Chicken (or Turkey) Tortellini Soup

Name: Chicken (or Turkey) Tortellini Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped onion; 1/2 cup chopped celery; 1/2 cup chopped carrots; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 6 cups chicken (or turkey) stock or broth; 10 ounces fresh or refrigerated cheese tortellini (1 package); 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 handful fresh spinach or other herbs or greens, chopped (optional)

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Combine already cooked chicken or turkey with tender vegetables and cheese-filled tortellini for a savory and heartwarming soup. Easy Chicken Tortellini Soup is perfect for rotisserie chicken or for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, and it comes together in minutes.

A ladle full of turkey tortellini soup over a stock pot.

Fall and winter are soup seasons and there is nothing better on a cold day than a hearty bowl of soup to warm you from the inside out. Since Thanksgiving and Christmas also line up with soup season, there is an almost never-ending supply of leftover turkey, which is why this easy Turkey Tortellini Soup is one of my favorites.

The layers of flavor are what makes this soup so delicious. Start with a mirepoix of onion, celery and carrots. Next, add the broth. Bonus points if you use homemade broth from your turkey or rotisserie chicken carcass and finish with shredded turkey or chicken, cheesy tortellini and some fresh spinach or herbs.

If you don't have turkey or rotisserie chicken, you can easily prepare chicken specifically to use in this recipe. Boiled chicken legs and oven baked bone in chicken breasts can easily be shredded, as can this Dutch oven turkey breast.

The technique is simple, the recipe frugal, and the taste is incredible. Chicken Tortellini Soup is robust and soul satisfying but won't break the bank. This is a comfort food dish that is good for you!

Ingredients

Mirepoix – This combination of chopped onion, celery and carrots add loads of flavor to this soup. I love to make a big batch of mirepoix and freeze it for easy use.
Olive Oil – Or use your favorite light, neutral oil.
Stock – Use chicken (or turkey) stock or broth. Make your own with your leftover Thanksgiving turkey carcass.
Tortellini – Add one package of fresh or refrigerated cheese Tortellini.
Chicken/Turkey – Leftover chicken breast or legs, rotisserie chicken, or leftover Turkey is perfect for this soup.
Tomato Paste – Tubes of tomato paste are so convenient when you only need a little bit.
Spinach – Fresh spinach or other herbs or greens add a bright freshness to this soup.

See the recipe card for exact quantities and instructions.

How to Make Easy Chicken Tortellini Soup

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the onion, celery, and carrots in the olive oil on medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.

Add turkey stock or chicken stock for the soup.

2. Add broth and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add tortellini.

3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until tortellini are tender and cooked.

Chicken tortellini soup is ready to serve.

4. Add tomato paste and chicken to the pot. Stir well and cook for a minute or two. Serve in bowls.

Hint: Cover your leftover chicken or Thanksgiving turkey carcass with water and simmer along with herbs and aromatics for a flavorful homemade chicken stock.

Substitutions/ Variations

Chicken - instead of chicken, use leftover turkey.
Tortellini - You can also use spinach or mushroom tortellini or substitute other shapes of pasta.
Gluten Free - Replace regular tortellini with gluten-free tortellini.
Creamy Turkey Tortellini Soup – Add in ¼ to ½ cup of heavy cream for a creamy broth.

A white bowl of chicken tortellini soup with a spoon.

Storage/ Leftovers

Store this soup in the fridge for up to 5 days. You may need to add more broth if the soup becomes too thick. You can also store the tortellini in a separate container to prevent them from soaking up too much broth. Simply add them back to the soup when reheating.

This soup does freeze well, but we recommend that you freeze it before adding the tortellini, as it will absorb liquid and become mushy. Freeze the soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to a boil before adding fresh tortellini. Serve when the tortellini is cooked through.

Top tip

Shred leftover Thanksgiving turkey or rotisserie chicken and store it in preportioned packages in the freezer. When you crave a batch of tortellini soup, simply remove a package from the freezer, defrost and add to the soup as directed.

FAQ

Can you use frozen tortellini?

You can easily substitute frozen tortellini. Add it to the soup as directed but plan on it taking about 5 more minutes to cook through than fresh tortellini.

Can you use dried tortellini?

Add 8 to 10 ounces of dried pasta to the boiling broth. Stir to prevent sticking and boil until the pasta is cooked through. Again this also will take longer than fresh tortellini.

Serving Suggestions

This easy Turkey Tortellini Soup is hearty enough to serve as a meal but you can always round it out with these additions.

Cheese Beer Bread
Three Cheese Pepperoni Bread
Beat and Goat Cheese Salad with Toasted Walnuts
Crusty French Bread Rolls from Dinner then Dessert
Honey Lime Fruit Salad with Mint

Pin image for chicken or turkey tortellini soup with text overlay.

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5 from 6 votes