Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup (Printable view)

Velvety soup with tender chicken, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes in a savory herb-infused creamy broth.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached breast/thighs)

→ 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 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 & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs blend (basil, oregano, thyme)
11 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

→ Cheese

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

# How To Make:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like youve been simmering it all day, but it comes together in under an hour on a weeknight.
  • The spinach wilts into the creamy broth so even picky eaters forget theyre eating greens.
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when all the flavors have mingled overnight.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken and skip half the work without anyone ever knowing.
02 -
  • Don't let the soup boil hard once the cream goes in, or it might break and look curdled instead of silky.
  • If your sun-dried tomatoes are too chewy, soak them in warm water for five minutes before chopping, I learned this after biting into a leathery piece.
  • Add the spinach in two batches if your pot is small, it looks like way too much at first but it cooks down fast.
  • Taste before adding extra salt, especially if you used rotisserie chicken, because it can be surprisingly salty on its own.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken and shred it while it's still warm, it pulls apart so much easier and stays juicier.
  • If you want deeper flavor, sauté the sun-dried tomatoes for an extra minute until they start to caramelize at the edges.
  • Always add the Parmesan off the heat, stirring it in gently so it melts smoothly without clumping or turning grainy.
  • Double the recipe and freeze half before adding the spinach, then stir in fresh spinach when you reheat it so it stays bright green.
Go Back