Description
This Marry Me Chicken Soup is a luscious and comforting dish featuring tender chicken, small pasta, and baby spinach in a creamy tomato-based broth enriched with parmesan and a touch of red wine vinegar. Perfect for a cozy meal, it combines savory flavors with a hint of sweetness and bright acidity.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- â…“ cup sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
Protein and Pasta
- 3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
- 2 cups small-shape pasta (uncooked) such as orecchiette, ditalini, or farfalle
Finishing Ingredients
- ½ cup heavy cream
- â…“ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Sauté Onions: Heat a large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, diced onion, ¼ teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions soften but do not brown.
- Add Aromatics and Tomato Paste: Sprinkle garlic powder and dried thyme over the sautéed onions. Cook for about one minute, stirring constantly to release their fragrance. Add the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds while stirring to deepen the flavor and remove rawness.
- Add Liquids and Chicken: Pour in chicken stock and filtered water, scraping the browned bits from the pot’s bottom to incorporate flavor. Stir in remaining 2 teaspoons salt, sugar, chopped sundried tomatoes in oil, and shredded cooked chicken. Cover and bring to a rolling boil.
- Cook Pasta: Add the uncooked pasta immediately to the boiling soup, stirring to prevent sticking. Cover, reduce heat to a strong simmer, and cook for 8-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender but not mushy.
- Finish Soup: Turn off heat and uncover the pot. Stir in heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, red wine vinegar, and baby spinach gently until spinach wilts and soup becomes creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use cooked chicken from leftovers, rotisserie chicken, or quickly poached chicken breasts.
- Small-shaped pasta like orrechiette or ditalini works best for texture and presentation.
- Adjust salt and pepper at the end to suit your taste preference.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, add a bit more cream or reduce the broth slightly before adding pasta.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream and omit Parmesan.
