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Creamy Marry Me Chicken Soup Recipe

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4.1 from 2 reviews

Creamy Marry Me Chicken Soup is a rich and comforting homemade soup featuring tender chicken, fresh vegetables, pasta, and a luscious creamy broth enriched with Parmesan cheese and spinach. This flavorful one-pot meal is perfect for cozy dinners and can easily be customized with your choice of chicken cuts and pasta.

Ingredients

Soup Base

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 11 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, diced into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (divided)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup diced carrots
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 1/2 cup diced onions
  • 1/4 cup diced sundried tomatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
  • 68 cups chicken broth (start with 6 cups)
  • 6 oz Italian small shell pasta
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/21 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
  • 2 1/23 cups fresh spinach

Instructions

  1. Brown the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned on all sides.
  2. Sauté the vegetables: Add onions, carrots, celery, sundried tomatoes, and minced garlic to the same pot. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the vegetables become translucent and fragrant.
  3. Add flour and tomato paste: Sprinkle flour evenly over the ingredients, stirring well to combine and prevent clumping. Add flour gradually to avoid dryness. If using tomato paste, stir it in now for added richness and depth of flavor.
  4. Deglaze and add broth: Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Use your spoon to scrape and deglaze the bottom of the pot, incorporating all browned bits for enhanced flavor.
  5. Simmer with pasta: Bring the soup to a rolling boil, then add pasta, the remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, and pasta is al dente. Alternatively, boil pasta separately and add later.
  6. Finish with cream, spinach, and cheese: Remove the lid, stir in heavy cream, fresh spinach, and grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer gently for another 5 minutes until the spinach wilts and cheese melts fully into the soup.
  7. Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the soup and adjust salt, pepper, or Italian seasoning as needed before serving hot.

Notes

  • Start with 6 cups of broth; add more if you prefer a thinner consistency.
  • Tomato paste is optional but adds a deeper tomato flavor and richness.
  • You can use either chicken breasts or thighs based on preference; thighs tend to be more flavorful and tender.
  • Cooking pasta directly in the soup saves time and adds starch for a thicker texture, but boiling separately prevents it from becoming mushy if reheating leftovers.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano for best flavor.