Healthy Chicken Tortellini Soup with Vegetables

I have several go to, under 30 minute healthy and delicious dinner recipes, and this fabulous chicken tortellini soup definitely makes the cut. Be prepared to have your family instantly hooked!

Tender chicken, cheesy tortellini, carrots, celery, bell pepper and mushrooms simmer together in a light, low sodium chicken broth seasoned with garlic and thyme. It all comes together in one pot in about half an hour.

The Best Healthy Chicken Tortellini Soup (Ready in Under 30 Minutes)

This chicken tortellini soup is one of my go to quick dinners, right along with my Baked Burritos, Stuffed Zucchini and Simple Turkey Chili. My talented friend, Erin, inspired this recipe. She made a similar soup for us once, and my family fell in love with it!

I recently was fully converted to organic carrots. I was snacking on a raw carrot until I realized my tongue started tingling along with a horrible aftertaste. Pesticides? Chemicals? Who knows… but it was disgusting. I only purchase organic carrots now, and they have been surprisingly cheap too. I get a 2 lb bag for under $2. No more tingling tongue.

Also, I’m a huge advocate for washing your vegetables. Are you one to just rinse them under water and think you’re good? Well, read this post where you can visibly see the difference between rinsing and washing. I’ve tried numerous washing methods and keep coming back to Fit Vegetable Wash. I’ve only been able to find it on Amazon or at Walmart. I dilute it 50:50 with water and use it on everything without a thick skin or peel that’s not edible. Completely worth the investment.

Don’t you love the vibrant colors of this soup? I’m a huge fan of recipes with several different natural colors. Not only is it nice on the eyes, but also nice to your stomach and body.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Tortellini Soup

• Fast weeknight dinner. It is on the table in under 30 minutes, and the tortellini cook right in the broth.
• One pot. Everything from sautéing the vegetables to simmering the chicken happens in the same pot.
• Loaded with color. Carrots, celery, red bell pepper, mushrooms and parsley make every bowl bright.
• Family approved. My family fell in love with it the first time, and yours will be instantly hooked too.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into this easy tortellini soup and why. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Coconut oil or olive oil: Just a tablespoon to soften the vegetables and start building flavor. Either works, and olive oil gives a more savory base.
• Garlic: Minced garlic goes in first with the vegetables so it perfumes the oil. Keep the heat at medium so it doesn’t brown and turn bitter.
• Carrots, onion and celery: The classic soup base. Dice them small and evenly so they soften quickly in the short simmer time. I only buy organic carrots now.
• Low sodium chicken stock or broth: Natural, low sodium broth lets you control the salt. Tortellini and broth both carry salt, so taste before adding any more.
• Chicken breasts: Thawed and cut into 1 inch pieces so they cook through in the same time as the pasta. Even pieces cook evenly, so you won’t have some bites overdone while others are still pink. Trim any fat before cutting.
• Tortellini: Fresh or frozen both work. Cheese tortellini is the classic choice, and frozen can go straight into the pot without thawing. Fresh tortellini from the refrigerated case cook a little faster, so start checking them a minute or two early.
• Red bell pepper and mushrooms: Add sweetness, color and an earthy, meaty flavor. Wash them well before chopping.
• Jalapeño: Optional, finely diced. Keep the seeds if you want extra spice, or remove them for a gentle warmth.
• Thyme and black pepper: Dried thyme gives the broth a savory, herby backbone, and black pepper adds a little bite.
• Parsley: Stirred in at the end for a fresh, green finish. Adding it off the heat keeps its color bright and its flavor clean.

How to Make Chicken Tortellini Soup

1. Sauté the vegetables. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, onion and celery and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the onions are slightly translucent and the garlic smells fragrant.
2. Add the broth. Pour in the chicken stock or broth and bring it to a boil. Scrape the bottom of the pot as it heats to pick up any flavorful bits stuck to the pan.
3. Add the chicken and tortellini. Stir in the chicken pieces, tortellini, bell pepper, mushrooms, jalapeño, black pepper and thyme. Give it a good stir so the tortellini don’t stick together or to the bottom of the pot. The broth will stop boiling for a moment when everything goes in.
4. Simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tortellini are tender and the chicken is cooked through. The chicken is done when it is no longer pink in the center and reads 165°F on an instant read thermometer. The tortellini will plump up and float when they are ready.
5. Finish with parsley. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the parsley. Taste and add salt if needed, then ladle into bowls and serve hot. The broth should taste savory and herby, with a little warmth from the black pepper and jalapeño.

Ways to Customize This Tortellini Soup

• Make it spicier. Keep the jalapeño seeds in, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the thyme.
• Swap the vegetables. Zucchini, spinach or green beans all cook quickly in the simmering broth.
• Change the oil. Coconut oil and olive oil both work, so use whichever you keep on hand.
• Use spinach tortellini. Any filled tortellini works, and spinach tortellini adds even more color.

Chicken Tortellini Soup FAQs

• Can I use frozen tortellini? Yes. The recipe works with fresh or frozen tortellini, and frozen can go straight into the boiling broth. It may need an extra minute or two to become tender.
• How do I know the chicken is done? Cut a piece open to check that it is no longer pink, or use a thermometer. Chicken should reach 165°F.
• Is this soup spicy? Only if you want it to be. The jalapeño is optional. Keep the seeds for added spice or leave the pepper out completely.
• Can I use rotisserie chicken? Yes. Add shredded cooked chicken in the last few minutes, just long enough to heat it through.
• How do I store leftovers? Cool the soup and refrigerate it in an airtight container within 2 hours. Eat it within 3 to 4 days. The tortellini will keep soaking up broth, so add a splash more broth when you reheat.
• Can I freeze chicken tortellini soup? You can, but the pasta softens once thawed. For best texture, freeze the soup without the tortellini and cook fresh pasta when you reheat it.
• How do I reheat it? Warm it on the stove over medium heat until it is steaming hot all the way through, adding broth if it has thickened.

Easy Chicken Vegetable Tortellini Soup

Chicken tortellini soup made in one pot with tender chicken, tortellini, carrots, celery, bell pepper and mushrooms in a light, low sodium broth. It is on the table in under 30 minutes.

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Servings 6 to 8 people

Ingredients

  

• 1 Tbs coconut oil or olive oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 4 medium carrots peeled and diced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 celery stalks washed and diced
• 8 cups 64 oz natural chicken stock or broth, low sodium
• 3 chicken breasts thawed and cut in 1 inch pieces
• 48 oz fresh or frozen tortellini
• 1 red bell pepper washed and diced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 jalapeno finely diced (optional... keep seeds for added spice!)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbs parsley

Instructions

 

• In large pot, heat oil over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, onion, and celery. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until onions are slightly translucent.
• Add chicken stock/broth and bring to boil.
• Add chicken pieces, tortellini, bell pepper, mushroom, jalapeno, black pepper, and thyme. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until chicken no longer pink and tortellini tender.
• Remove from heat and add parsley.

Made this soup? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me what you think in the comments below. I love hearing how your family likes it.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Baked Burritos
• Stuffed Zucchini
• Simple Turkey Chili
• Manly Steak Soup
• Honey Cornbread Muffins