I was running late on a rainy Tuesday when I tossed some chicken, vegetables, and cheese tortellini into the Crock Pot and came home to a warm bowl that felt like a short, practical hug, that rainy night is why I reach for this Chicken Tortellini Soup Crock Pot recipe when I need dinner to be simple and comforting without fuss.
Why You’ll Love It
This soup works on busy nights. Prep is quick and most of the cooking happens unattended. Kids and adults both tend to like it because the tortellini feels a little special and the shredded chicken keeps it hearty. Make it when you want a filling weeknight meal that still tastes homemade.
Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes |
Cook Time: 240 minutes |
Total Time: 255 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 450 g)
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 9 oz fresh cheese tortellini (about 250 g)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter for sautéing
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add onion carrots and celery, and sauté 4 to 5 minutes until softened, add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the Crock Pot, add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, water, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the Crock Pot.
- Add the tortellini, spinach and half and half, stir gently, then cover and cook on high 25 to 30 minutes until tortellini are tender and spinach is wilted.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, ladle into bowls and serve with grated Parmesan on top.
Recipe Variations
- Creamy tomato twist: Stir in 1 cup crushed tomatoes with the broth and reduce the cream to 1/2 cup for a tomato cream base.
- Gluten free: Use gluten free tortellini and check labels for broth to keep it GF.
- Loaded veg: Add chopped zucchini and mushrooms with the carrots for extra veggies.
- Slow cooker dump and go: Use shredded rotisserie chicken added with the tortellini in the last 30 minutes to save cooking time.
Make Ahead: You can chop the vegetables and store them in an airtight container in the fridge up to 48 hours ahead. Shred cooked chicken can be refrigerated for 3 days. The soup without tortellini freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw and add fresh tortellini when reheating. Cooked soup with tortellini does not freeze as well because the pasta will be soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen tortellini Instead of fresh
Yes you can use frozen tortellini, add it in the last 30 to 35 minutes on high and check for doneness to avoid overcooking.
Can I make this vegetarian
Replace chicken with white beans or extra mushrooms and use vegetable broth, skip the Parmesan if you need vegan and use a dairy free cream.
How do I keep the tortellini from falling apart
Add tortellini during the final 25 to 30 minutes on high or the final 40 to 45 minutes on low, do not leave them in the slow cooker for hours.
Can I use pre cooked chicken
Yes, stir in pre cooked or rotisserie chicken with the tortellini at the end so it warms through but does not dry out.
Chicken Tortellini Soup Crock Pot
This soup works on busy nights. Prep is quick and most of the cooking happens unattended. Kids and adults both tend to like it because the tortellini feels a little special and the shredded chicken keeps it hearty. Make it when you want a filling weeknight meal that still tastes homemade.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 450 g)
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 9 oz fresh cheese tortellini (about 250 g)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter for sautéing
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add onion carrots and celery, and sauté 4 to 5 minutes until softened, add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the Crock Pot, add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, water, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the Crock Pot.
- Add the tortellini, spinach and half and half, stir gently, then cover and cook on high 25 to 30 minutes until tortellini are tender and spinach is wilted.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, ladle into bowls and serve with grated Parmesan on top.
Conclusion
This Chicken Tortellini Soup Crock Pot recipe is designed for busy evenings when you want something warm and satisfying with minimal hands-on time. The slow cooker does the heavy lifting and adding the tortellini at the end keeps texture where it should be. Try the variations, prep a few things ahead, and make this a go-to for nights when you want comfort without complicated steps.
