Tuscan Chicken Soup

This creamy Tuscan chicken soup is loaded with tender chicken, pasta and spinach. The broth gets its rich flavor from the sun-dried tomatoes, onion, garlic and herbs, while the addition of milk and Parmesan cheese give it a creamy finish. It’s tasty for lunch or as a side, but is substantial enough to serve for dinner. And it’s definitely one of those stick-to-your-ribs soup recipes to keep you warm and toasty during the cold weather months!

What is Tuscan chicken soup?

Our Tuscan chicken soup recipe is made with shredded chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and pasta in a creamy broth that’s finished with Parmesan cheese. Recipes for Tuscan chicken soup vary, with some featuring kale instead of spinach or potatoes or beans instead of pasta. Most recipes add cream or milk to make a rich broth, although the soup is sometimes prepared without dairy.

As far as we can tell, Tuscan chicken soup is likely not actually from Tuscany. It seems to have earned its name because of its abundance of Italian-inspired flavors. Some say the recipe was inspired by a Tuscan bread soup known as minestra di pane while others maintain it’s a spin-off of marry me chicken or Olive Garden’s zuppa toscana.

Ingredients for Tuscan Chicken Soup

• Sun-dried tomatoes: With their concentrated sweetness and herb-infused oil, these little tomatoes add lots of flavor and color to the soup. You’ll need the tomatoes and some of the oil from the jar.
• Rotisserie chicken: You can use any leftover chicken, but we recommend using shredded meat from a whole chicken, like a store-bought rotisserie chicken. It creates a flavorful mix of dark and white meat.
• Spinach: Fresh spinach adds a mildly sweet, earthy flavor and colorful contrast to the red broth. Regular spinach tastes better in cooked recipes like soup, so save the baby spinach for salads.
• Pasta: Rounding out this filling soup are small pasta shapes that cling to the creamy broth. Ridged elbow macaroni or small shells are our go-to choices, but you can use any small pasta shape.
• Chicken broth and tomato paste: Umami-rich tomato paste makes the best chicken broth brands taste even better. It also thickens the soup to the perfect consistency. For best flavor, start with homemade chicken broth.
• Milk and Parmesan cheese: Whole milk and Parmesan cheese give the soup its signature creamy consistency. For a richer, thicker soup, swap in half-and-half or heavy cream for the milk. Avoid low-fat or skim milk, which won’t create the same level of creaminess.
• Onion, garlic and seasonings: Aromatic vegetables combine with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and garlic powder to give the soup its savory character.

Directions

Step 1: Saute the onions and sun-dried tomatoes

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes and the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook and stir it until it’s softened, four to six minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste and garlic. Cook for two minutes longer.

Step 2: Cook the pasta

Stir in the chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Add the chicken and spinach

Stir in the chicken and spinach. Cook and stir until the chicken is heated through and the spinach is wilted.

Step 4: Finish with the milk and cheese

In a small saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat. Ladle a small amount of the soup into the milk, then slowly stir the warm milk mixture into the Dutch oven. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. If you’d like, you can serve the soup with additional Parmesan cheese.

Editor’s Tip: Heating the milk and adding a few spoonfuls of the broth helps to temper the milk, which prevents it from curdling.

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Tuscan Chicken Soup Variations

• Skip the pasta: Instead of pasta, simmer beans or potatoes in Tuscan chicken soup to create a naturally gluten-free soup that’s just as hearty and filling. You can also add cooked rice to the soup just before serving.
• Make it vegetarian: Skip the chicken and make the soup with vegetable broth and beans instead. Cannellini beans are the traditional choice, but you can use other types of canned beans like navy beans, great Northern beans, butter beans, or garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas).
• Add more veggies: You can add more veggies or replace the spinach with other hearty greens. Try adding kale, Swiss chard or collard greens when you add the pasta. To add vegetables like mushrooms or bell peppers, saute them alongside the onions.
• Replace the chicken: Before you cook the onions, brown bulk Italian sausage or mini meatballs in the Dutch oven. Remove the meat and discard the excess grease. Then, proceed with the recipe as directed, adding the browned meat back to the soup at the end to warm it through.

How to Store Tuscan Chicken Soup

Let Tuscan chicken soup cool slightly, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Can you make Tuscan chicken soup ahead of time?

Most soup recipes are make-ahead friendly, but we don’t actually recommend making Tuscan chicken soup ahead. The pasta will absorb the liquid, making it soft and soggy. The soup will still taste good, but it will lack the toothsome texture it has when freshly prepared. If you must make the soup ahead of time, cook the pasta separately and store it in a separate container.

Tuscan Chicken Soup Tips

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Can I use chicken breasts instead of rotisserie chicken to make Tuscan chicken soup?

To make Tuscan chicken soup with chicken breasts, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and simmer it in the broth for about 30 minutes before adding the pasta (as we do in chicken corn soup). Alternatively, you can use shredded leftover chicken breasts, or bake chicken breasts and shred them once they’re cool enough to handle.

What kind of pasta is best for Tuscan chicken soup?

Small, bite-sized pasta shapes like tiny shells, ditalini, mini farfalle or elbows are the best choices for this soup. Long pasta noodles and larger shapes are more difficult to eat in a soup and soak up too much liquid, leaving the soup with hardly any broth.

What can I serve with Tuscan chicken soup?

Garnish bowls of this soup with extra grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh herbs like parsley or basil. The broth is so delicious that you’ll want to scoop up every last bit, so it’s a good idea to serve slices of crusty bread or homemade garlic breadsticks on the side.