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–+ servings
Sarah

Chicken Pasta Soup (Italian-Style)

Cozy chicken pasta soup with a tomato-garlic broth, tender shredded chicken, and ditalini (or tortellini). Comforting and hearty, made stovetop in ~45 minutes, with Instant Pot and Slow Cooker options.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted optional)
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts (use 1½–2 lb)
  • 1.5 cups ditalini (or 12 oz cheese tortellini)
  • 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice (or 1 tsp red wine vinegar)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (¾–1 tsp, to taste)
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • Parmesan, for serving (plus optional rind for simmering)

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or 6-qt pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Instant-read thermometer

Method

  • Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil with a pinch of salt until tender, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
  • Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Add oregano, basil, bay leaf, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a simmer.
  • Add chicken; simmer gently until internal temp reaches 165°F/74°C, 12–15 minutes. Remove chicken to shred.
  • Add ditalini; cook 8–10 minutes (or tortellini 3–5 minutes).
  • Return shredded chicken; stir in spinach to wilt. Remove bay leaf.
  • Finish with lemon juice or vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Serve with Parmesan.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 28gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 520mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 5200IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 3mg

Notes

Creamy “alfredo” option: Stir in ½–¾ cup half-and-half and ¼ cup grated Parmesan off heat.
Gluten-free: Use GF pasta or rice; verify broth.
Dairy-free: Skip cheese and cream; drizzle with olive oil.
Equipment: Dutch oven or 6-qt pot; instant-read thermometer.
Alternate Methods
Instant Pot: Sauté aromatics; add broth, tomatoes, seasonings, and chicken. Pressure cook 8 minutes (fresh) or 12–14 minutes (frozen). Natural release 5 minutes, quick release. Remove chicken to shred; add pasta and simmer 3–6 minutes on Sauté. Return chicken; finish and season.
Slow Cooker: Add everything except pasta, spinach, and lemon. Cook 6–7 hours LOW (or 3–4 HIGH). Shred chicken; stir in pasta (last 25–30 minutes) and spinach. Finish with lemon and season.
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