Description
This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup is a rich and comforting meal featuring tender chicken thighs simmered with small pasta shells in a flavorful broth enriched with parmesan, cream, baby spinach, and sun dried tomatoes. It's a hearty, creamy soup perfect for a cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 500 g chicken thighs, skinless boneless
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Soup Base
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (30 g)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large celery stems, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay), optional
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 250 g small pasta shells
- 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup thickened/heavy cream
- 2 packed cups baby spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomato strips, chopped into 1 cm pieces plus a drizzle of oil
Soup Thickener
- 2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 2 tsp water
Instructions
- Cook chicken: Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over both sides of the chicken thighs. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat until foamy. Add chicken thighs and cook the first side for 3 minutes until light golden, then flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes. The chicken may still be raw inside, which is fine as it will cook fully later. Remove chicken onto a plate.
- Make soup flavor base: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add minced garlic, chopped onion, and sliced celery to the same pot and cook for about 3 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
- Deglaze the pot: Increase heat to high, pour in the white wine, and stir to loosen any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Let the wine simmer until it reduces by half, concentrating the flavor.
- Add broth and pasta: Pour in the chicken stock, water, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the small pasta shells. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add chicken to finish cooking: While the pasta cooks, chop the partially cooked chicken into 1.5 cm pieces and add it back into the pot to cook through with the pasta.
- Finish the soup: Once the pasta is fully cooked, reduce heat to low. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese until melted. Add the cornflour-water slurry to thicken slightly. Pour in the cream and stir well. Finally, add the chopped baby spinach and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted and the soup is gently thickened, about 1 minute.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped sun dried tomato strips and a drizzle of the tomato oil for extra flavor and visual appeal. Serve hot and enjoy!
- Storage tips: To store leftovers, separate the pasta, chicken, and sun dried tomatoes from the broth to prevent the pasta from swelling overnight. Refrigerate both components separately and reheat together when ready to eat.
Notes
- If using chicken breast instead of thighs, slice them horizontally into thin steaks for even cooking.
- The wine adds depth of flavor, but can be omitted or replaced with extra chicken stock or water for a non-alcoholic version.
- You can use other small pasta types like ditalini, small macaroni, or orzo; adjust cooking times accordingly. Gluten-free pasta can be used but may require extra thickener.
- Store-bought sandy-type parmesan melts well in this soup; avoid pre-grated shelf-stable parmesan which may not melt properly.
- To reduce calories, substitute cream with 1 1/2 cups full-fat milk and reduce water by 1/2 cup; consider adding a knob of butter for richness.
- Sun dried tomatoes provide a tasty and colorful garnish that adds a punch of flavor, replacing typical croutons or nuts.
- For meal prep, cook through to the end of step 5, then drain pasta and chicken. Thicken broth with parmesan and cornflour slurry, add spinach, cool, and store separately. Both components can be frozen.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 370 ml)
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
