened. Stir the cheese in until fully melted. The soup can take up to 30 minutes to thicken.
NOTE: If your soup hasn't thickened, (or you want it thicker after the tortellini has cooked fully), then you can add a cornstarch slurry. Just mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of cold water and mix it together. Then add the cornstarch slurry to your hot bubbly soup. Give it a few minutes to thicken and then repeat again if you want it even thicker.
Season your soup with salt, pepper and basil and adjust to taste.

Notes

See blog post above for options on your tortellini.

If you are using frozen tortellini take it out of the freezer and let it thaw a bit before adding it to the soup. At the very least take it out while you are making the soup base.

If you are adding potatoes to this soup they can cook as the soup heats and thickens. Just add them with the tortellini. Let the soup cook and heat the potatoes and tortellini until they are both done to your liking. Just note the larger the potato pieces the longer they will need to cook in the soup. You can also boil them in water and let them cook a little bit before adding them to the soup.

If you are adding corn just add it in the last few minutes so it can heat through.

If adding spinach, add it at the very end.

If you are adding bacon, add it at the end. Make sure the bacon is fully cooked and crumbled.

If adding green onions, you can add them to the soup for each serving.

Up close shot of spoonful of chicken tortellini soup

2 Comments

Crystal
January 11, 2021 at 7:02 PM · Reply

This was a hit at our house! All ages big and small devoured it. Yummy!!
- Beth, The Butcher's Wife
  January 11, 2021 at 7:11 PM · Reply
  
  Crystal I’m so glad to hear it was a hit!!! Thank you for stopping by the blog and commenting!😘