Tuscan Chicken Soup
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This Tuscan Chicken Soup is a creamy, comforting Italian-inspired soup made with tender rotisserie chicken, cannellini beans, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and Parmigiano Reggiano. A splash of white wine, fresh basil, and lemon zest bring bright flavor to the rich, creamy broth. One spoonful and you will understand why they call it “Marry Me Chicken Soup“!
If you love this recipe, you should try my Marry Me Shrimp Recipe and Marry Me Butter Beans.
Quick Look: Tuscan Chicken Soup
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Method: Stovetop
- Dietary: Gluten-free without pasta, good source of protein
- Flavor and Texture: Creamy, savory, slightly tangy, and herbaceous with tender chicken, creamy beans, and bursts of sweet sun-dried tomato.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Marry Me Chicken Soup!
There is something special about a pot of soup simmering in the kitchen; it makes the entire home feel warm and inviting. My version of Marry Me Chicken Soup leans into the simple Italian flavors I love: cannellini beans, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh vegetables, basil, and plenty of Parmigiano cheese.
The beans are my Tuscan-inspired touch. They give the soup a creamy, rustic quality and make it satisfying even without pasta. My children love it with ditalini, so I cook the pasta separately and let everyone add it to their own bowl. It is a small step that keeps the leftovers tasting just as lovely the next day. This is comfort food made with simple ingredients and plenty of amore.
You’ll love my more traditional Italian soups: Tuscan White Bean Soup, Zuppa Toscana (Potato Kale Soup), and Pasta e Fagioli.
Made With Amore,
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
A combination of Italian-inspired ingredients gives this creamy chicken soup its signature flavor.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Using cooked shredded chicken makes this soup especially convenient while adding plenty of savory flavor.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes add concentrated tomato flavor and a touch of sweetness.
- Cannellini Beans: Creamy white beans make the soup hearty and add texture.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Freshly grated Parmesan melts into the broth for savory depth and richness.
- Fresh Herbs and Lemon: Basil and lemon zest brighten the creamy soup and balance its flavors.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Chicken: Simmer 1½ pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs in the broth until cooked, then shred.
- Wine: Replace the white wine with additional chicken broth if preferred.
- Greens: Substitute chopped kale for the spinach. Add it earlier and simmer until tender.
- Meatless Variation: Omit the chicken, double the beans, and use vegetable broth.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Soup
This creamy chicken soup comes together in one pot, with a few simple steps that build layers of Italian-inspired flavor. Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Heat the olive oil and sun-dried tomato oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic smells fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
- Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the wine reduces by about half. Add the chicken broth, and cannellini beans.
- Add the bay leaves, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
- Stir in the cooked chicken and heavy cream. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes. Do not let the soup boil vigorously after adding the cream. Reduce the heat to low. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the Parmigiano a little at a time until it melts into the broth.
- Stir in the spinach and cook for 1–3 minutes, just until wilted. Remove the pot from the heat and add the fresh basil and lemon zest.
- Taste and add more salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, or chicken broth as needed. Cook the pasta separately in generously salted water until just al dente. Drain and add a small portion to each serving bowl before ladling the soup over it.
Marry Me Chicken Soup FAQs
Tuscan Chicken Soup is a creamy, Italian-inspired chicken soup made with vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, greens, and Italian herbs. My version also includes cannellini beans, one of my favorite ingredients for adding rustic flavor and a naturally creamy texture.
It is commonly called Marry Me Chicken Soup because it transforms the familiar flavors of Marry Me Chicken: sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, cream, and Parmesan cheese into a cozy one-pot meal.
This is not a traditional soup with one precise Tuscan origin. It is better described as a Tuscan-inspired American recipe made with ingredients commonly found in Italian cooking. That small distinction matters to me.
Yes, but cook the dried beans separately until tender before adding them to the soup. Canned cannellini beans are convenient and work well for this recipe.
Prepare the soup one or two days ahead, but wait to add the spinach, basil, lemon zest, and optional pasta until serving. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to four days, keeping pasta separate. Reheat gently on the stovetop and add a splash of broth if the soup has thickened. Avoid boiling so the cream stays smooth.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this creamy chicken soup with Crusty Bread or Schiacciata Bread for dipping and a simple salad on the side. I especially love it with my Italian Fennel Orange Salad or Pear Gorgonzola Salad.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the tomato paste: Cooking it briefly deepens its flavor before the broth is added.
- Add the Parmigiano gradually: Freshly grated cheese melts more smoothly into the warm broth.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer: A hard boil after adding the cream can affect the texture.
- Finish with lemon zest and fresh basil: These bright ingredients balance the richness of the cream and Parmigiano.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
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Tuscan Chicken Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ⅓ cup dry white wine, or additional chicken broth
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon homemade Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 3 cups cooked shredded or chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving
- 2 cups packed baby spinach
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn by hand
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Optional Pasta
- 1 cup dry ditalini, small shells, or elbow pasta
- Salt, for the pasta water
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables. Heat the olive oil and sun-dried tomato oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Build the flavor. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic smells fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
- Deglaze the pot. Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the wine reduces by about half.
- Simmer the soup. Add the chicken broth, cannellini beans, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
- Add the chicken and cream. Stir in the cooked chicken and heavy cream. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes. Do not let the soup boil vigorously after adding the cream.
- Finish the soup. Reduce the heat to low. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the Parmigiano a little at a time until it melts into the broth.
- Add the greens. Stir in the spinach and cook for 1–3 minutes, just until wilted. Remove the pot from the heat and add the fresh basil and lemon zest.
- Adjust and serve. Taste and add more salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, or chicken broth as needed. Serve hot with freshly grated Parmigiano and black pepper.
- If adding pasta: Cook the pasta separately in generously salted water until just al dente. Drain and add a small portion to each serving bowl before ladling the soup over it. Store leftover pasta and soup in separate containers so the pasta does not absorb the creamy broth.
Notes
- Don’t skip the tomato paste: Cooking it briefly deepens its flavor before the broth is added.
- Add the Parmigiano gradually: Freshly grated cheese melts more smoothly into the warm broth.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer: A hard boil after adding the cream can affect the texture.
- Finish with lemon zest and fresh basil: These bright ingredients balance the richness of the cream and Parmigiano.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
