Description
Marry Me Chicken Soup is a creamy, comforting, and flavorful 30-minute dinner featuring tender chicken, pasta, sundried tomatoes, and fresh spinach in a rich tomato and herb broth finished with cream and parmesan.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 6-oz can tomato paste
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
- 3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
- 2 cups small-shape pasta (such as orecchiette, ditalini, or farfalle; uncooked)
To Add at the End
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat a large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, diced onion, ¼ teaspoon salt, and freshly ground pepper. Cook until the onion begins to soften, about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Add Herbs and Tomato Paste: Sprinkle garlic powder and dried thyme over the softened onion, cooking for about one minute until fragrant, stirring constantly. Add the tomato paste and cook for an additional 30 seconds while stirring to deepen the flavor.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Pour in the chicken stock and 2 cups of filtered water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to incorporate flavor. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, sugar, sundried tomatoes, and cooked chicken, stirring everything to combine. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Cook Pasta: Stir in the uncooked small-shape pasta to prevent sticking. Cover, reduce heat to a strong simmer, and cook until the pasta is just tender, about 8-15 minutes depending on pasta shape. Keep an eye on it by uncovering and stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning on the bottom.
- Finish Soup: Turn off the heat and uncover the pot. Stir in the heavy cream, grated parmesan cheese, red wine vinegar, and baby spinach until the spinach wilts and everything is well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed before serving.
Notes
- Thyme is the herbal base in the original recipe, but you can substitute no-salt-added Italian seasoning or poultry seasoning for variation.
- One 6-oz can of tomato paste equals about 10 tablespoons. If using tomato paste from a tube, adjust the quantity according to its concentration.
- For pasta, small shapes like ditalini, orecchiette, or farfalle work best. Avoid larger shapes like penne or rigatoni as they absorb too much liquid. Monitor cooking time closely to prevent pasta from sticking or overcooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
