Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup (Printable)

Velvety Italian soup with tender chicken, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy herb broth. Easy, comforting, and ready in 45 minutes.

# Components:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached breast/thighs)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 large carrot, diced
06 - 3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
07 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Herbs and Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs blend
11 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

→ Cheese

14 - ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and carrot, sauté until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add sun-dried tomatoes and Italian herbs blend; sauté for 2 minutes to release flavors.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
05 - Add shredded chicken to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Stir in heavy cream, spinach, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until spinach wilts and soup reaches creamy consistency.
07 - Stir in Parmesan cheese just before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms leftovers into something that feels fancy enough for guests but easy enough for a Tuesday.
  • The sun-dried tomatoes give it a sweet, tangy depth you won't get from fresh tomatoes.
  • You can make it as light or as indulgent as you want by swapping the cream.
  • It reheats beautifully, so lunch the next day tastes just as good.
02 -
  • Don't let the soup boil hard once you add the cream or it can break and look curdled instead of smooth.
  • Chop the sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces so every spoonful gets a bit of that sweet, tangy flavor.
  • If your spinach is full-sized instead of baby, remove the thick stems first or they'll be chewy and unpleasant.
  • Taste before adding extra salt, the Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes already bring a lot of sodium.
03 -
  • Use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar to sauté the vegetables for even more flavor.
  • If you don't have rotisserie chicken, poach chicken breasts in the broth first, then shred and return them to the pot.
  • Stir the soup gently after adding the cream to avoid splashing hot liquid on yourself.
  • For a thicker soup, mash some of the carrots against the side of the pot before adding the cream.
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