Description
This creamy Tuscan chicken soup is a comforting and flavorful dish with tender chicken, a rich broth, pasta, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, all in a creamy, parmesan-infused base. Perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 500 g/1 lb chicken thighs, skinless boneless (Note 1 for breast)
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- For Soup:
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large celery stems, finely sliced (sub 2 carrots)
- 1/2 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine, optional (Note 2)
- 4 cups chicken stock/broth, low sodium
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 250g/8 oz small pasta shells (or other small pasta, rice, potato, etc. – see Note 3)
- 1 cup (tightly packed) parmesan, finely grated or store bought pre-grated (sandy type) (Note 4)
- 1 cup thickened/heavy cream (Note 5 for milk sub)
- 2 packed cups baby spinach, chopped kale or similar
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomato strips, chopped into 1cm pieces, plus a bit of oil drizzling (Note 6)
- For Soup Thickener (Cornflour Slurry):
- 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through. Remove from the pot, shred the chicken, and set aside.
- In the same pot, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- If using, add the white wine and let it simmer for 2 minutes, allowing it to reduce slightly. Add the chicken stock, water, salt, and pepper, then bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions, usually around 7-9 minutes, until tender.
- While the pasta is cooking, make the cornflour slurry by mixing 2 teaspoons of cornflour with 2 teaspoons of water. Stir it into the soup to thicken the broth slightly.
- Once the pasta is cooked, return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the parmesan cheese and heavy cream. Stir to combine until the cheese is melted and the soup is creamy.
- Add the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts.
- Adjust the seasoning if needed and serve hot. Garnish with extra parmesan, if desired.
Notes
- For a lighter version, you can use chicken breast instead of thighs (Note 1).
- The white wine adds depth to the flavor but can be omitted if preferred (Note 2).
- If you prefer a thicker soup, you can use rice or potatoes instead of pasta (Note 3).
- For best results, use a high-quality parmesan cheese (Note 4).
- Milk can be substituted for the heavy cream for a lighter version (Note 5).
- If you like a bit of extra oil flavor, drizzle some oil from the sun-dried tomatoes (Note 6).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 890 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg