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This creamy chicken tortellini soup recipe is a cozy meal loaded with tender chicken bites, spinach, carrots, and cheesy tortellini swimming in a flavorful broth. You’ll love how quickly it comes together in the Instant Pot!
This is like classic, creamy chicken noodle soup made with tortellini instead! Try my tomato tortellini soup, creamy crack chicken soup, and Italian sausage soup, too.
I adore soup, but I have a house full of pasta fanatics. No matter what I prepare—be it baked pesto chicken or pan-seared sirloin steak—you’ll find my husband behind me, making a pot of pasta to go with it. So, when it comes to soup, creamy tortellini soup is our common ground. It’s a dish we all agree on and thoroughly enjoy. And today, we’re adding chicken! This creamy chicken tortellini soup recipe is savory and flavorful. Best of all, it’s prepared in the Instant Pot.
Why We Can’t Get Enough of This Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
- One-pot wonder. Whether you make this soup in the Instant Pot or on the stove, it’s a one-pot recipe that’s also a complete meal in a bowl.
- Rich and flavor-packed. Pressure cooking condenses the flavors in this creamy soup into a 20-minute, hands-off cooking time.
- Simple ingredients. This family favorite creamy chicken tortellini soup is packed with chicken, pasta, and fresh vegetables.
- Use up leftovers. Soup is a great way to use up leftover roast chicken!
Ingredients You’ll Need for This Recipe
Scroll to the recipe card below for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
- Butter – For sautéing the vegetables and chicken. You can also use olive oil.
- Onion, Celery, and Carrots – These three veggies add an aromatic flavor base to the soup. You can use white or yellow onion.
- Garlic – Minced fresh garlic is best, or jarred garlic will also work. If you need to use garlic powder, substitute ½ teaspoon per fresh clove.
- Chicken – I use boneless skinless chicken breasts as they’re easiest to shred. Substitute with boneless chicken thighs or even turkey breasts if you’d like.
- Italian Seasoning – For some classic Italian flavor. French Herbs de Provence, or a mix of basil, oregano, and rosemary, are great alternatives. I also like to add dried thyme to my soup since it complements the chicken nicely.
- Chicken Broth – I prefer low-sodium broth. Vegetable broth or homemade chicken stock can also be used.
- Tortellini – This recipe works best with dried cheese tortellini, but you can also use fresh or frozen tortellini. Also, feel free to swap in spinach or meaty tortellini in place of cheese. It’s up to you! Keep in mind that the cooking time for fresh and frozen tortellini will be less.
- Baby Spinach – Fresh or frozen. You can substitute the spinach with kale or Swiss chard.
- Half-and-Half – Or heavy cream, to add creaminess to the soup. I don’t recommend regular milk as it tends to split at higher temperatures. If you’d like to make this soup dairy-free, try coconut milk as an alternative.
- Parsley and Parmesan – Optional, for garnish.
Tips and Soup Variations
- If you’re using a traditional pressure cooker, cook the soup for 13 minutes before releasing the pressure.
- Save time with pre-cooked chicken. If time is of the essence, grab a rotisserie chicken from the store (or use leftover air fryer rotisserie chicken), shred the meat, and add it to this soup together with the spinach and cream.
- Customize the vegetables. Feel free to add or substitute vegetables based on your preference. Bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms are all tasty additions!
- Adapt the creaminess. For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. Alternatively, for a richer soup, add an extra splash of cream.
- Spice it up. For a bit of heat, add red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to the soup.
What to Serve With Chicken Tortellini Soup
For a perfect meal during soup season, serve this creamy chicken tortellini soup with a side of crusty focaccia or garlic bread for dunking. To round out the meal, add a cabbage cucumber salad or a crunchy kale salad for a cool and refreshing contrast. Keep with the Italian theme and serve it alongside this amazing tomato burrata salad!
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Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 9 ounces dried cheese tortellini
- 8 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup half-and-half, or heavy cream
- grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Sauté the chicken and veggies. Set your Instant Pot on “saute” and melt the butter. Add the diced onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and chicken; add seasonings, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and the veggies are just beginning to soften.
- Add broth and tortellini. Stir in the chicken broth and tortellini; close the lid and lock it.
- Cook. Set the steam release to “sealing”. Press “manual” and adjust the time to 5 minutes. When the cycle is finished, wait 10 minutes and then manually release the pressure. Remove the lid and select “saute” again.
- Add spinach and cream. Stir in the spinach and half & half; cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the soup is heated through.
- Serve. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Ladle into soup bowls, top with grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and serve.
Notes
- If you have a standard pressure cooker, lock in the lid and cook for 13 minutes before releasing pressure.
- This recipe works with dried tortellini. For frozen or fresh tortellini, add them at the end, together with the cream and spinach; cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the tortellini is done. Check the instructions on the package to see how long they need to be cooked and follow the suggested time.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How To Make Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup in the Instant Pot
With just 5 minutes of prep, you’re about to be rewarded with a cozy, warm, and delicious bowlful of creamy chicken tortellini soup.
- Sauté the ingredients. First, set your Instant Pot to “saute” and melt the butter. Add the diced onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and cubed raw chicken. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the chicken is browned and the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add tortellini and broth. Next up, add the dried tortellini, chicken broth, and seasonings to the pot. Seal the lid and set the steam release to “sealing”.
- Pressure cook. Select the “manual” setting and adjust the time to 5 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Add spinach and cream. Now, remove the lid and set the Instant Pot back to “saute”. Stir in the fresh spinach and half-and-half, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes until the soup is heated through.
- Serve! Ladle the soup into bowls, top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and parsley, and serve it hot.
Stovetop Method
To make this chicken tortellini soup on the stovetop, use a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Sauté the vegetables and chicken over medium heat, then add the tortellini and broth as directed. Bring the soup to a boil, and cook until the tortellini is tender. Lastly, stir in the cream and spinach, and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
Can I Use Fresh or Frozen Tortellini?
Yes. For frozen or fresh cheese tortellini, add them at the end with the cream and spinach, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes or until done. Check the package instructions for the recommended cooking time.
Pro tip: Alternatively, drop in biscuit dough and make Instant Pot chicken and dumplings instead.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat. Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring often, until it’s warmed through.
I added cumin, onion powder and doubled the garlic! Delicious!
Great recipe! I honestly thought it tasted better after I refrigerated it for awhile. Before refrigeration it tasted mostly like chicken broth, but after you could really taste the cream and other ingredients. Love this recipe and will definitely make again.
This recipe was extremely bland. If you like extra spice and savory-ness try a diff recipe or adjust this one. We added more spices (we added cumin, Lowry’s seasoning salt, paprika, garlic salt, and more salt, thyme, and Italian seasoning.
This is one of my favorite soup recipes!! I did bump up the spices and added a little more tortillon.
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Hi! Where do you find dried tortellini?
Hi!
Tortellini comes dried, frozen, and fresh so be sure to check the dried pasta aisle – that’s where I find the ones I use.