How to Make Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup, aka ‘Marry Me Chicken Soup’

Not only is creamy Tuscan chicken soup easy to make and filling, it also has a combination of Italian flavors so famously delicious that one bite results in spontaneous cries of “Marry me!”

The soup is loaded with tender chicken, pasta and spinach. And garlic, herbs, sauteed onion and sun-dried tomatoes flavor the broth. It’s a stick-to-your-ribs dish that’s tasty as a lunch or a side but substantial enough to serve for dinner too—especially romantic dinners! The soup is inspired by the recipe that started it all: marry me chicken.

Ingredients for Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

• Sun-dried tomatoes: With concentrated sweetness and herb-infused oil, these little tomatoes add lots of flavor and color to the soup.
• Rotisserie chicken: Shredded meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken saves so much time, plus, you’ll get a flavorful mix of dark and white meat.
• Spinach: Fresh spinach is a healthy addition to the soup, but also adds color against the red broth.
• Pasta: Rounding out this filling soup are small pasta shapes for the creamy broth to cling to. We used small shells, but feel free to use any of your favorite pasta shapes.

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup Recipe

This recipe, which went viral on TikTok, is from The Wholesome Dish and makes six generous servings of soup.

Ingredients

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil with Italian herbs, julienned or chopped
• 1 tablespoon of the seasoned olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken meat
• 2 cups chopped, fresh spinach
• 8 ounces small pasta, like macaroni or small shells
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Directions

Step 1: Saute the onions

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

Add the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar and the olive oil to a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Heat the oils over medium-high heat; when hot, add in the diced onion. Cook and stir the onion for about five minutes until the pieces are soft and translucent.

Step 2: Add the tomatoes and garlic

Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste and minced garlic. Cook the mixture for another two minutes.

Step 3: Combine with the broth and spices

Pour in the chicken broth along with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper; stir everything together and bring the soup to a simmer.

Step 4: Add the meat, pasta and spinach

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

Add the shredded chicken, fresh spinach and pasta to the simmering soup. Reduce the heat slightly and return the soup to a simmer for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to al dente.

Step 5: Finish with the milk and cheese

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

While the soup simmers, heat the milk to hot in a small saucepan or in the microwave. When the soup is finished, add a few spoonfuls of the broth to the hot milk to help temper it (and prevent it from curdling.) Then, slowly stir the hot milk into the soup. Stir the grated Parmesan into the soup.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve it with extra grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling over the top.

Tips for Making Marry Me Chicken Soup

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

What can I use if I don’t have whole milk?

Whole milk makes a delectably creamy soup broth, a perfect consistency to cling to the cooked pasta. You can also substitute half-and-half or heavy cream for the milk, which will make the soup even more rich. Low-fat or skim milk should be avoided as they won’t give the soup the same level of creaminess.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of a rotisserie chicken?

Yes! You can shred cooked chicken breasts leftover from last night’s dinner or bake chicken breasts to use in the soup.

What kind of pasta is best for Tuscan chicken soup?

Small, bite-sized pasta shapes are the best choices for this soup, such as tiny shells, ditalini, mini farfalle or elbows. Because the pasta cooks in the broth, it will soak up some of the liquid; larger pastas, as well as being more difficult to eat in a soup, will soak up too much liquid leaving the soup with hardly any broth.

What can I serve with marry me chicken soup?

Garnish bowls of this soup with extra grated Parmesan cheese and fresh, chopped basil. Slices of crusty bread with butter or our homemade garlic breadsticks are also delicious as sides.