Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup (Printable)

Velvety Tuscan-inspired soup with tender chicken, fresh spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes in a rich, herb-infused creamy broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, rotisserie or poached

→ 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 fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
07 - 1/2 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 herb blend
11 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

→ Cheese

14 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving

# How to Make It:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you simmered it all afternoon.
  • The sun-dried tomatoes add a sweet tanginess that makes every spoonful interesting.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have melted into each other.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken and nobody will ever know you took the easy road.
02 -
  • Don't let the soup boil hard after you add the cream, or it might curdle and lose that smooth texture.
  • Taste the broth before you add salt, some store-bought broths are saltier than others and you can always add more but you can't take it back.
  • If the soup thickens too much as it sits, just stir in a splash of broth or water to loosen it up again.
03 -
  • Use the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar in place of some of the olive oil for an extra layer of flavor.
  • If you have fresh thyme on hand, throw a couple of sprigs into the broth while it simmers and fish them out before serving.
  • Shred the chicken by hand instead of chopping it, the irregular pieces soak up the broth better and make every bite feel more generous.
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