A heaven-sent, melt-in-the-mouth winter warmer, this chicken soup recipe is tasty, healthy and simple to prepare. Make it for your loved one and watch them swoon with just one spoonful!
Creamy flavors, tender pasta, mouthwatering chicken and Italian herbs make this comforting soup a favorite in our household. Trust me... You can't go wrong!
Why you'll love this marry me chicken soup recipe
- This creamy chicken soup is the perfect soul food
- It's the perfect recipe to use up that leftover cooked chicken. I recommend rotisserie chicken especially, as it's got so much flavor!
- It's a one pot recipe that's ideal for a warming lunch or a simple midweek dinner
- Make it once and you'll go back to it again and again
- This is a soup recipe that will please the whole family!
Equipment needed for this recipe
- Quality sauce pan – Invest in a good, sturdy cooking pot for soup making. I recommend a thick-walled, large Dutch oven.
- Chef's knife – Don't persist with those blunt knives!
- Soup bowls and soup spoons – Serve your creamy soup in style
- A soup ladle – if you're a soup-lover like me, you'll need a good quality soup ladle on hand
How to make marry me chicken soup
For this recipe, you need pasta, chicken, sundried tomatoes, onion, cheese, cream, garlic, broth and spices.
Gently fry the onion and garlic until softened.
Add the spices, chopped sundried tomatoes, and tomato paste.
Pour in the stock and pasta. Slowly simmer until the pasta is al dente.
Tip in the chicken and give the soup a stir.
Pour in the cream, add the cheese and spinach. Stir and wait for the spinach to wilt and the cheese to melt. Serve immediately with crusty bread.
Recipe Tips
- If you want to elevate this soup to legendary status, use your own chicken stock! I make mine after we've had a roast chicken dinner by simmering the chicken carcass for an hour or so. It's absolutely delicious!
- It's also best to use fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Pay a little extra, and you'll notice the difference
- Don't skimp on equipment. See my equipment list above and invest in good quality kitchen equipment. Soups are so easy to make, and when you have the right tools for the job, it's always a pleasure whipping up a warming soup.
What I serve with marry me chicken soup
- Crusty bread: Any kind of bread will do, but I love fresh soup with freshly baked bread from the local bakery!
- Garlic bread: This cheesy garlic bread recipe is just divine! It's quick and simple to make and is perfect for dipping in your chicken soup. Make sure you use fresh garlic!
- Fresh green salad: A creamy rocket salad with balsamic vinaigrette is the perfect accompaniment to this rich soup.
- A glass of wine: A crisp, dry white wine is perfect. I'm a big fan of enjoying my chicken soup with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir, but feel free to pour a glass of your favorite tipple.
Popular variations
- Add Italian seasoning if you can't find the various fresh herbs in this recipe.
- Add a scattering of freshly baked croutons to elevate your chicken soup.
Substitutions
- Instead of fresh baby spinach, you can use fresh chard. Both bring an earthy flavor that works well with the creaminess of this recipe.
- If you haven't got fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder instead.
- You can use Romano cheese in place of Parmesan.
- If you prefer, you can replace the pasta with tender noodles.
Why is it called "marry me soup"?
It's a playful name that highlights just how delicious this soup recipe is. With the tender chicken, creamy texture, and fragrant herbs, it's definitely the kind of recipe that could inspire an instant marriage proposal!
What chicken is best for this recipe?
This recipe calls for shredded chicken. It's best to go with leftover rotisserie chicken, but feel free to use any kind of leftover chicken you might have. Chicken breast, chicken thigh, or chicken leg – whatever works for you.
What can I use instead of heavy cream?
For a lighter alternative, use cream cheese. You could also opt for a full-fat coconut milk, cashew cream, or almond milk, if you're looking for a healthier alternative. Whatever you go for, it needs to be thick enough to get that lovely creamy broth.
Do I cook the pasta separately to the soup?
Lots of recipes call for cooking the pasta separately from the chicken and the remaining soup ingredients. However, I find that cooking the pasta shells in with everything helps to thicken up marry me chicken soup and give it that beautiful creaminess.
Do you have to use shell pasta?
Any pasta shape will do, as long as it's the medium-sized variety. Large pasta shapes will take too long to cook.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can make this soup the day before and simply reheat it when you're ready to eat.
How do I store leftovers?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container. This marry me chicken soup will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. This soup freezes really well, too – just store in a freezable airtight container for no more than four months.
More soup recipes
Has this marry me chicken soup recipe made you hungry for more soup recipes? I've got a diverse selection of delicious soups – just take your pick!
- Chicken carcass soup – another incredible chicken-flavored soup, this one is the ideal way to use up those Sunday roast leftovers
- Wild garlic soup – if you're a garlic lover, it doesn't get much better than this! The ideal springtime soup
- Sweet potato and red pepper soup – healthy, simple to make, and oh so satisfying
- Zucchini and leek soup – a green, vibrant, and revitalizing soup, this is a vegan powerhouse that makes an ideal lunch option all year round
- Curried pumpkin bean soup – a bowl of pure comfort with a wonderful tongue-tingling kick
📖 Recipe
Marry Me Chicken Soup Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 portions
- Diet: Halal
Description
Creamy, cosy and irresistible, Marry Me Chicken is the ultimate comfort dish. One bite and you’ll see how it earned its name.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ⅔ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and julienned
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus extra for garnish
- 1 cup medium shell pasta, uncooked
- 2 cups cooked rotisserie shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat the chopped sun-dried tomato oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and julienned sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste starts to deepen in color.
- Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the dried basil, oregano, thyme, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the pasta shells to the pot and cook according to package instructions until just al dente. Halfway through, add the shredded cooked chicken. Add more broth if needed.
- Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until the cheese is melted and the soup is smooth.
- Add the chopped spinach and keep stirring constantly until it wilts. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes. Optionally, top with fresh basil leaves.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 329
- Sugar: 4.3 g
- Sodium: 1898.3 mg
- Fat: 18.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.9 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 21.6 g
- Cholesterol: 71.4 mg
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